After Lucy managed to wrangle a flustered Eliza into the bath, she instructed her to take her breakfast with Lady Henry in the dining room.
As Eliza wandered back down the hallway, fully dressed, she had wondered if Brandon sprayed her outburst this morning around the servent's quarters like confetti or if he kept his lordship's affairs quiet. She hadn't been able to silence talk in London, so she hopes she can manage to silence it in her own household. She didn't need Mrs. Davies or Lady Henry to think that Eliza finds it appropriate to storm across the estate in a bathrobe, demanding to see her indisposed beau. That it simply was a moment of insanity and would not happen again.
When she rounds the corner into the dining room, she finds Margaret with a teacup up to her pink lips as her eyes wander over a letter pinched in her fingers. Not wishing to disturb, she quietly strides over to the buffet to see what has been left out for breakfast.
"They'll serve you, my dear," Margaret says, with her eyes still glued to her correspondence. "Come sit." Eliza nods before doing as she's told. She drops onto the dark wooden chair, covered in a silk cushion and a servent materializes to ask coffee or tea? Eliza is already fidgety from her anxiety so she opts for tea with toast and jam.
The room is silent, so the liquid pouring from the ceramic spout is all Eliza can focus on. She watches the steam from her cup spiral into the air, waiting for Margaret to begin the anxiously awaited conversation. The letter seems to span multiple pages, so she reaches for the blackberry jam to slather over her lightly toasted bread as Margaret drops the second page onto the cream table cloth.
Eliza does not wish to crunch into her breakfast, so when her plate is dropped in front of her, she hesitates lifting her knife. How disruptive would she be to clank the knife into the glass jam bowl and then onto the bread? Margaret then having to listen to her scrape and chew. How much patience does Colin's aunt still have for the young bride?
Margaret finally drops the last page onto the table and then flits her gaze to Eliza, "Are you waiting for the toast to jump into your mouth?"
Eliza's eyes dart to her untouched breakfast and then replies, "I did not wish to disturb you." Margaret waves her dainty hand into the air before replying, "Carry on, girl. If I had wished to read in silence, I would have left to the study." After being granted permission, Eliza starts munching on her toast which allows Margaret to add, "Have you recovered from your evening in the woods?"
She nods before reaching for her teacup, "More than I have recovered from my mishap at tea." Eliza doesn't miss the grin that tugs at the older woman's lips, but it vanishes quickly.
"Ah yes. The matter with Miss Cameron should be discussed, even if my nephew claims that her appearance in Nottinghamshire has nothing to do with him."
"I fear it has everything to do with him. His engagement is in the papers and suddenly she turns up in a town where no local theater is held. What other reason would she be in the vicinity?" Eliza counters, trying to calm herself.
"She claims to be an honored guest of Mr. Hartwig, which says enough about her right there," Margaret mutters, disapproving of the harlot. "But even so, she arrived at the Whitman's sans an invitation and appeared to cause a scuffle with the new marchioness. Her behavior may have been a bit more appalling than yours if such a thing is even possible." Eliza darts her eyes away, suddenly interested in pinching the cloth napkin in her lap. Her gaze is still on her hands when she says, "She came to tea to find me. To inform me that she intends on being established as Colin's mistress."
"I beg your pardon?" Margaret snaps, forcing Eliza to look at her. "Is that what happened in the garden?"
She nods, "She was flirtatious at the sèance and then wanted to know if I was a title hunter or in love. I think I gave her clarity, even if how I went about it was a bit...offputting."
