Valeria flushed. “Oh,” she said. “Well, if that was the plan you had in mind, please don’t allow me to get in the way.”
“No, no,” Lord Harlston said quickly. “In truth, I would much prefer to stay here in your company, Lady Valeria. I wanted to spend time with Duncan, yes, but I have no particular attachment to the idea of doing so at the pub. I can go to the pub any evening of the week, but how often can I spend time in the company of a charming young lady?”
“You flatter me, Lord Harlston,” Valeria said, laughing.
“Oh, no, I don’t think so,” he said. “I only speak the truth! Youareuncommonly lovely, you know.”
Valeria smiled. It was so different being with him than it was with Lord Woodsford. It was impossible to take Lord Harlston seriously. He was charming, but everything he said was so light, so playful. She couldn’t imagine him telling her about his childhood, about the damage inflicted upon him by his parents. She couldn’t imagine opening up to him about what life with Richard had really been like.
But it waseasyto talk to Lord Harlston. It felt as if he already knew his way through the conversation. He was like a guide, leading her effortlessly from one point to the next, so that Valeria didn’t have to worry at all about what to say or about coming up with new topics for discussion. Lord Harlston did all the work.
He launched into a story about a friend of his, and all Valeria had to do was to listen and laugh occasionally in the right places. When that story was told, he asked her a few questions about what she had been doing over the past couple of days.
He did not, she was surprised to realize, ask her about her courtship with Lord Woodsford.
She was surprised, but she was grateful. This visit was taking her mind off of her troubles and fixing it squarely on something else for a change, and the truth was, that was exactly what she needed.
They were finally interrupted when Duncan arrived home. He looked exhausted as he made his way into the sitting room, and for a moment he seemed not to have noticed the fact that they had a visitor.
Then he stopped in his tracks. “Henry,” he said. “Was I expecting you today? Did we have plans? I’m afraid I don’t remember—”
“Oh, no, nothing like that,” Lord Harlston said, rising to his feet. “This is an impulse visit. I hope it’s not unwelcome?”
Duncan’s gaze flashed to Valeria’s face, and she saw the question in her cousin’s eyes.
“We’ve been having a nice chat while we waited for you to return,” she said, hoping that would tell him what he wanted to know.
“Well, it’s very nice of you to come by, Henry,” Duncan said. “Were you hoping to go down to the pub? I wouldn’t mind a drink.”
“Perhaps we could have our drink here,” Lord Harlston said. “Lady Valeria and I have been having such a nice time getting reacquainted.”
“If—if that’s what you’d like, Valeria?”
She nodded. “It’s been very good to have someone to talk to.” She would explain to her cousin later how this gentleman’s presence seemed to fill up a room, how when he spoke—even about the most mundane things—there was simply noroomfor sadness or worry. It was as though light was shining from behind his eyes, driving away the melancholy she had been caught up in.
Perhaps Duncan could see a change in her face, because he smiled and said, “Why not stay for dinner, Henry? I know Mother always enjoys having you around. She’ll like having company tonight.”
“Oh, that would be most welcome,” Lord Harlston said. “I do grow tired of dining alone, and it’s always nice to be with friends.” He smiled warmly at Valeria.
She returned his smile. She couldn’t have agreed more. She was surprised by how eager she was to prolong his visit.
Then he said, “Should we send a messenger to Thomas and invite him to dinner as well, Duncan? What say you? I’m sure he would be pleased to spend the evening with Lady Valeria.”
The room fell silent. Even Charlotte looked deeply uncomfortable.
I need to say this,Valeria said.I need to be the one who says it, because I need to prove to myself that I’m able to speak the words.
She faced Lord Harlston. “Lord Woodsford and I are no longer courting one another,” she said. “Our arrangement has come to an end. So I’m sure he would have no interest in joining us for dinner tonight.”
“My goodness,” Lord Harlston said. “It’s at an end already? But what happened?”
Valeria braced herself, expecting to feel her eyes fill with tears again—but to her surprise, it didn’t happen. She felt calm. Not happy, exactly, but not overwhelmed.
“It simply wasn’t a good fit,” Duncan said. “But no matter. We don’t need to discuss that now, surely?”
“No,” Lord Harlston agreed. “Forgive me. Of course we don’t.”
“I’ll go and let Mother know to expect you for dinner,” Duncan said.