"Archie, your wife knows well her role as hostess. What a marvellous dinner she ordered of the staff!
And now for some music. Shall we go through?" Archie's great aunt took charge.
Lilias acknowledged ever so sweetly and gracious as she always was.
The dinner party followed to the music room.
...
"Great Aunt, my wife would like to play something for you on the harp."
"Oh, Yes, please do, my dear. You must know how I adore the instrument."
Lilias began to play and then surprised his aunt by breaking into a gentle song. Her voice a pure and crystal clear soprano tone.
"How wonderful!" Archie's Great Aunt remarked and leaned in towards Archie.
"I expect she does everything well. Your happiness, my nephew, is magnificently evident. I can see your Lilias greatly pleases you. Undoubtedly, she pleases you in every aspect and part of your marriage, Archie. Her beauty is beyond compare.
Lilias and Archie both blushed at those remarks.
Rose rolled her eyes in annoyance for so many compliments and none of them directed at her.
"Such beauty will be handed down to your children, I expect," Archie's great aunt continued.
Neville sat silently with an eerie stare focused on the couple.
Neville suspiciously exited. Some time later, he saw Rose had wandered away alone, devoid of her husband outside of the music room and down the hall.
"Rose?" he called after her.
He approached her quickly. She stopped and looked at him blankly.
Neville slipped a jeweled hair comb into the hidden pocket of her evening gown. He had nicked it from the Craven family vault.
"Please, when can you come to me again?"
His fingers emerged from the pocket of her gown and traveled up along her rib cage and higher still to stroke her decolletage.
"I'm not your play thing, Neville! At least not again. I agreed just the once. It was one night. I cannot continue this. You have the audacity to ask me this when my husband is returned? It was a mistake. I command you leave me at once. My husband will find us here. You may not touch me in this way again."
She escaped his grasp and returned to her husband's side.
Moments later, dancing began.
Archie's great aunt watched as Archie danced with his wife with grace and fluidity. She then began a slightly shocking discussion with Lilias's mother. "Will she conceive of a son?" The ladies continued to watch Archie and Lilias dance a small distance away as the question was put forth. The couple seemed to be lost in each other's eyes. The look of true happiness and love upon their faces as they were both smiling adoringly at each other.
Lilias's mother turned a shade of crimson. One simply does not speak of conception.
The housemaids were gossipping below stairs. The same thoughts seemed to enter their minds-the popular topic of discussion.
"Will she conceive of a son, do you think? Boys or girls, children will come soon, I suspect. You can't mistake their true love and passion for each other. He's besotted with her. And she with him. Don't mean to pry but, might I ask, has she said anything to you, Aisling? Of a child? Is everything as it should be, do you think? Aisling, there's a good chance you and she may be withchild at the same time.
Aisling spoke, "Don't let Medlock find us speaking of such things."
"Twin sisters but such opposite minds! Though equal in physical beauty, Lilias appears more so for she possesses a genuine sweetness, true love for her husband, an unwavering kindess, graciousness, and gentility. Her aura of beauty is the rarest of all. God bless her for her goodness!"
Her sister Rose is quite selfish, greedy, uncaring, unfeeling, and there's a dishonesty about her I can't quite come to yet understand, but something doesn't make good sense about her-her and Dr. Craven frighten me." A housemaid spoke freely. "Something disrespectful about them."
"Sssshhh...Medlock." Betty-the scullery maid-warned as she heard footsteps and the sound of a chatelaine (keys) approach.