The Lady In Question (12 page)

“And Gillian and Pandora and Marianne as well.”

“Of course, they would be included, wouldn’t they?” A grim note sounded in Delia’s voice. “They are the newest members of that exclusive club of Effington matrons.” She trudged up the stairs in the manner of someone climbing a scaffolding.

Cassie trailed behind her. “Yes, but they might well be far more sympathetic to your, um —”

“To the mess I’ve made of my life?”

“I’m not certain I would phrase it precisely that way… Come, now, Delia, you needn’t be at all apprehensive about this.” Cassie’s tone was deceptively optimistic. “It’s nothing more than your family wishing to —”

“It’s the
Tribunal,
Cassie,” Delia ground out between clenched teeth. How could she have been so stupid as to not realize it before now? She never would have come if she’d considered for a moment the fate awaiting her. “You know it as well as I.”

“Tribunal
is such a harsh word,” Cassie murmured. “We should never have called it that in the first place.
Gathering
is a much more pleasant word. The gathering of the ladies. As if it were a social society. A club, or something of the sort. I know — the Society of Effington Ladies. Yes, indeed, I like that much better. It has a lovely ring to it.”

“It can sing like a robin, for all the good it will do me.” Delia heaved a heartfelt sigh. “I’m doomed.”

Delia and Cassie had noted some years ago their grandmother gathered her daughters-in-law together whenever there was an issue of importance regarding a family member, usually a female member. Indeed, the Effington men were never included in the Tribunal and Delia imagined they were most grateful for that omission.

The sisters, influenced by their French studies, had privately named it the Tribunal, partially because it seemed rather forbidding, and partially because whatever went on in that room between their female relatives, and whoever might be summoned before them, stayed within that room. Neither their grandmother nor their mother nor their aunts had ever given so much of a hint as to the proceedings. Which made it all the more sinister, as secrecy among Effingtons, especially Effington women, was a rare commodity.

According to the sisters’ observations, the Tribunal was called in cases of scandal, dire circumstances or to pronounce a prospective Effington spouse worthy. Before their marriage, Pandora’s husband had been summoned before the women and had obviously taken a vow of secrecy, as he had apparently never told a soul what had transpired in the ladies’ parlor at Effington Hall.

“Doomed
is rather a harsh word as well.” Cassie sighed. “If it eases your mind at all, you should know I will be right by your side. In truth, I insisted on it.”

“Why?” Delia studied her sister suspiciously.

“Because I am your sister and your closest friend.” Cassie raised her chin in a noble gesture.

“Because, regardless of what you do, I will stand beside you. Because there is a bond between us nothing can ever sever. Because —”

“Because no one believes you had nothing to do with my scandalous behavior?” Delia said wryly.

“Yes, well, that too.” Cassie shrugged. “At any rate, we have both long expected that if either of us did anything serious enough for the Tribunal, it would be me. As you did promise to be by my side, I can do no less for you.”

At once, Delia’s apprehension lessened. She and her sister had always been a team of sorts, partners in chaos or crime, allies forever. With Cassie by her side she could indeed face anything. Even the Tribunal. Impulsively, she gave her sister a quick hug. “I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”

“Besides” — Cassie grinned — “this is my only opportunity to find out what truly goes on in that parlor without having to earn the privilege.”

Delia stared for a moment, then laughed. “I should have known as much.”

“You know as well that I’m teasing, although, I suppose, as I did think I would be in this position one day, I am better prepared to face it than you. I have always thought it was inevitable for me, whereas for you

“Yes, yes.” Delia sighed. “I am the one no one ever expected to stray from propriety.”

The women reached the top of the stairs and turned toward the family wing, down a long corridor lined with the portraits of generations of Effingtons. When they were very young, Delia and Cassie had thought the faces staring down at them were forbidding, even condemning, as if they were sitting in judgment of their descendents and finding them wanting.

