Ordained

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty Nine

Dinner was a quiet affair filled with clipped responses and limited talking. Emmeline had felt like she was carrying the entire conversation, asking questions and offering stories to the unfriendly room. "Tell me Lord Walter, how well did you know dear Olive?"

He bristled at the question. "If you are implying that I did not know my cousin well-" He began before being hastily hushed by his wife. "Although we did not write to the baroness regularly, we kept her in our thoughts often."

Emmeline quirked an eyebrow, but Atticus replied before her. "I am sure if you had kept her in your correspondence rather than simply your thoughts, she may have thought of you when it came to her will."

Lord Walter stood abruptly, slamming his hands on the table. His moustache seemed to ruffle with indignation as he announced. "We are her last living family. Some young – young upstart will not deny us what is rightfully ours."

So there it was. It hadn't been articulated, but everyone knew why they had come. As if sensing it was now or never, the other table guests murmured their agreement. "We will also not be denied our share of our cousin's estate."

Atticus, the same man who was always smiling, always joking, always seeing the best in people, looked darkly around the room. "None of you cared for Olive. You only care about her money."
"It is ours by right!" Lord Walter boomed heavily. His face had grown red, the skin a ruddy blotchy mess.

Emmeline glanced from her brother to Lord Walter and back. With a stab of bravery she once again interjected. "Forgive me Lord Walter but I fail to see your claim."

She hadn't stood, instead continuing to eat like the argument around her didn't bother her in the slightest. She would never have admitted it, but it was a behaviour she had learnt from Carmen. Her forced demeanour of calm seemed to suck all the hostility out of the room, like a flame deprived of oxygen Lord Walter seemed to lose some of his bluster.

With a patient smile she waited politely till the men had stopped huffing and puffing before speaking again. "As I understand it. My brother married Olive seven years ago. They have lived-"

"He married an old woman for her fortune. The law will see the deviousness in his actions!"

Emmeline blinked but otherwise ignored the interjection. "They have lived as loving spouses for seven years. My brother has now been widowed and his late wife's estates are now his. Just as the Baroness inherited her husband's assets upon his death, my brother will now inherit the same estates from the Baroness now that she has passed."

"I understand that dear Olive left a will, is that right Attius?"

Atticus nodded. "I do not know the contents, but yes she made a will with our solicitors some years ago."

"And the solicitor has kept it since then?"

Atticus nodded.

"So it cannot have been tampered with?"

Her brother simply shook his head wearily. She felt a surge of sympathy and the desire to mother and protect him, but knew that if she were to fuss over him she would be undermining him in front of such hostile company.

It was Lady Goush who agreed first. "Her grace is correct. The King will send a representative to settle things. Until then we should strive to live peacefully."

Emmeline smiled widely at her, a little impressed. Lady Goush seemed like the sort of woman to cower in her husband's shadows, but perhaps she had misjudged her.

"I couldn't agree more, Lady Goush. We are united in our grief at Olive's passing. We should, as you say, be amicable at least."

Beside her Atticus reached to take her hand under the table, the siblings holding hands for a short moment whilst Atticus squeezed her fingers in a gesture of silent thanks. 

...

True to her word, Emmeline made time for Lady Gretchen the next morning. She invited all the ladies who had descended upon The Folly to take tea with her. The weather was turning autumnal and far too chilly to be outside now that the wind was picking up. Instead Emmeline set up a circular table, a smaller imitation of Ariana's tea party, in The Folly's small ballroom. It was hardly big enough for fifty people to dance in, but it was perfect for her purposes. Trying to cast her mind back to how the princess conducted herself amongst other women. Having been thrust into a political position far above anything expected of her, Emmeline found it difficult to know how to behave sometimes. Although it pained her, the only models she had to emulate were Carmen and Ariana. Copying the princess was fine but replicating Carmen, whilst effective, pained her.

Dressed in a particularly fine dress she did her very best to act the part of Grand Duchess. As the highest titled person at the estate she knew she was an authority to look to, and she also knew that she could not falter when Atticus' future was at stake.

"And do you hear from the princess very often?" Lady Gretchen asked, sipping her tea with a rapt expression. From the way she held her cup Emmeline could tell that there were not many tea parties like this in the north from whence she had come.

Smiling Emmeline took a small cake, cutting it in half with her small silver knife. "Oh yes, their graces write Cassius and I often. Only days before leaving Marcellia, I received a letter from Ariana. She misses me."

Lady Goush didn't hide her impressed expression. "Is it your intention to visit the palace again soon?"

Emmeline sighed. "I may write to my uncle the King tonight about this terrible business here. He likes to be kept informed of the ongoings of mine and his nephew's lives. I am sure he will be saddened to hear of this trouble that has kept me from my beloved for so long." She put down her cup with a small deliberate frown. "The sooner we are finished here, the sooner I can return to my love and then the Capital."

Lady Gretchen sighed delicately. "I share your sentiments. I wish to return home soon."

Lady Goush looked at her with narrowed eyes. "But if you wish to inherit this estate you will surely hope to remain here?"

Lady Gretchen's eyes widen, knowing she had misspoken. "I- I didn't mean-"

"I think we can all agree that it is hard to be away from home, do you have children back home?" Emmeline asked.

Lady Gretchen nodded. "It is hard to be away from them."

"Then let us hope that this business can be concluded swiftly." She smiled warmly. Emmeline wasn't sure what benefit would come from making friendly ties with these women, but one never knew when an acquaintance might come in handy in the future. 

........

Author's Note:

Emmeline is doing her bit now, acting all duchessy.

S x