If it wasn’t so humiliating, she would have found his discomfort extraordinarily entertaining. As it was, however, she sensed that perhaps he was feeling sorry for her.
That would not do.
Even more alarming, his brows drew together and she suspected he was attempting to formulate some sort of comforting response.
That definitely would not do.
“As I said before. Silly. Do not mind me and my emotional state,” she said with an airy cheer she did not quite feel. “It’s likely just a side effect of having to say farewell to my dear sister. And then finding myself at home with just Hattie and Father when I am used to such chaos and chatter all the time.”
She drew in a deep breath. Chatter all the time? Yes, that adequately explained the babble that was currently falling out of her mouth. But really, she couldn’t bear for him to look at her like this for a moment longer.
His dark gaze held such concern. Such sympathy.
He leaned forward again and he looked like he might speak.
She was grateful when the carriage came to a halt. “Ah, we are here at last!” She called it out so cheerfully and so loudly that her maid’s head came up with a snap.
She avoided looking in Caleb’s direction as she gathered her belongings.
Never in her life had she been so happy to visit her Aunt Lucinda.
Chapter 5
That happiness was not long lived.
“You are not getting any younger, dear.” Aunt Lucinda’s lips were pursed as though she’d just tasted something sour.
Abigail’s smile faltered. The sound of a grandfather clock ticking in the far corner was the only noise to ease this painful silence. “That is true,” she murmured before taking another sip of tea. And thank you for pointing that out.
She resisted the urge to turn and look at the time. It wasn’t as though an hour had flown by as she’d taken that sip.
Unfortunately.
For the millionth time since she’d set foot in her aunt’s parlor, Abigail wished that she’d forced Hattie to join her, sniffles or no. At least when one of her sisters was with her, the attention was divided amongst them.
Hattie would have been scolded for being too quiet, while Sally would have been reprimanded for speaking too bluntly and for not taking proper care with her appearance. Even Rebecca might have been given a lecture, though it was hard to imagine why. Rebecca was the most charming, dutiful daughter, and she shared Aunt Lucinda’s fascination with gowns and balls and the like.
Abigail, on the other hand...
“I cannot imagine why you are still wasting your time on those urchins.” Aunt Lucinda gave a delicate shudder of horror.
“They are hardly urchins, Aunt Lucinda.” She smiled at the thought of them. “Their parents work hard for their wage. But that leaves them with little time to help their children learn how to read and do basic mathematics.”
“Well, I still don’t see why you have to do it.”
I don’t have to do it. I want to. She bit her tongue. It was no use explaining yet again that she enjoyed the company of children. Little adorable ones, yes, but even more so she loved the ones who were shy or misbehaved. Those were the ones, she’d found, who needed the extra attention the most.
They needed her.
Her heart lurched in her chest at the thought of leaving them. But that was what this visit was about, was it not? Aunt Lucinda had wasted no time in broaching the subject.
“Your father has already agreed with me,” the elderly woman said. “It would do you good to go to London for a spell. I still have connections in good society, you know.”
Yes. I know. She’d only mentioned it twenty times per visit. Their father’s eldest sister, Lucinda had been the one Jones sibling to marry into the gentry. The baronet had died one year into the marriage, leaving Lucinda a wealthy widow.
A wealthy widow with the right connections, as she so liked to remind them.
It was no secret that she looked down upon her brother’s family. While it was estimable that he’d risen in the ranks to captain—not without a fair amount of help from Lucinda and her connections, as she was quick to point out—there was nothing to be done about the fact that they would never be titled. Or wealthy.
“Now.” Aunt Lucinda placed her cup on the table beside her. “You will never be a diamond of the first water, but there is no reason to think you could not catch the eye of some eligible young gentleman. Perhaps a second son or a wealthy merchant, so long as he’s from a suitable family.”
Aunt Lucinda stared and it soon became apparent that she expected a response.
“Er, thank you?” Abigail offered.
Her aunt continued talking and Abigail let out a slow breath. Her father had warned her, of course. Their aunt had been threatening to bring one of her nieces with her to London for years now.
It was just that Abigail had always supposed the sacrificial lamb, as it were, would be Minerva. Even after Roger began to show an interest in their sister, it was assumed that as the oldest, Minerva would have the, er...honor of acting as Aunt Lucinda’s companion.
“As I told your father, I plan on leaving for London earlier than usual.” Her aunt reached for her teacup. “In a fortnight.”
Abigail choked on her tea. “Before Christmastide?”
“Why dally?” Her aunt’s gaze moved over her. “We have much work to do if we are to have you ready in time for the season. We’ll need a new wardrobe, to start.” And that was only the beginning of Aunt Lucinda’s next tirade.
“Do you know,” Abigail said the moment there was a pause. “It is really Rebecca who has a keen interest in London society—”
“Rebecca is still young,” her aunt snapped. “She still has several years ahead of her. You, on the other hand...” She trailed off with a scowl.
Abigail looked down sheepishly,
