Esther smiled up at him. “Dinner?” she said. “And did you agree to their invitation?”
“I did,” he said. “I hope that’s all right with you.”
“More than all right. I’ll very much look forward to it.” She bit her lip. “But I have to admit, I’m a little surprised.”
“Why?” Hugh asked. “You don’t think I like to eat?”
Esther laughed. “It’s nothing to do with the meal itself,” she said. “But I did have the impression that you didn’t want to spend any more time in the company of my parents.”
“Oh,” Hugh said.
“Oh?” Esther echoed. “Is that it?”
Hugh hesitated. This being his first courtship, he wasn’t sure how forthright it was appropriate to be. Should he tell Esther how her parents had made him feel? Or should he try to be delicate about it?
“I suppose I did find them a bit overwhelming,” he said at last.
To his relief, Esther wasn’t offended. She laughed. “They are, aren’t they?” she said. “So transparent with their questions. I thought for a moment that they might actually ask you how much money you had.”
“I’m used to attracting that sort of interest,” Hugh admitted.
“Still, there’s no excuse for such blatant rudeness,” Esther said. She hesitated, then added, “I know that’s why you wanted to go out to the park the second time we saw one another. Not that I minded, of course—I had a wonderful time, and I was more than pleased to get away from my overbearing parents. But thatwasyour reason, was it not?”
He laughed. “You’ve figured me out,” he said. “That was it exactly. Though I’m very glad you had a nice time, of course.”
“But you’re willing to come back to my aunt’s home and try being around my family again? I don’t think they’re going to be any different, if that’s what you’re hoping for.”
“It isn’t,” Hugh assured her. “I believe I understand the kind of people they are. As I mentioned, it’s something I’m used to.”
“Hasanyone ever asked you how much money you have?” Esther asked him.
“Believe it or not, they have,” Hugh said. “Fathers interested in deciding whether they would consider me worthy to court their daughters. Of course, I’ve never courted anyone before you—never even been interested—so their questions were premature, and even more inappropriate than those posed by your own parents.”
“Well, I suppose it’s good to know that my parents aren’t the most inappropriate people you’ve ever met,” Esther said with a light laugh.
“It’s true,” Hugh said. “But to be honest with you, Esther, it wouldn’t matter to me, even if they were. Getting to know them is a part of getting to know you, and the way to have you in my life is to have them in my life. It’s more than worth it.”
Esther bit her lip and looked away.
Hugh frowned.
Did I do something to upset her? Is she offended?
“I hope you know how much I care for you,” he said, anxious to soothe her feelings if he had wounded them. “Your parents may be difficult, but you are by far the most wonderful lady I’ve ever known. You’re beautiful, and you always make me laugh. And best of all, when you look at me, I know that you’re seeing the person I truly am, and not just wealth and status. You’re the only lady I’ve ever felt certain about in that regard.”
Esther nodded but said nothing.
“Are you all right?” Hugh asked. “You seem unhappy.”
“No, I’m fine,” Esther said. “Just a bit distracted, I suppose.” She seemed to shake herself, and when she looked up at him, her eyes were clear again. “So you’ll be joining us for dinner! I can’t wait. But we’ll have to be very careful of Aunt Tabitha, of course.”
“Your aunt? Are you worried she’s going to do something we won’t like?”
“She absolutely will,” Esther said. “She’ll be at dinner, of course. My parents would send her away if they could, but they won’t be able to. Taking tea without her is one thing, but we can hardly expect her not to join us for dinner at her own home.”
“Of course not,” Hugh said. “I wouldn’t dream of asking it.”
“But she’ll spend the whole time trying to get you to pay attention to my cousin,” Esther said. “She’s determined to make you forget about me and court Eugenia instead.”
