"That may be true, but a few well-placed questions have revealed that this is not the first time your daughter has been alone with my son," Lady Swancove responds sternly.
I wince and avoid eye contact with everyone in the room lest I have to explain the situation.
"Nothing untoward happened between us,Mother," Lord Cygnus says from his position by the fireplace.
"It does not matter what happened between you," she retorts. "All that matters is what the ton believes happened, and no one is going to believe that the two of them were merely talking while closeted in retiring rooms at no less than five different events."
Tears prick the corners of my eyes. I thought we'd been careful, but it seems that isn't the case. And I know it won't have been Georgiana who has talked, which means other people saw us.
"I hope you won't be this foolish when you are married to my son," the Countess says.
"Mother, I don't think that is necessary," Lord Cygnus says, stepping forward to defend me.
"You are not the one who ruined your reputation," she points out.
"This is as much my fault as that of Miss Swanley," he responds. "Perhaps more so, I was the one who suggested we met alone in the gardens."
Horror crosses the Countess' face. "Miss Swanley still should not have met you out there."
"Perhaps she should not," he says. "But that does not mean she should bear the brunt of your displeasure. You wished for me to find a wife, did you not?"
She purses her lips, a very displeased expression on her face. "This was not the way I had in mind."
"But you can not deny that Miss Swanley is an excellent choice for a future Countess, despite the circumstances," he says firmly.
The Earl chuckles in bemusement. "He is correct, my dear."
"Hmm."
Dread fills me as I realise that I'm going to have to share a household with the Countess, and if she continues to dislike me then my life may not be as straightforward as I would like.
And that is even without the fact that I will be married when that is the last thing I desired.
"I suppose no one is taking my thoughts into consideration now," the Countess says.
I bite my tongue in an attempt to avoid pointing out that no one is paying attention to mine either. Though I suppose this situation is of my own making, which is probably why they are not considering my thoughts.
"We should take our leave," Mother says. "We have many appointments to keep in order to ensure that everything is ready for the wedding."
The Earl smiles with surprisingly genuine ease. "Why don't you join us for dinner later in the week?"
The Countess lets out a disgruntled squeak, but doesn't contradict her husband.
"We would be honoured, My Lord," Mother says.
Father nods his agreement, and turns to take his leave, having already said his goodbyes.
I'm about to follow my parents out of the room when Lord Cygnus steps forward, catching my attention. "Miss Swanley, do you have a moment?"
I turn to him, ready to respond, only for his mother to get to her feet and pull her son away.
"I do not believe that will be necessary," she says.
Lord Cygnus appears as if he is going to argue with her, but is pulled away before he can.
I let out a disappointed sigh, trying not to think too much about what this is going to mean for our future union. I may not feel as if I am ready for marriage, but that doesn't change the fact that we are going to be wed. I need to start preparing for sharing a life with Lord Cygnus.
And it seems as if I'm going to go from contending with my own mother's sense of what's important, to what Lord Cygnus' thinks.