Tabitha straightened her skirt and patted her hair, making certain that nothing was out of place. “Hush, Eugenia,” she said. “I’m at perfect liberty to attend a ball if I want to. Iama Countess, you know. And I’m sure Lord Kensington is more than happy to have me.”
Eugenia huffed, turned, and swept away. Watching her go, Tabitha shook her head.
We’re going to have to have a conversation about her bad attitude.
It was all Esther’s fault. Ever since Tabitha’s niece had arrived in London, her daughter had changed. She had become willful and outspoken, and those were two qualities that were certainly going to make it much harder for her to secure a husband.
It was bad enough for a lady like Esther, who was beautiful and vivacious, to allow herself to be such a handful. But Eugenia didn’t have her cousin’s beauty. She was plain and a rather boring conversationalist.
Though Tabitha still had high hopes for her daughter’s prospects—she hadn’t let go of the idea that the Duke of Hallowbinder might change his mind about who he wished to court—she was a realistic woman. If a gentleman became interested in her daughter, it would be because Eugenia was agreeable and easy to get along with.
Except that, lately, she wasn’t.
Complaining because I came to the ball? Who in the world does she think she is?
Tabitha took a glass of wine from a passing butler and made her way over to a group of ladies. She had no need of her daughter’s company.
Though it would have been nice if my brother and his wife had agreed to come to this affair. Then perhaps Eugenia wouldn’t complain so much about my presence!
The ladies looked up as she joined them. “Good evening, Lady Harcourt,” one of them said.
“Good evening, Lady Halliday. Lady Berkshire. Lady Claremont. How are you all?”
“Well enough,” Lady Halliday said. “We were just talking about our daughters—that is, Lady Claremont and I were. Lady Berkshire is lucky enough to have only sons.”
“You might call it lucky,” Lady Berkshire said, rolling her eyes. “They’re impossible young gentleman. Do you know my Fred isn’t even here this evening?”
“Why ever not?” Tabitha asked. “He’s of an age to marry.”
“Yes, but he’d rather spend his evenings drinking and gambling at the pubs,” Lady Berkshire said. “His father and I are at the end of our wits.”
Tabitha noted this in her mind. Lady Berkshire’s son would not be an appropriate match for Eugenia, no matter how bad things got.
But perhaps…
“I wonder if you know my niece, Lady Esther of Cliffdall?” she asked. “A lovely, charming young lady.”
“I don’t believe I’ve been introduced to her,” Lady Berkshire said.
“You might like to meet her,” Tabitha said. “She’s here tonight, and is seeking a husband, and perhaps she would be a good match for your son. I know how eager you must be to see him settled down.”
“Iamanxious about it,” Lady Berkshire agreed.
Tabitha felt herself growing excited. If she could somehow manage to play her cards right, perhaps she could pair her niece up with this gentleman, leaving the Duke free to court Eugenia!
And it would be no great loss. I’d never allow Eugenia to be courted by a gentleman who didn’t even bother to attend social functions.
“Bring your son to Harcourt Manor tomorrow,” she suggested. “Perhaps he and Lady Esther will find that they share an admiration for one another. After all, there’s no need for young people to meet at balls, necessarily. If he doesn’t wish to attend them, it’s understandable.”
It’s ludicrous. But she doesn’t have to know how I really feel about it.
“Wait a moment,” Lady Halliday spoke up. “Lady Esther of Cliffdall? That’s your niece?”
“Yes, she is,” Tabitha said, feeling the hair on the back of her neck stand up. “What of it?”
“Why, I know her,” Lady Halliday said.
“I don’t see how you could,” Tabitha said tartly. “She doesn’t live around here. She and her family live in the country. She’s only here staying with me for the Season. I’ve been gracious enough to take her in, you see.”
