She sat forward. “But you do like him?”
Her earnestness made avoiding the question difficult. “When he is not saying something vastly insulting, he can be quite pleasant.”
Lady Ellen laughed. “You know him well already, I see.”
I shook my head, smiling all the same. “And what about you? How do you find Hugh—er, Lord Everdale?” I asked, anxious to move the conversation in another direction.
Though Lady Ellen was no blushing debutante, a flush crept up her neck. “His mother counts as a point against him, though I am sure you are well aware of that. But I do like him; we get on well. And he doesn’t try to suffocate me as other men do.”
I lowered my voice and leaned toward her. “Dare I hope you might become family . . . despite Aunt Agnes?”
“Well, nothing is settled. And of course, I do not know his feelings.”
“Oh, but I do.” I gave her a knowing grin.
Just then, the doors opened and the men entered the room. At the sight of them, Lady Ellen and I exchanged glances and were both caught in a fit of laughter. Hugh walked toward us as we tried to calm ourselves, looking at the two of us as if he feared for our sanity. “A reasonable man knows to avoid women who are laughing or crying, so I am taking a terrible risk in approaching the two of you. Is there any chance this sort of behavior might be remedied by a game of cribbage? Or a cup of tea?”
“Whist,” Lady Ellen choked out.
“Some tea!” I said at the same time.
We stared at one another, still in stitches.
Hugh shook his head. “Perhaps both,” he said, more to himself than to us.
“Ellen, do get ahold of yourself,” the dowager said from where she sat near Aunt Agnes. “Your behavior is most unbecoming.” She stroked the top of her cane with authority.
Though Aunt Agnes kept her thoughts to herself, the way she clenched her fists in her lap made her own feelings abundantly clear. I quieted; regret settled over me. I knew that look intimately. Aunt Agnes would be sure to pay a visit to my room after I retired tonight.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Halstead staring at me, a severe look upon his face. “Yes, Hugh. Some tea, please.” Was Halstead still angry about his grandmother’s interference at dinner? My stomach tied itself in knots trying to sort through the whole mess.
Lady Ellen gave me a sidelong glance.
Hugh soon returned with some tea for us. “I asked the duke to join us for our game, if that is amenable to both of you.”
I whipped my head over to where Halstead sat as Lady Ellen nodded in agreement. Why would he have agreed when dinner had proved his clear distaste for my company—at least when others were present?
“Come and join us when you are finished with your tea.” Hugh went and took a seat at the table, pulling out the cards.
Sipping slowly for fear of burning my tongue, I cast my gaze about the room. Robert stood in conversation with Lord Aberdeen. He glanced my way, as if thinking about approaching me. I couldn’t bear a confrontation with him tonight. Tomorrow and his host of questions would come soon enough. I quickly set my cup down. “I am finished,” I announced.
“Already?” Lady Ellen asked.
“Yes. And I find I am anxious for a game of whist.”
“Very well,” she said, setting down her cup as well.
We joined the gentlemen at the table, and I couldn’t help but wonder how Halstead and I would fare during this game. Would the awkwardness of dinner continue, or would the ease of conversation from earlier return? And how would it be affected by the presence of my cousin and the duke’s sister?
Since Lady Ellen and Hugh were to be partners, they took opposite sides of the table, leaving me to sit directly across from Halstead. I offered him a smile, and for a moment it almost seemed as if he might return the gesture, before the austere look of earlier returned. Seated as we were, not only would it be nearly impossible to carry on a private conversation but it would also be difficult to ignore his less-than-welcoming gaze.
Unwilling to maintain the silence that had prevailed at dinner, I spoke up as Hugh dealt the first hand of cards. “Lady Ellen, how did you pass your afternoon?”
Halstead reached out and picked up his first card. “You didn’t manage to discuss the course of your afternoons before dissolving into fits of laughter?”
“Apparently not,” Hugh said, his tone dry. “But then, women never discuss such tedious topics when men are absent. It is all a show they put on for us.” A smirk lifted the corners of his mouth. He handed out the last of the cards and turned over the trump card. Spades.
“It is not,” I protested as I arranged my cards. “It is only that we were discussing other, more pressing matters before your arrival.” Remembering our conversation, a smile threatened to break free, another fit of laughter close behind.
Halstead raised his brows. “Such as?”
A furious blush overtook me, and I raised my cards to cover my mouth, relieved when Lady Ellen answered. “How difficult it is for me to enjoy the roasted fowl at dinner when having to endure your surliness. If you insist on joining us for meals, you could at least try to be pleasant.” She turned to Hugh, her expression softening into a smirk. “And your cheeky remarks are not appreciated. It is conceit indeed to think we would put on some sort of display for you.”
Though it was Lady Ellen who had just spoken, Halstead looked up from his cards and met my eyes. “Is it so outlandish to believe you might have different facades you choose to present at different times?” His tone became derisive. “That is precisely what Society teaches you to do, is it not?”
I met his
