Page 31 of The Mistress (Foxgloves #1)
AMELIA
A melia and Lydia were shown into the Dunhill’s drawing room, where several ladies were already gathered. The room was sunny and floral scented from the many lovely arrangements decorating the tables along the walls. It was slightly smaller than the drawing room at Coventry House, but still splendidly decorated with expensive furnishings, bright matching colors, and an oddly welcoming feel. Like a park brought indoors.
“This is quite new,” Lydia whispered quietly before Daphne Lucas, the Countess of Dunhill, rushed over to them, a huge smile splitting her face. She looked genuinely pleased to see them, which was surprising since they’d been in London for weeks and hadn’t received a single invitation from her or any of the other ladies present to join them for tea. In fact, Amelia wasn’t sure the countess had ever even passed a greeting to either her or Lydia before.
Even so, they were here now, and that was progress. Amelia did understand the ton ’s past resistance in light of the rumors she now knew. Still, a part of her was a bit…well, bitter.
“Welcome, my dears,” Lady Dunhill sang, “It is so wonderful of you to join us. Come in, let me introduce you to my daughter.”
“It is our pleasure, Lady Dunhill,” Lydia replied with a cool smile. She was a bit less understanding of Society’s shifting opinions of the Bechams.
The countess’s demeanor was polite and friendly, and Amelia didn’t sense anything insincere in it. She gave their hostess a kind smile in return and followed her towards a pair of ladies sitting at one of the windows in the room, apart from the older women in attendance seated at the couches in the center. They looked to be generally around Amelia and Lydia’s ages, perhaps a little younger.
“This is my daughter, Lady Anna,” Lady Dunhill indicated a soft beauty with red hair and light blue eyes, “and her good friend, Miss Emily Davenport.” Her hand moved to her daughter’s companion, another pretty young lady with brown hair and caramel eyes. “Girls, let me introduce Miss Amelia Becham and Miss Lydia Becham.”
They greeted each other, and the Bechams took up seats beside the ladies as the countess went back to join her other guests.
“It’s wonderful to meet you properly,” Anna said tactfully. Like her mother, Amelia didn’t detect anything disingenuous in her tone.
“It is,” Emily agreed, somehow sounding much more enthusiastic than her friend even in those two little words. “Once we learned of the awful error surrounding your family, we were absolutely mortified.”
Amelia felt her face begin to flush. This was the first time anyone had directly spoken about the false rumors. Up until now, everyone seemed content to pretend the rumors hadn’t existed and they were only now meeting the Becham sisters for the first time. Amelia felt herself warm to these two young women. She appreciated their candor and authenticity.
Before Amelia could think of a good reply, however, Lydia spoke, her sweet voice slightly scathing, “As were we.”
“I am glad things were put to rights,” Anna spoke. She was graceful and managed to maintain genuine warmth in her polite replies. “No one deserves to have wicked things said about them, and for no other reason than Society enjoying the drama and not bothering to learn the truth. I hope past misunderstandings have not harmed our friendship before we could even establish it?” The question in her words and their sincerity rang clear.
“Yes,” Emily agreed, and she leaned forward and clasped Amelia’s hand where it rested in her lap. Her lovely golden eyes held Amelia’s gaze as if to emphasize her earnestness. “We are sorry, Miss Becham. For the dreadful things that were said about your family, for believing them, and for not gaining your acquaintance in spite of them. If you would allow us, we would like to offer you and your sister our friendship.” She nodded to Lydia.
The shock on her sister’s face made Amelia smile. Lydia had been holding such a grudge with the ton , and having any members of it be so forthright seemed to fluster her.
Amelia shifted her focus back to Emily and looked between her and Anna. She covered Emily’s hand with her free one. “We would be honored,” she told them. “And please, call me Amelia.”
For the first time in the week since breaking things off with Gideon, Amelia felt a true wave of warmth envelope her. She was looking forward to getting to know and building a friendship with Anna and Emily.
“As would we, Amelia,” Anna said, giving her a lovely smile.
Emily was positively beaming when she leaned back, cupping her tea with both hands once again, and continued excitedly, “Now, shall we discuss this Earl of Coventry and the love he has for Miss Lydia?”
The mischief sparkled in Emily’s gaze as she looked between the Becham sisters. Lydia’s bright red face, Emily’s playful disregard for her discomfort, and Anna’s pursed lips but obvious curiosity made Amelia’s chest start to bubble. Before she knew it, she was laughing.