Mr. Monroe rose and shook Carter’s hand. “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Westbrooke.”
Carter nodded. “A pleasure.”
My, aren’t we all being so very prim and proper.
They fell silent and Mama waved at the tea cart. “Tea?”
“Yes. Thank you.” Lottie wanted anything to prevent conversation between them all. She still couldn’t understand why Mama had Mr. Monroe join her for this visit.
“Young man, it’s well past the noon hour. Would you care for a brandy instead of tea?” Mr. Monroe stood and addressed Carter.
“Yes. Actually, a brandy sounds good.”
Lottie was not surprised to see Mr. Monroe acting as host. He apparently had some status here. He poured two brandies and brought one over to Carter.
Mama began to pour tea for her and Lottie. She was as graceful as she remembered, her delicate hands deftly pouring, adding sugar and cream and passing the cup to Lottie.
She then filled a small plate with a few sandwiches and passed them around. Lottie was happy to have the tea, but with her stomach in knots, she didn’t think she would be able to consume food for days.
Once again silence reigned. The men sipping their brandies, the women their tea, and everyone pretending they were enjoying their plate of sandwiches.
Mama looked over at Mr. Monroe. Knowing her mother so well, Lottie recognized her plea for help.
Mr. Monroe cleared his throat. “I would like to say that as of last month, your lovely and charming mother has become my betrothed.”
It was then that Lottie looked at her mother’s hand and noticed the tasteful diamond and ruby ring. “Betrothed?”
That statement stunned her almost as much as when Lady Huntingdon told her she’d spoke with her mother. Was she to be stunned and surprised again?
Most likely.
“Congratulations, Mr. Monroe,” Carter said and raised his brandy glass to them. “Mrs. Danforth, I wish you happiness.”
Lottie just stared. She felt as though she was in a play where everyone knew their lines, but she didn’t even know what part she played.
“Charlotte, I am prepared to answer any questions you have.” Mama patted Mr. Monroe’s hand and continued. “Franklin knows everything there is to know about me, so please don’t hold back.
“We should have had this conversation a long time ago, and I blame myself every day for you learning about my life the way you did, forcing you to flee.”
“Go ahead, honey,” Carter said as he took her hand in his.
Well, if Mama wasn’t uncomfortable with everyone in the room hearing what she had to say, then Lottie was going to find out everything she thought about over the past year.
“Very well. Let’s start with my father. Do you even know who he is?”
Mama cringed and Mr. Monroe put his arm around her shoulders. That seemed to settle her. “Yes. Your father was Mr. Jerome Danvers.”
She took a deep breath. “My husband.”
The loud ticking of the longcase clock in the corner kept beat with Lottie’s heart. Both the clock and the pounding of her heart drowned out all sound. She just continued to stare at her mother. “You were married?”
“Yes.”
“I am legitimate?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? When I asked over the years about my father you told me about him. But since last year, I assumed you made that all up.”