But as the girls grew older, they’d noticed a hint of a smile here, an amused look in an eye there. They

’d paid more attention to the stories of those who had gone before them, about this particular duchess and that certain lord. About triumphs and tragedies, success and scandals. And they’d learned, because it was their lot to do so but more because it became a pleasure, of the heritage and tradition that made the Effingtons who and what they were today. That made Delia and Cassie who and what they were and, more, who they could become.

And if once these faces staring down at her had proven daunting, today they gave her an odd sort of strength. As if they were no longer critical but encouraging. As if to say certainly she had made mistakes, but indeed hadn’t they all? It was a ridiculous idea, of course. Still…she smiled up at her ancestors.

“However, now that I have joined the ranks of Effingtons who did not live their lives entirely as expected” — Delia squared her shoulders and met her sister’s gaze — “the first step toward the grand adventure of my new life is to summon the courage to face whatever consequences that mistake may bring.”

Cassie studied her warily. “Grand adventure?”

Delia grinned and linked her arm through her sister’s. “I have done a great deal of thinking in my solitude and I will explain it all to you later. For now, I would like to freshen up and then I shall face the Tribunal.”

“
We
shall face the Tribunal,” Cassie said firmly.

Delia squeezed her sister’s arm affectionately. “As you were aware of this before I was, I don’t suppose you have any plan of defense? Any suggestions or words of wisdom?”

“Not really. Although I have always heard, when confronting adversity, one should never show fear. Beyond that, I suspect it might be wise to avoid any mention of the term” — Cassie grinned —

“Tribunal.”

* * *

Delia and Cassie traded cautious glances. They sat side by side on a small settee facing the rest of the female members of the family. If one didn’t know better, one would think the arrangement of the seating was for nothing more sinister than purposes of casual conversation.

In truth, it didn’t seem all that forbidding at the moment. On the contrary, it was much more on the order of a ladies’ society than a tribunal with the power of a figurative guillotine in its hands. Grandmother sat as regally as ever on the damask sofa, Aunt Katherine, the duchess, on her right, Aunt Abigail, Lady Edward, on her left. Aunt Grace, Lady Harold, perched on the arm of the sofa and their mother stood behind the rest, obviously too overwrought to sit. Cousin Thomas’s wife, Marianne, Lady Helmsley; cousin Gillian, Lady Shelbrooke; and cousin Pandora, Lady Trent, sat off to one side. Pandora caught Delia’s eye and winked in support.

Still, a man-eating tiger didn’t seem all that forbidding either until it opened its mouth.

“You needn’t look so nervous, you know,” Aunt Katherine said with a pleasant smile. “As if you were about to be judged. This isn’t at all what we are about.”

“What are we about?” Delia said without thinking.

“Your life, Philadelphia,” Grandmother said firmly.

“I suspected as much, Grandmother, and I am sorry about the scandal and —”

“Nonsense.” Grandmother waved away the comment. “As scandals go, it scarcely signifies.”

“It was certainly more impressive than anything I was ever involved in,” Pandora said in a low aside to Gillian. Gillian shot her a quelling glance.

Grandmother ignored the exchange. “While our approval of your choice in husband is, at this time, neither here nor there since the poor man is dead, the manner in which you wed and the behavior that brought you to that point is most distressing.”

“I know, Grandmother, I never meant —”

“However,” Grandmother continued, “there is not one of us here who has not, at some time or another in our youth, displayed behavior that was inappropriate or ill-advised or, indeed, scandalous.”

“Even Aunt Katherine?” Cassie asked.

Grandmother nodded. “Especially Aunt Katherine.”

“I don’t know that I’d use the word
especially,”
Aunt Katherine murmured, looking more like a chastised schoolgirl than the current Duchess of Roxborough.

“Surely,
you
never —” Delia said without thinking. “What I mean to say is —”

“My dear Philadelphia, while it is perhaps difficult to realize now, I was not always as wise and ancient and perfect as I appear today.” A wicked twinkle sparked in Grandmother’s eye. “I myself had my share of, oh, shall we say, adventures in my youth. I survived and so shall you.”

