“Oh, nonsense,” Aunt Tabitha said with a light laugh. “Everyone knows this about you, Your Grace. Everyone knows how unfavorable you find it when you see people with social aspirations.”
“I will confess that that is not something I enjoy,” Hugh said. “I feel that people are less genuine when they’re worried only about social advantage. That’s why I’ve had such trouble finding a woman to court.”
“I see,” Aunt Tabitha said.
Esther felt a sudden thrill of foreboding.
The door swung open and they were interrupted by servants bringing in dishes. The food was set on the table.
Hugh inhaled deeply. “This smells wonderful,” he said. “Goose, is it?”
“It is,” Esther said. “I hope you like it.”
“Oh, certainly. I adore goose.”
There were several moments of quiet as they sampled their food. Though no one was speaking, Esther couldn’t seem to quiet her pounding heart. Her eyes kept returning to Aunt Tabitha.
She’s up to something. What could it be?
She turned slightly to look at Eugenia, who was sitting beside her mother. The exuberance she and Eugenia had shared in her chamber, preparing for this evening, was now gone from her cousin’s face. Eugenia had hardly touched her food, either. She pushed it around her plate and looked down at her lap. Her shoulders were stiff with tension.
She knows something I don’t know.
At that moment, more than anything, Esther wanted to take Hugh by the hand and lead him from the room Anywhere would do. She would take him out onto the grounds of Harcourt Manor, or into the gardens, and once she had him on his own, she would explain that her aunt was out to sabotage them. That something was deeply wrong.
“I’m sorry your parents couldn’t be here this evening, My Lady,” Hugh said to Esther. “I had hoped to see them.”
“Had you?” Esther wondered what that meant. Were her parents right to suspect that Hugh would have proposed marriage if her father had been there?
If only they weren’t so stubborn!
She had been able to accept their leaving at such a crucial moment, even though she hadn’t agreed with it. But now that she could see the scheming in her aunt’s eyes, she really wished they were there. Aunt Tabitha wouldn’t dare to say anything untoward in front of Esther’s father.
“Lady Esther’s mother and father were called home on urgent business,” Aunt Tabitha said primly.
“Oh,” Hugh said. “I hope everything is all right?”
“Everything is fine,” Esther assured him. “They’re concerned for my sister’s welfare, that’s all. She is still very young, and they’ve been here in London for too long. They felt it important to get back to her.”
“I understand that,” Hugh said. “Even if there is a household staff in place to help care for a child, there’s nothing like having one’s own parents around.”
“Indeed not,” Aunt Tabitha said. “A parent always knows best when it comes to the needs of a child. In fact, often parents are capable of seeing things children need that the children might not have seen themselves.”
She looked rather pointedly at Eugenia.
Eugenia made a study of her vegetables and said nothing.
“But Your Grace,” Aunt Tabitha went on, “My brother and his wife are certainly very happy with you courting Esther. I feel no hesitation at all in saying that.”
“I hope so,” Hugh said. “I’ve been very happy, too.”
“Yes, it’s a blessing for all of us,” Aunt Tabitha went on. “Why, when I think of how many times my brother counseled Esther to find herself a rich husband—! He must be so relieved now that she looks on the verge of doing exactly that.”
Hugh’s hand tensed on his fork. “I suppose he must,” he said evenly. “That is something a father tends to want for his daughter.”
“And to think he doubted Esther’s ability to do it,” Aunt Tabitha went on. “Of course, she told him over and over growing up that she understood what he was asking of her. But I know there was concern, from both her parents, that when she made it to London, she might become negligent in her duties.”
“It appears she hasn’t,” Hugh said tightly.
