Chapter Text
Kate was hurrying along the corridor – the letter clutched in her hand, a wide smile on her face. Anthony was already enjoying his morning coffee inside the drawing room when she entered.
“What took you so long?” he asked, looking up from the newspaper. “You said you would be here in a minute.”
Kate was beaming at him as she held out the letter, waving it around. “Mary wrote!” she exclaimed. “She’s coming to town this Sunday – with Sir Edmund!”
“She’s bringing her husband?” he asked, a surprised smile on his face. “Now that’s curious. I believe I only met him once. Any reason for their visit?”
“Well, apparently they’re planning a journey to India,” Kate explained as she sat down opposite him and Anthony poured her a cup of tea. “And as they would’ve spent a night in town either way, they decided to come here early and stay for an entire week before continuing their travels. Mary wrote that they have a place to stay,” Kate continued, taking a sip from her tea. “Though I believe we should invite them to stay with us. I barely get to see her as it is – and I still know fairly little about her husband.”
Anthony gave her a smile. “I’m certain she’s not keeping him from you on purpose. She might just prefer spending her time with him in peace – far away from society.”
Kate gave him a look. “We weren’t even invited to the wedding,” she stated plainly.
Almost exactly two years ago, a letter from Mary had arrived one morning, telling her that she had married a man Kate had never met before – explaining that it had been a sudden decision and that they had preferred to keep it quiet, but that she would bring him along during her next visit. Kate had met him three times since then – barely ever sharing much of a conversation. He seemed like a kind and decent man, and she was certain that he was treating her mother well. But she still wished to know more about him. And it bothered her that Mary was apparently trying to hide him like a secret.
“She might’ve just considered it odd,” Anthony said – repeating the same words he had already told her several times before. “Not wishing for you to feel forced watching her marry another man.”
“You were present at your mother’s second wedding,” Kate reminded him.
“True,” Anthony replied. “But if you recall, I did feel weird about it in the beginning.”
“Well, I didn’t,” Kate told him. Anthony raised his brows and she added with a sigh, “Fine, perhaps I felt a bit weird – but only because I didn’t even know of his existence.”
Anthony reached over the table, gently taking her hand into his. “She might simply not wish to bother you with it. You and Edwina are grown women now, focused on your own families. It’s just the passing of time. My own family is living all across the country as well.”
“And yet you all find several opportunities throughout the year to spend time with each other,” Kate reminded him, biting her lips. He might be right – it was the passing of time. But that only meant that Kate would have to show Mary how much she wished for Sir Edmund to be a part of this family.
“You’re planning something, aren’t you?” Anthony asked then, pulling away his hand as he was watching her in amusement and curiosity – and some worry as well, perhaps.
Kate smirked. “What if we’re surprising her with a wedding celebration?” she asked, excited about her own idea. “Mary said that they will arrive on Sunday – and on Monday, it will be exactly two years since their secret wedding. We never truly celebrated their marriage before. This is the perfect opportunity!”
“It’s a nice idea,” Anthony agreed with a smile.
“And it will be calm and quiet, just like she would want it to be,” Kate continued. “Only close family will be present: us and the children; Edwina and her sons – and of course, her husband as well. And Siena too,” she added as Anthony raised his brows in surprise. “It’s perfect! Mama has said before how much she wished to meet Siena.”
“Are you certain about this?” Anthony asked, not smiling anymore.
“Is there anything to oppose?” Kate asked in return.
“Well … maybe that Edwina might not be too fond of having both, her husband and Siena, at the same place,” he replied. “Lord Atwood might not like being in the same room as his wife’s lover either. And Siena … well, I’m not sure if she’s a family person.”
Kate raised her brows. “Why? Because you never bothered introducing her to your family?”
He rolled his eyes with a sigh. “All I’m saying is that you should not set your expectations to high.” He reached over the table again, gently caressing her hand. “You might just end up disappointed.”
Kate bit her lips, giving him a small smile. Perhaps he was not wrong. Yet surely, there had to be a way for them all to agree. Lord Atwood knew about Siena, and from what Kate had heard, he was happy for Edwina. Her sister would certainly love the idea. And Siena Rosso … now, Kate did not know her well enough yet, but if it made Edwina happy, then she would surely agree.
After breakfast, Kate went to look after their youngest daughter. Little Mary was sleeping peacefully inside her cradle and Kate watched her with a small smile. One day, she would be grown as well – married, perhaps, with children of her own. It would be the same as it was with Edwina now. She would be in love, spending all her time with the person who made her heart whole. And Kate would be glad for her – just as she was glad for Edwina as well. Yet still, her heart ached.
Kate understood how the secrecy of their affair did not allow them to meet in public. But she missed meeting her sister at balls and soirées. They were not seeing one another as much as they used to.
She was happy for Edwina, and happy for Mary as well. But she wished to have them around more often. Otherwise, there would be an unspeakable gloom in the future – a life without them. And Kate would do everything in her power to prevent this from ever happening.