Delia studied the elderly woman for a moment. She chose her words carefully. “I’m afraid I don’t understand, Grandmother. If you are not angry with me —”

“Oh, we would never be angry with you, Delia,” Aunt Abigail said quickly. “We well understand the impulsiveness of youth.”

“Mother doesn’t,” Cassie said pointedly.

As if of one mind, all gazes in the room, save the dowager duchess’s, turned to Georgina, who huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Of course she does,” Grandmother said serenely. “As well, if not better than, the rest of us.”

“Really?” Delia stared at her mother.

“Perhaps,” Mother said loftily.

Aunt Grace choked back a laugh. Aunts Katherine and Abigail exchanged knowing glances. Grandmother looked innocent and it was obvious that the younger women hadn’t the slightest idea what the older women were talking about. And Delia wasn’t entirely certain she wished to learn just what possible indiscretions her aunts had committed in their youth or what adventures her grandmother had had as a young woman, and the very idea of knowing possible transgressions her mother had long ago put behind her brought an odd wave of unease to her stomach. Still, it was somewhat comforting to know whatever strange madness had brought Delia to this point might well be in her blood.

“Apparently your misbehavior was no more than the carrying on of a family tradition,” Cassie said under her breath to her sister. “And obviously inevitable.”

“Nothing is inevitable, Cassandra, save death.” Grandmother pinned Cassie with a firm look. Cassie had the good grace to look appropriately chagrined. “Do not take what you hear today as sanction for inappropriate behavior. The mere fact that youthful high spirit is understood among all of us here does not also mean that it is approved.”

“No, ma’am,” Cassie murmured, her cheeks flushed. Delia squeezed her hand in silent support. Poor Cassie. Her biggest fault, and what got her into trouble more often than not, was her inability to hold her tongue and keep her thoughts to herself.

“My dearest Cassandra, I don’t know what you have to worry about. I have never particularly worried about your future.” Grandmother leaned forward slightly, as if she and Cassie were quite alone, her manner distinctly confidential. “It is always the quiet ones, you know, who surprise us. You have never been the least bit quiet. You are honest and straightforward as well as intelligent. In truth, you’ve always reminded me a great deal of myself.” She straightened and flashed her granddaughter a conspiratorial smile. “Perhaps there is something to worry about after all.

“However, it is not your behavior nor your future that is the topic of concern today.” Grandmother’s gaze slid to Delia. “Philadelphia, have you given any thought to your future?”

Delia firmly pushed her plan to become an experienced woman to the back of her mind. Regardless of her grandmother’s tolerance of the mistakes of youth, Delia was fairly confident she would not be especially pleased by Delia’s thoughts for the future. “Not really, Grandmother.”

“I see. Well, that’s to be expected. Your life has changed a great deal in a short time.” Grandmother studied her for a long moment and it was all Delia could do to sit still. At last, Grandmother nodded as if she had determined something only she would note. “Should you need advice or assistance in any way, do understand each and every one of us is available to you for whatever reason. We are your family and you must feel free to call on us.

“While we all feel your marriage was foolish and if you had had the foresight to confide in any of us beforehand we no doubt would have attempted to dissuade you from marrying Lord Wilmont, what’s done cannot now be undone. However” — Grandmother’s voice was firm — “I do believe an apology is in order.”

“Of course.” Delia drew a deep breath. “You have my abject —”

“No, no, dear,” Grandmother said. “Not
your
apology.”

Once again, all eyes turned to Georgina.

“Very well.” Delia’s mother cast her gaze heavenward as if asking the stars for help, straightened her shoulders and met her daughter’s gaze. “I…that is to say…”

Delia jumped to her feet, flew across the room and into her mother’s arms. “Mother, I am so sorry.”

“No, dearest, I am to blame.” A sob sounded in her mother’s voice. “I should have stood beside you instead of abandoning you —”

“But I deserved every bit of it. I misled you and deceived —”

“You are my child, and regardless of what you might do, you will always be my child.” Helplessness rang in her mother’s voice. “I was just so concerned that you had defied the course the stars had laid —”