Chapter 83 - Unpleasant Teas

Delaney and Constance both turned to frown at Cora who shrank back, blushing.

"You said she wouldn't be home!" Constance hissed.

Cora whispered a quick apology. Miles groaned before taking her on his arm and heading towards his mother's home. This was not what any of them had wanted to do this day.

The four friends walked into the dowager's sitting room and found her on a couch with little spectacles on as she stitched what appeared to be a bird, onto a handkerchief. When she looked up and saw them all, a smile bloomed on her face that still didn't look quite kind.

Delaney wished yet again that Vincent was with her.

"Well isn't this a lovely surprise," Violet purred, sitting in a long plum gown, "My son, daughter-in-law, future daughter-in-law, and their dear friend. I wasn't expecting to see any of you today."

"We wanted to visit you, mother," Miles spoke as the three young women scooted to sit together on one couch across from Violet. Miles remained standing, leaning against the wall behind him.

"Isn't that sweet," Violet smiled at the girls, "I didn't even know Cora, Constance, and yourself were in town."

"Well we've been staying at Edgewood Lady Violet," Cora spoke up then, "This is our first trip into town since we got there."

"Oh? And why are you all at Edgewood? Vincent isn't there."

"They came to visit me," Delaney forced herself to smile, "To keep me company while he's gone."

Violet Adair studied her but nodded, and Delaney wondered if she was going to question her in front of the others. Just then a servant brought in tea to serve them all. Delaney was happy for something to distract Violet.

Once the servant was gone, she turned her attention on Constance, asking her how baby Benjamin was. Constance nervously told her the boy was fine and gave her a few other tidbits of random information about the baby 

When she'd finished, Violet congratulated her on such an adorable sounding baby. They were all uneasy hearing Violet give compliments. Those were not things that usually came out over her lips.

Finished with Constance, her attention went to Cora, and with a sweet smile, she asked if the pair had settled on a wedding day yet. Cora smiled and answered not quite yet.

"Well, I heard your other friend got married. What was her name? The one who married Duncan?"

"Selina," Cora answered, "They did get married recently."

"How sweet," Violet purred, "And was it a large, beautiful wedding?"

"It was rather large," Cora replied nodding, "I'm not sure I would describe it as beautiful but the bride was happy so that's what matters."

"And Delaney what did you and Vincent think of the wedding?" Violet asked, turning to look at her.

Delaney was still, studying her mother-in-law. Either Violet knew they had not been invited and was asking to hurt the younger woman, or she didn't know and Delaney wasn't sure how she'd react. Not able to get any answers from the woman's expression, she gave up.

"We actually didn't go to the wedding."

"Oh? Why ever not?"

Delaney held her head a bit higher in defiance of Violet, "We weren't invited."

To Delaney's surprise, Violet did actually look shocked to hear this. "What are you talking about?" she demanded, "Vincent and Duncan are best friends. And you're friends with Selina."

"I thought we were," Delaney agreed, "But we weren't invited and I didn't hear about it until these three arrived at Edgewood for their visit."

Violet stared in disbelief at first but that slowly shifted into anger. "How dare they not invite the Duke and Duchess of Edgewood! Especially when you've always been such dear friends. Do you know any reason they wouldn't have invited the two of you?"

"I don't," Delaney shook her head, relieved her mother-in-law seemed to be on her side.

"Well, I will find out," Violet frowned as she stirred her tea, "I think I'll go visit her mother soon."

"You'll have to let us know if you find out anything."

Violet nodded and seemed to sink herself into her thoughts about this insult. They were all quiet for a time before the woman shook her head as if to clear the thought away, and turned back to the group in front of her.

The dowager asked her son about his estates before asking Cora if she was still nursing soldiers. She asked Constance about the card club and Delaney about being the Duchess of Edgewood now. Delaney answered but kept it brief. She was surprised to see Violet taking an interest in their lives but still didn't trust her enough to tell the woman much.

"Mother we've heard you've been traveling," Miles spoke up after a while, "Where have you been running off to?"

"Oh well here and there," Violet answered, "I went to the city for a time and a few other places."

"Why the sudden interest in it?"

Violet frowned at her son now, "Can an old woman not travel around and visit her friends?"

"Is that what you were doing?"

Violet hesitated for just a moment before nodding, "Of course it was."

Miles frowned, not believing her, having seen the hesitation himself.

"I just remembered something I'd wanted to ask my sons about," Violet perked up, turning to Miles. "What is this I heard about you and Vincent going out alone and killing a bear?"

The dark-headed man smirked, "It's exactly that. We went out hunting and managed to take down a bear."

"Just the two of you?!"

"No. Harris was there too."

The older woman's brows lowered in annoyance, "So there were three of you. That doesn't mean you should do something so foolish as to take on a bear."

"Why are you worried about this?" Miles asked with his own frown, "We've gone out hunting for bears countless times, and anyways, we all made it back fine."

"That isn't like all those other times," Violet countered in irritation, "You know your brother can't keep up with you like he used to be able to!"

Delaney inwardly cringed at her words knowing Vincent would be humiliated if he were here to hear them. She glanced beside her at her friends and saw they were both looking awkwardly at their laps, not liking the subject either.

"Mother Vince does fine," Miles tried to argue, "He walked all the way out in the woods with us and all the way back. He can still fight well with the sword. He can..."

"Can he run Miles?" Violet stared at him, "If something were to have happened, you and Harris could have easily run away but can your brother?"

The man looked down at the floor, "I wouldn't have let anything..."

"You have no say over what a wild animal does," Violet sapped, "Vincent's body is so broken it hurts him to walk too much or even ride a carriage very far. How can you tell me you knew he was going to be fine?"

Miles glanced at the girls on the couch now too, "Mother maybe we should discuss this another time."

"Cora is your future wife, Constance, a dear friend, and Delaney is his wife. They're all well aware of your brother's state. It's not a secret."

"I don't think my husband would appreciate you discussing what he is and isn't capable of," Delaney interrupted then, coming to Miles's aid, "Not with him and definitely not with all of us."

Violet rolled her eyes, turning back to face Miles. "He can't do everything he used to be able to. If you don't want to be responsible for his death you'll have to be smarter in the future or stay away from him. I won't let anyone put my sons in danger."

With that last sentence, Violet glanced at Delaney. Frowning, Delaney felt her cheeks grow red and warm. She knew Violet was probably referring to the wolves that Vincent had fought and how she blamed Delaney.

Wanting to stop now before things got worse or one of them said something they'd regret, Delaney, stood, "I think we'd better be on our way."

Miles caught her eyes and nodded, helping the other two friends up. Violet glared but she didn't say anything. She wouldn't ever admit she was wrong and Delaney wouldn't admit herself wrong either.

"Thank you for the tea Violet," Delaney forced a smile for her mother-in-law before turning around and hurrying to leave with her friends. She wondered if Vincent would have been proud to see her stand up to Violet Adair.

She probably should've tried to steer the conversation away instead of just getting frustrated and leaving. Violet was someone who could really get under her skin though.

The group escaped from Violet's home, rushing out to their waiting carriage where they all hurried to get in it.

"Well, that started off well until it crashed," Constance laughed once the door was closed behind them and the carriage began to roll away.

"Oh well," Cora smirked, "Now off to do something that will for sure make us happy."

"Shopping!"