Arabella extended her hand out to Caroline, “I’m Lady Arabella Banham. As you might recall my husband is the Earl of Banham.”
“Yes of course. L
ady Banham.” Caroline said realizing she might have offended Val’s mother by not calling her by her proper title.
Caroline looked about the sitting room which was furnished in a forest green and brown. The footman brought in the tea and placed it before Lady Banham who looked over the tea tray and nodded.
“You might have thought my invitation a little odd,” Arabella said as she poured the water into the cups using a strainer to catch the loose tea leaves.
“Milk? Sugar?” Arabella asked.
“A little bit of milk please,” Caroline replied. “I suppose I did think the invitation odd,” Caroline nodded. “Only because we’ve never met and I thought an invitation such as this might come from Val himself.”
“Val?” Arabella paused then smiled. “I never thought when we named our youngest son Valentine that everyone would insist on calling him Val. And no. Val knows nothing of this invitation. I wanted to meet you and speak with you. Away from Valentine.”
Caroline nodded unsure of what to say as she felt she had gotten off to a rough start with Valentine’s mother.
“Now Rowland, my dear boy, is never called anything but Rowland. Once his father passes on, he’ll be the Earl of Banham. He’ll make a fine Earl.” Arabella said smiling brightly.
Caroline didn’t know what to say. “I-I’m sure he will but hopefully that will be some time in coming.”
“Hmm?” Arabella said handing Caroline one tea cup and taking another in hand. “Oh of course. We don’t wish any harm on dearest Abram.”
Caroline nodded in agreement not knowing but understanding that Abram was Val’s father’s name.
“But he can’t live forever my dear,” Arabella laughed a little.
Caroline sipped the tea and Arabella waved a hand at the table before her. “Take a cucumber sandwich my dear or an iced cake. They’re very good. Our Cook is quite gifted.”
Caroline took a small sandwich and placed it on a plate and then balanced it on her knee. She took a small bite and sipped the tea.
“It’s very good.” Caroline told the imposing woman.
Arabella ran her fingers along the long string of pearls she wore and caressed them as she spoke. “Valentine was always such an odd boy. He was always asking the servants questions about their lives and playing with children not in his class. Such an odd boy,” she smiled.
“That shows him to be attentive, surely,” Caroline wondered.
“Quite. But classes are important my dear. Take my darling Rowland. He must marry and hopefully very soon. His choice of wife is paramount. She’ll need breeding and status and money.”
“Do you need money?” Caroline said before she could stop herself.
Arabella smiled. “When Rowland does finally choose a bride, she’ll need to be the right sort of person. In Valentine’s case, it doesn’t matter that much. All we want is that she be a nice girl, pretty and amiable.”
“I see.”
“As Valentine tells us practically nothing about his life, I thought it best I invite you to tea and we can talk about the future.”
“I’m sorry?” Caroline asked feeling lost.
“Rowland tells me you’ve been seen with our dear Valentine. As you are somewhat acceptable—“
“I am somewhat acceptable?” Caroline asked, feeling at once irritated and frustrated with the strange conversation.
“Caroline dear. I’m sure I can call you Caroline. Our family is a British peerage going back two hundred years. It is important who my sons marry.”
“Are you under the impression Val has asked me to marry him?” Caroline said not knowing what he had told his family.
“Not exactly. But Rowland mentioned Valentine is quite fond of you so I wanted to see you for myself,” she said.