Whispers from Whistledown
Who: Jacqueline Mallory, Susan Mallory, and @baronwillliam When: May 1800
Jacqueline was busy working on updating one of Delilah’s old dresses when she and Susan, her third eldest sister, were informed of a caller. The sisters glanced up as one, curious who might be visiting.
“Baron William Hastings, Misses Mallory,” said the servant with the appropriate pomp and circumstance as if he didn’t live next door and hadn’t been visiting the house since he was old enough to walk over and ask if any of the girls wanted to play.
Susan went back to her sewing, uninterested in seeing Will beyond being friendly acquaintances, but Jac’s heart began to race in a fit of betrayal. Liking him as a teenager had been embarrassing but understandable. She had been young, and he’d grown so handsome, who could blame a young miss for her heart being so easily lost? Liking him still as an adult was definitely more embarrassing and really was a damper on her goals. What would a husband think of her being unable to hide her shine for her old neighbor?
But the smile on her face blossomed into life against her better judgement, regardless, the moment he entered the room. Susan gave a polite hello but Jacqueline, always willing to joke with him, couldn’t help but tease, “Look what the cat drug in.” Persia, her little cat, assuming the reference was about her, mildly perked up but otherwise didn’t get up from her repose in her cat bed next to Jacqueline. But then Jac stopped teasing and gestured for him to take any seat. “How are you? Everything going well for you in the season so far?”