Page 59 of The Viscount's Diamond Bride
What does it matter, though?She thought lazily.After last night, I am sure of his affections. I imagine he’s waiting for me in the breakfast-room downstairs.
Ursula dressed quickly and hastily, throwing on a loose day-gown and thrusting her feet into slippers. She didn’t even bother to put up her hair properly. Ruthie could attend to that later.
Humming under her breath, she skipped down the stairs, moving straight to the breakfast-room.
Graham was not there. Margaret, however, was.
Ursula skidded to a halt, suddenly regretting her light, informal clothing. Margaret stood by the window, staring at nothing in particular, and glanced over her shoulder when Ursula’s entered. Her expression gave nothing away.
"Good gracious, Ursula, how dishevelled you look! I suggest you dismiss that girl Ruthie, if she doesthatto your hair.”
Ursula swallowed. “I didn’t ask Ruthie to do my hair at all. I thought I would eat breakfast before I got properly dressed.”
Margaret gave a tight laugh. ““Upon my word, my dear, that isn’t proper at all. You ought not to have dismissed Lady Annabella’s offer of decorum lessons, I believe.”
That stung, and Ursula bit her lower lip, hard.
“Please do not speak to me in that manner, Margaret. I don’t appreciate it. Where is Graham?”
“He went out,” Margaret responded airily, waving her hand.
This gave Ursula something of a start. So, Graham had not waited for them to take breakfast together. And judging by the comfortable way Margaret was sipping tea at the window, he had not discussed the idea of his mother moving out.
Feeling somewhat betrayed, Ursula helped herself to some tea.
“Did Graham speak of anything important to you?” she asked, as carelessly as she could.
“No, only pleasantries,” Margaret responded, not turning around. “Why, should he have mentioned something important to me?”
Ursula bit her lip. “No.”
Margaret turned around properly, fixing Ursula with a cold and intent gaze.
“You seem rather pleased with yourself with morning, my dear,” she said abruptly. “I cannot help but wonder, however, if such contentment might be premature.”
Ursula glanced up, faltering. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, nothing.”
“I… I merely rested well. I am in a good humour this morning.”
Margaret gave a frosty smile. “So I see.”
Abruptly, she crossed the room, settling into the chair beside Ursula and leaning forward.
“Let me drop a word in your ear,” Margaret murmured, with an air of confidentiality. “Take it from a woman who endured a long and troublesome matrimony. Beware of reading too much into momentary physical satisfaction.”
Ursula, who had been about to spread butter on a slice of toast, flinched, clanging the knife against the side of the plate.
“I beg your pardon?”
Margaret winced. “Men are funny creatures, you know. They often confuse gratitude and guilt with… withdeeperfeelings. Young women, on the other hand, are prone to mistake plain marital duty from their husbands which can, I grant, be performed with skill for genuine affection. Men, you see, can perform their duties without an ounce of feeling involved. Some of them are quite good at it.”
Ursula felt as though she were frozen in place.
“What are you saying?” she heard herself say, her voice trembling.
Margaret sighed deeply, shaking her head regretfully. “My dear girl, it’s plain that you believe that Graham loves you. And I wish that he did. Truly, I did. But I have seen him in love before. Have you perhaps heard the name Jane Whitmore?”
