Observing the general chaos that seemed to follow her friend where ever she went, Josephine clucked her tongue and went to intercept Lord Melbourne, subtly closing the pocket doors to the parlor behind her to give Grace a moment to compose herself.
She found the Earl of Terraview with the Duke of Kensington. Both were hunched over the bar in the Duke’s private study, but only one was drinking. As Josephine approached with her usual catlike grace Lord Melbourne, the esteemed Earl of Terraview, sipped from his glass of brandy and set it down beside him. Of the two men it was the Duke, despite his lack of drink, who looked the worse for wear and a secretive smile pulled at the corners of Josephine’s mouth, for she knew the reason why and was vastly amused by it.
“Good afternoon, gentleman,” she said by way of announcing her presence.
“Lady Garamond, have you heard anything? Have you been up to see her?” Marcus lurched away from the bar, his face drawn tight with worry.
I was quite right, Josephine thought to herself. He does indeed look like he is going to pass out at any moment. “Not a thing dear,” she chirped. “And no, I have most certainly not been up to see her. Margaret is the only one brave enough for that particular duty and I am certain when there is news to share she will come down and share it. Surely, there is nothing to worry about.”
“Nothing to worry about?” he repeated in a strained voice. “She has been up there for four hours!”
“Having a child takes time, Marcus,” Lord Melbourne drawled from the bar. “Have a drink or three. It will calm your nerves.”
“The Duke no longer drinks –” Josephine began.
“I no longer drink –” Marcus started to say.
They cut each other off and exchanged a brief smile. It was well known – at least among their close knit circle of friends, which Lord Melbourne had just recently joined courtesy of his engagement to Grace – that Marcus had sworn off spirits the moment Catherine came back into his life.
Lord Melbourne shrugged. “Suit yourself,” he said as he raised his glass to take another sip.
Josephine used that opportunity to study Lord Melbourne beneath her exceedingly long lashes. She had only met the man once before, and her opinion now was much the same as it had been then – she didn’t like the Earl of Terraview. Not at all. Oh, on paper he was splendid: wealthy, well pedigreed, and there was no denying his physical appeal. But in person… Well, there was something quite off about the man. He was too aloof. Too detached. Too stiff in the upper lip. Not to mention the small fact that he was engaged to her best friend. Josephine could quite simply not figure out what Grace saw in the man or, if she was being brutally honest, what he saw in her. Grace was beautiful and sweet and charmingly clumsy, all traits which made her perfect for someone – if that someone was not Lord Melbourne.
“Yes, well,” she said finally. “I shall return to the parlor and leave you men to it. Hold tight,” she advised Marcus, her violet eyes sparkling with sympathy. “Catherine is strong and she has done this once before.”
The mere mention of Marcus’ beloved one year old daughter Elizabeth who was playing outside under the close supervision of Hannah brought a flicker of relief to his features. “Yes,” he sighed. “Of course she has. Of course. Thank you, Josephine,” he said meaningfully.
“You are quite welcome,” she smiled. Leaving the study she shut the door quietly behind her and leaned up against it. It had not escaped her attention that Lord Melbourne had not inquired – not once – as to Grace’s whereabouts or well being. The man was cold as a dead fish. He was not suited to lick Grace’s shoes, let alone be her husband. Something had to be done, Josephine decided then and there. And she was just the person to do it.
Two hours later, her pink cheeks flushed even brighter than usual and her red hair is wild disarray, Margaret appeared at the top of the stairs to announce the arrival of Marcus’ and Catherine’s newest child, a beautiful blond haired, blue eyed girl that looked just like her mother.
“A girl! Another girl!” Marcus bellowed before he rushed up the stairs to be with his wife and newborn daughter.
“Unfortunate it wasn’t a boy,” Lord Melbourne remarked.
“Have they picked out a name?” Grace inquired.
“Sarah,” said Margaret. Sinking down on the bottom step of the stairs in an exhausted slump, she stretched her arms above her head and released a jaw cracking yawn. “And Abigail.”
“They picked out two names?” Josephine frowned. “That’s rather odd, isn’t it?”
“Not two names,” Margaret corrected. “Two babies.”
“Two babies?” Grace squealed. Leaping forward, she caught her toe on the rug Marcus had been pacing earlier in the day and went sprawling headfirst. Faster than anyone could blink Lord Melbourne reached out, caught her around her waist, and pulled her upright before he returned to slouching against the wall. “But you only said one name to Marcus,” she said, now rather breathless.
Margaret smiled. “Yes, well, Catherine wanted it to be a surprise.”