“We did not talk about horses, Father. As you know, I have always wanted to learn.”
“Indeed, it is not improper for a lady to ride, Walter,” the Countess chimed in before turning her attention to the loaf of fresh bread before her.
The Earl shrugged and focused on the food before him, though if Kenneth thought this was the last of the awkwardness, he was sadly mistaken, for Rosy happily continued quizzing him.
“I always wanted to ride as well, and I should love to see your horses. Pray, do you have sisters who ride?”
Kenneth put his spoon down, realizing he would not be able to enjoy his soup in peace. “I don’t have sisters, My Lady.”
“Oh,” Rosy mumbled, a little defeated.
“What about brothers?” Sally asked then, and Kenneth froze, momentarily caught off guard by the unexpected question about his brother.
He did not like speaking about Edward at the best of times, and certainly not at a dinner such as this.
“I had a brother, but he passed away,” he answered stiffly, his eyes focused on his soup.
When he raised his head, he saw that Joanna’s expression was no longer strained but rather full of sympathy.
“I am sorry to hear that,” she said sincerely.
“It was a tragedy what happened to your brother,” the Earl added while dabbing his lips with his napkin. “Have you not told Joanna about it?”
Kenneth knew the Earl meant to imply that he and Joanna did not know one another well, but this conversation was already taking an uncomfortable direction.
“Father, it is hardly something a young couple who are just getting to know one another would discuss. Did you tell Mama about the death of Aunt Rosemary when you first started courting?” Joanna countered, and her defiant tone reminded Kenneth of the way she’d defended the butler.
“It seems something you would discuss, that is all,” her father said, his voice betraying his annoyance.
Joanna’s gaze met Kenneth’s, and he could see the irritation in her eyes. This, in turn, invoked a sense of solidarity. It was as though they were engaged in a confederacy of two against her father.
The Earl, however, would certainly not be deterred, Kenneth knew this already. Still, having a fleeting if silent acknowledgment of the delicate dance they were performing bolstered Kenneth’s composure.
Indeed, the first and main courses passed rather uneventfully, with Rosy, Sally, and the Countess making most of the conversation. Kenneth answered questions regarding his estate, his childhood, and Eton, though he did not allow himself to feel at ease, knowing that at any moment, things could take a turn for the worse. Still, the closer the dinner drew to an end, the more relief he felt.
“Dessert,” Rosy chirped with a smile when the plates were cleared away. “It is my favorite part of every meal.”
Kenneth smiled. “Mine, also.”
Joanna beamed. “Me, too. I could eat dessert for every meal and be a very happy young lady, indeed.”
Kenneth smiled at her and leaned forward. “Well, I ought to take you to town, then. There is a sweetmeats shop you would adore called McGinty’s.”
Joanna’s eyes lit up. “IadoreMcGinty’s. I have been there many times,” she gushed, and the tension around the table eased.
Alas, it was short-lived, for when the footmen returned with dessert, Kenneth saw, to his dismay, that it was the one dish he had not been able to eat in almost twenty years.
Flummery.
The instant the jiggly, creamy dish was set down before him, he broke out in a sweat, and he shifted in his seat.
“I adore flummery above all else,” Joanna declared and slid her spoon in the yellow cream. “Do you not agree that it is the best?”
Kenneth tried his best to muster a smile, but he could not.
“What is the matter, Your Grace?” the Earl asked, a devious glimmer in his eyes. “Is flummery not to your liking? Oh, I recall you said that you despised it. I do beg your pardon. I must have forgotten when I approved the menu.”
“Walter, you should have told me,” the Countess chided, and Joanna paled as she put her spoon down.
