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His heart was aching. She had persuaded him to bring the secret out into the open when they returned to Woodbine – and he had capitulated because he knew she was right. Toby had been hidden in the shadows for too long.
But he was well aware that what he had really agreed to was the opening of a Pandora's box. It had started last evening, in fact, when he had told her about some of the events surrounding his elopement with Laura Turner. It would not end at Woodbine, though. Woodbine was not a world unto itself. Word of its doings sometimes spread beyond its boundaries – especially if they were unusual and interesting doings.
Toby needed freedom. But what might be the cost of that freedom? "I had better take my leave," he said. "I may return this afternoon as pla
He bowed to her and took his leave.
And wondered if she was right.
Was this all fate?
Had the whole of his life been leading him to that strange meeting with Maggie Huxtable?
It was a dizzying thought.
He had a /son/. Margaret did not know why she had been taken so much by surprise. He and Mrs. Turner had been together for almost five years before her death, after all. In a sense, it was surprising there had not been more than one child.
He had told her on a previous occasion that he had never loved Mrs.
Turner – not in any romantic sense. All this was very reminiscent of Crispin. Was love impossible for men? Or /romantic/ love, anyway? It was a depressing thought.
It was a good thing she was no longer looking for romantic love.
Vanessa arrived soon after Lord Sheringford had left. She had come to rejoice with her sister over the fact that he was not after all the villain everyone thought him to be. But she did not stay long. She had promised the children an outing – indeed they were outside with their nurse in the carriage waiting for her – and would not disappoint them.
Half an hour after Margaret had waved them on their way, Katherine came.
She had been at the library when Margaret's note had been delivered, but she had read it with such delight even before taking off her bo
Tobias – Toby. She wondered what last name he bore.
They would know soon enough, though, she supposed. She was determined that the little boy would not be hidden away in some dark corner with an assumed identity, as if there were something shameful about him.
Everyone in the neighborhood of Woodbine Park would know who he was.
There were scores of gentlemen, she was well aware, who had illegitimate children, most of them hidden discreetly from the view of wives and polite society with their mothers or at some private orphanage or school.
It was not going to happen with the Earl of Sheringford's son. And let anyone try to sympathize with her at having to endure such an indignity.
She would give that person an earful!
Margaret dressed with care for the visit to the Marquess of Claverbrook.
It was important that he approve of her, though he would surely have no reason /not/ to unless he was playing games with his grandson and intended to disapprove of anyone who was presented to him. Well, she would give /him/ an earful too if that were the case.
She left her room as soon as she heard the door knocker. She was feeling quite martial, perhaps because inside she was quaking with nervousness.
She paused at the top of the stairs when she saw that Stephen was in the hall with her betrothed. He was shaking his hand. "I will not apologize," he was saying, "for the ma
Indeed, I honor you." "Nothing has changed, you know," the earl said. "Miss Huxtable will still be marrying a social pariah. I am still guilty of jilting one woman and stealing another from her lawful husband. I take it your sister also informed you that she has accepted my offer?" "She has," Stephen said, "and I must confess that I still felt it my duty to caution her, as marriage to you will /not/ be easy. I respect her decision, though. Meg is nothing if not courageous." "I will do my utmost – " the earl began, but Margaret cleared her throat at that point and made her descent.
Lord Sheringford bowed to her. "Maggie," he said. "Lord Sheringford." /"Maggie/?" Stephen said with a laugh. "That is a new one." "A new name for a new life," she said, "as Lord Sheringford pointed out a few evenings ago. I believe I rather like it. It makes me seem less dull and staid. I am ready." "/Dull/?" Stephen said, laughing. "/Staid/? You, Meg?" He kissed her cheek and waited to see them on their way. It still seemed strange to realize that he was all grown up, that he was the one now who felt responsible for /her/.
She felt a rush of love for him.
15
"STEPHEN wishes to host a wedding breakfast for us," she said as they walked. "Will it be appropriate, do you think? More to the point, will anyone come?" "Appropriate?" he said, glancing uneasily up at the sky. It was surely going to rain in the not-too-distant future, and she was wearing a pale blue walking dress and spencer and a straw bo