Love Comes in Three

Chapter Eleven "An Invitation"

            When I awoke the next morning the pendant was still in my hand.  I stared at it in astonishment, it wasn't a dream.  I wasn't sure what to do with it, I mean I didn't even know what Percival meant by giving it to me.  Looking around my room for a good place to keep it, I decided to put it in my favorite reticule and stash it in my trunk.  As for the handkerchief, I folded it neatly and placed it in my pocket.

            I wasn't feeling up to dealing with Patience so I was quite surprised to find only Faith at breakfast.  "Good morning," I greeted as I took my seat.

            "Good morning," she returned between sips of her tea, "Patience was off early today.  I shudder to think what she's up to."

            I looked at her quizzically, "Up to?"  I took a small bite of my omelet and waited for clarification.

            "From what I can tell, Patience has an agenda," she smirked taking a bite of a strawberry, "Something is driving her . . . but it's nothing like when she set out to land your brother."

            "I beg your pardon . . . land my brother?"  I nearly coughed on my breakfast.  The idea that Patience had a design to marry my brother seemed absurd.  I recalled again when Freddie brought her home, they were very much in love.

            "Oh, I am sorry," Faith apologized, "I don't mean it the way it came out.  He was just towards the top of her list of worthwhile prospects.  You see, marriage is more than love to Patience.  There needs to be . . . something gained."

            I stared at her as she explained, everything was so matter-of-fact.  "But love is gained . . . it's what we all strive for, is it not?"  Faith just smiled oddly at me and finished her breakfast.  I'm not sure if it was her remarks, but appetite vanished. 

            Not knowing what to do with both Patience and Percival gone, I took my place by the window along with my sketching supplies and the book I've been reading.  I looked out towards the street, watching people pass by and decided to try to draw them . . . any of them.  Faith noticed and took a seat beside me, "If you would like, I could sit for you," she offered.

            "Oh," I grinned, "If you'd like . . . "

            Faith perked immediately and moved a chair towards the center of the room where the sunlight was shining from one of the large windows.  "Just tell me how you want me."

            "I hardly know," I stammered, "I've never really had someone model for me."

            She tried several poses, both sitting and standing, before settling in the chair with her chin gently resting on her fingers, "How is this?" she asked.

            I nodded my head as I set out my pencils and turned to a fresh page in my sketchbook, "That will do very well."  I took a deep breath and decided to take my time because without a doubt, she would want to see it when I was finished.  I studied her for several minutes before I lay the first strokes across the paper.

            "I hope I didn't offend you with what I said earlier," she said casually, "it's just with my sister, nothing is ever simple."

            "I understand," I stated.  Living with Patience for these past four years, I have gleamed some understanding of her ways.  I don't always agree, but I try to understand.  After getting her basic form down I paused, "How do you like London so far?"

            "Oh I love it," she breathed, "I hope this time ends better than last though."

            I stopped sketching, "So this isn't your first Season?"

            "No," Faith's smile fell a little, "this is my second . . . but I have very high hopes."

            I looked her over, she was a delicate beauty very much like her sister.  If she had not managed to find her match, what hope did I have?  She cleared her throat after a minute of two, obviously aware that my pencil had stopped.  "I'm sorry, my mind drifted."

            "Do you like London?" she asked as she studied me.  I noticed how she looked over me and then stayed on my face, waiting for some reaction.

            "I have not seen much so far . . . but I love this house."

            "Is that all that you love?" she asked, the queer smile back on her face.  I stopped drawing and just stared at the picture in front of me.  What do I say? I asked myself.  Silence hung in the air, the clock ticked loudly until I had to say something . . . anything.  "Excuse me," I said getting up, "I need a glass of water."  I hoped that she wouldn't notice that instead of going towards the kitchen, I went up the stairs towards my room. 

            I stood at the window and looked down into my parents' garden, pulling Percival's handkerchief from my pocket, "What do I love?" I asked myself.  I managed to hide until there was a ruckus coming from the hallway.

            "Margaret!" Patience was calling for me from the moment she entered the house, "Oh Margaret, do come down here!" I could hear her hurried footsteps across the hall and into the parlor. By the time I descended the stairs she was sitting beside Faith showing her a letter. As I entered the room her excitement couldn't be contained, "Oh Margaret, there you are! I have the most wonderful news!"

            "Then do share," I smiled taking the chair opposite them, hoping for some truly good news like we were needed back at home immediately. But that is not my luck.

            "We have been invited to stay with the Edgehills!" The way she said it I knew it must mean something but exactly what I was not sure. My ignorance obviously shown on my face for the next words she uttered were "For goodness sake, Margaret, Lord and Lady Edgehill are inviting you to their home . . . "

            "Me? I thought you said we were invited," I asked unsurely.

            "Well of course you must go with a companion at least and I am your guardian while here . . . " Patience started.

            "Oh Margaret, you must take this opportunity!" Faith's excitement tried to mirror her sister's but there was something different about it, "Thomas Edgehill is one of the most eligible bachelors in town!"

            "I have no desire . . . "

            "Margaret!" Patience's voice broke and I knew all too well that was a sign of her temper showing, "it is your duty to make a suitable alliance for your family. The Edgehills are a very affluent family."

            "Not to mention that Thomas is quite handsome," Faith said persuasively.

            "Then why don't you go," I said standing. The audacity of both of them trying to settle a match for me, who are they to make those choices?

            "Faith will be accompanying us," Patience said flatly. I knew it had been settled the moment she read the letter, I would be paraded into the Edgehills' home and dangled in front of their son. "I have two perfectly lovely, unattached young ladies . . . I will bring them both."

            Faith smiled as she pushed her hair over her shoulder and looked approvingly at her sister before she turned to me, "We would be fools not to accept, Margaret. Even if we do not make a match with their son, the Edgehills are connected to other very worthwhile families."

            All I wanted to do was to remind them that I did not want to be here in the first place. Since I was there involuntarily the only thing that I have wanted to do was sightsee and I haven't been able to do much of that. With one look at Patience I knew that I had better go quietly, I nodded my consent. "Very well," Patience smiled self-indulgently, "I will reply to their letter and let them know when to expect us."