Free Animating Maria by MC Beaton Page A

Haddon, Amy struggled upright as the couple entered.
    Holding Maria’s hand, the duke said, ‘You may congratulate me, ladies, gentlemen. We are to be wed.’
    There was a stunned silence. What have I done? thought Maria miserably. The hand holding her own was strong and firm and somehow possessive.
    Effy fluttered around delightedly on one side of the couple and Mr Randolph did a sort of excited dance step on the other. Mr Haddon looked startled. Amy’s shrewd eyes searched Maria’s face.
    The duke explained how his mother had had the notice inserted for some mischievous reason. Miss Kendall had called on him and they had both decided to go along with the engagement.
    Amy was worried. She was sure it was her own folly that had precipitated this engagement. It was a marvellous coup. London society must be talking of little else. She and Effy would be besieged with offers. But Amy thought Maria was much too young in every way for the duke. She was immature and dreamy. The duke was arrogant and sophisticated. But then could something not be done for Maria? She and Effy were supposed to school their charges and overcome all difficulties.
    The duke was saying, Amy realized, that he was going to Bath to ask Mr and Mrs Kendall for their permission. Amy let out a slow breath. Once the haughty duke had met the Kendalls, then the marriage would be off. No man as proud as the duke would be able to tolerate having such in-laws.
    Maria began to feel all her fears ebb away as Effy fussed about her and wished her well. Her parents would be proud of her at last.
    It would be a splendid wedding. Her mind floated away on a vision of white Brussels lace and clanging church bells.
    At last, when the duke, Mr Haddon and Mr Randolph had left and Effy had run upstairs to tell Yvette the glad news, Amy said quietly, ‘Come and sit by me, Maria.’
    Maria did as she was bid. ‘I am most grateful to you, Miss Amy,’ said Maria shyly. ‘But you should never have risked your life in such a way. Berham told me of the duel.’
    ‘Make sure neither of you ever tells anyone else,’ said Amy sharply. ‘It was the biggest piece of folly I have ever committed. Are you going to be happy, Maria?’
    ‘Oh, yes, I am marrying a duke.’
    ‘And that is a very difficult thing to do,’ pointed out Amy, easing herself up on the sofa. ‘Almost like being wed to a member of the royal family. He owns that huge palace down in Cammerside. You will have an army of servants under you and many establishments. You will be a lady of great consequence. Did he say he loved you?’
    ‘Oh, no,’ said Maria. ‘But he was very practical. He pointed out that he needed an heir and I needed my freedom.’
    ‘That sort of arrangement is all very well for a high-nosed aristocratic lady with nerves of steel.’ Amy sighed. ‘I fear that unless you stop living in dreams and begin to grow up a little, Maria, you will be crushed by the experience.
    ‘I must find out where Miss Frederica Sunningdale is residing,’ said Maria dreamily. ‘Such a charming young lady I met at the inn. I do not have any friends, and it would be pleasant if she could be my bridesmaid. Will Yvette be making my bride gown? Should I wear a veil? I know it is not fashionable to be married in church, but I think I should like that. Do you know a church with really good stained-glass windows? I find it very romantic when different-coloured shafts of light strike through a really good stained-glass window.’
    ‘Tcha!’ said Miss Amy Tribble.
    Miss Spiggs had ingratiated herself so much with Mr and Mrs Kendall on her return from London that she had managed to move into their home as companion to Mrs Kendall. She had also succeeded in worrying them dreadfully about the Tribbles. They did not want to think they had made a mistake, but Miss Spiggs sighed and shook her head and said she feared the Tribbles were adventuresses and not very good
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. Amy Tribble was coarse to a fault and Effy was like an