Page 41 of Loving a Noble Gentleman
Mary smiled. “Right, that sounds good. Let us get going. The sooner we do this, the better.”
Even with Charlotte so clearly upset, Mary could not contain her excitement. Yes, losing the house was never what she wanted, but it was a side effect of what she really needed to happen, so she would have to take it.
***
Daisy’s heart leapt into her mouth when she opened the front door to the house and saw Lady Roberts standing there in front of her. Not just Mary but Charlotte too. She had not seen the older sister for many years, so this truly was a lovely surprise.
“Oh my goodness,” she gasped while clutching her hand to her chest. “What are you doing here? I was not expecting you. Either of you.”
“I am afraid that I do not come with good news,” Mary told her gravely right away. “Can I please come in to speak with you?”
“You do not need to ask. This is your home.” Daisy stepped to one side and let the girls in. She watched Charlotte race up the stairs to her old bedroom without saying much to anyone. “Is she alright?” she asked Mary.
“She is fine,” Mary tried to reassure Daisy. “She just wants to see the house.”
“Right.” Daisy did not need to press further to understand what was happening. She had been expecting this for a while now. Ever since Mary left the home to go and stay with her sister she had known that the wedding was not going to happen. “I see. So the house is going up for sale?”
“It is,” Mary nodded sadly. “I am sorry about that; I just cannot marry a man that would ruin someone else.”
“I know.” Daisy rubbed her arm reassuringly. “I understand that; I do not want you to think that I blame you. The Duke was never good enough for you.”
“I sensed it right away, did I not?” She smiled as she recalled how much she hated his arrogance when she first met him. “I told you that he was not the one for me. I knew it then, but I allowed myself to get convinced otherwise.” She shook her head in a bemused fashion. “I should have simply trusted my initial instincts.”
“We all have to learn somehow,” Daisy answered. “Without mistakes, none of us know what the right thing for us is. No one blames you.”
“I will help you,” Mary interjected, needing to reassure her friend. “I will not have you out on the streets. I do not know how yet, but please understand that I am working on it. I will ensure that you keep your job here, or I will make sure that you have money ... I do not know, but please know that I have not forgotten you.”
Daisy nodded. She was not sure that Lady Roberts could do what she was suggesting since she was about to have her own problems to worry about, but she did not want to put her friend down. “It is nice enough that you care enough to try,” she said. “I do not know that any other Lady would act in the same way.”
Mary parted her lips, ready to argue, but then she thought about the way that Charlotte reacted when she heard about her friendship with Daisy. Maybe she was the one that was strange, but if being unusual meant that she could help, then she really did not mind. Her friendship with Daisy had been a lifesaver anyway; she would not change it for the world.
“How have things been since I left?” Mary asked. “I am sorry, I guess I have been so wrapped up in my own life that I forgot things would not stop still just because I left.”
“Things have been quiet,” Daisy admitted. “There is still work to do, but it is not the same without anyone here to serve. Do you think you might come back?” She knew she was being hopeful; she knew that the house was up for sale, but she missed Mary even more than she thought she would.
“I do not think so,” Mary admitted. “I think ...” She glanced behind her to check that her sister was not listening. She did not want Charlotte to think that she was speaking about her behind her back. “I think Charlotte needs me at the moment. It does not seem that things are good for her right now.”
Daisy nodded, she did not know what to say about that, but she could see that Mary was right. Charlotte did seem like someone who needed looking after. “She is lucky to have you.”
Mary nodded slowly, wishing that were true. If she had things her way, Charlotte would be lucky to have her, but she did not. “Thank you, Daisy. That is very kind of you to say.”
“Well, we shall miss you. I will miss you, of course, but I have already been missing you. You have always been a good friend to me.”
Unexpectedly, tears welled up in Mary’s eyes. She did not expect to get so emotional, but actually being at her family home and knowing that it would soon be gone, along with her friendship with Daisy destroyed her. As the wetness splashed onto her cheeks, Daisy wrapped her arms around her friend, and they embraced.
“I am sorry,” Mary sobbed. “I feel like I have let you down. I feel like I am letting everyone down.”
Daisy pulled back, and she stared into Mary’s eyes. “You have not let anyone down. If anything, you are doing yourself proud, and the rest of us. Yes, things will change, but life is all about change. It is fine. You will do well and so will the rest of us. We will all find our place in the world.”
“I hope you are right.” Mary pulled back as she finally heard her sister coming down the stairs. “I truly do.”
“Is there anything that you need to do?” Charlotte asked, her voice thick with emotion. “Because I am finished here. I am ready to go whenever you are.”
“I will not be long,” Mary promised. “I will just go up to my room, then I will be ready too. I promise. Can you give me a few moments?”
“Yes,” Charlotte whispered with a sniff and a nod. “I can.”
Daisy took Charlotte to go and get a drink to help her to calm down, leaving Mary with some much-needed time to say goodbye to her house. It was going to be a lot more challenging than she first believed it would be ...
