CHAPTER THIRTEEN #2
As the carriage bumped to a stop, the fine hairs on the back of Eugenia’s neck stood on end and she turned her gaze from the carriage window to find Lord D’Asti’s dark, unwavering gaze locked on her with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.
Even when her gaze met his, the count did not look away, did not even blink, until Eugenia’s cheeks turned pink and butterflies erupted in her stomach.
Once the coachman opened the carriage door, Lord Seabury jumped out and extended a hand to Susan, eager as ever to dote on his wife.
Eugenia watched them, taking in every nuance of the married couple’s interaction as Susan stepped down from the carriage to join her husband.
The way that Lord Seabury’s eyes crinkled at the corners with genuine delight every time he looked at Susan.
The way that Susan seemed to glow from within at the slightest touch of her husband’s hand.
A longing ache built in Eugenia’s chest, and she pressed her hand against her breastbone, as if that might do something to ease the ache.
She didn’t envy them, couldn’t call what she was feeling jealousy, exactly. It was just that she desperately wanted that kind of happiness for herself, too.
Lord D’Asti rose and climbed out of the carriage with the sort of fluid grace that could easily mesmerise a girl if she weren’t careful. Still, Eugenia couldn’t seem to take her eyes off him as he alighted on the ground and extended a hand to help her out of the carriage.
“May I assist you out of the carriage, Lady Eugenia?”
She opened her mouth to reply, but all that came out was a garbled, strangled sound, as if she was choking.
Her cheeks flamed bright red, and she squeezed her eyes shut, as if that might block out her mortification at behaving so awkwardly in front of him.
His fingers closed around hers, and he gave her hand a firm squeeze.
She could feel the heat of his skin, even through her gloves, and her eyes flew open, locking on the point of contact between them.
His gaze, however, was trained on her face, a fierce frown tugging his mouth down at the corners.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Eugenia let out a small sigh of relief at having managed to actually form a coherent response.
“I am glad to hear it.” Lord D’Asti smiled, then, his dark brown eyes twinkling with good humour as he helped her down from the carriage.
Eugenia’s heart fluttered madly in response, her cheeks reddening with an enamoured flush now, rather than awkwardness or embarrassment.
Once she was standing beside him, Lord D’Asti didn’t immediately release her hand.
Instead, he dropped his voice low enough that Susan and Neville would most likely have trouble hearing him, despite how close they were, and spoke.
“I feel compelled to apologise to you, Lady Eugenia.”
Her eyebrows shot up and her mouth formed a small, shocked ‘O’ for a moment before she gathered her wits enough to respond.
“Whatever for?”
“For leaving London so abruptly. For failing to tell you where you could write to me, if you wished. For failing to ask if I might write to you while I was away. Worst of all, for leaving you to the wolves with no explanation whatsoever at Lady Duncan’s Ball—”
Eugenia stiffened.
“I don’t want to discuss Lady Duncan’s Ball, if you don’t mind.”
Her words came out far more clipped than she’d intended, but she meant them just the same. She wanted to forget that Lady Duncan’s Ball had ever occurred at all. Lord D’Asti released her hand then, like a man who’d accidentally grabbed a hot coal, and clasped his hands behind his back.
Eugenia hated herself for being so waspish, for misdirecting the anger she still felt about Lydia, and unleashing it on poor Count D’Asti instead.
The man had only been trying to apologise, and what had she done?
She’d all but thrown his apology back in his face.
Eugenia took a deep, shaking breath and reached over, laying a tentative hand on his shoulder as she looked up at him.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you.” She pressed her lips together and darted a quick glance at Susan and Lord Seabury out of the corner of her eye. “What happened at Lady Duncan’s Ball wasn’t your fault, and I’m not angry with you at all. I’m—”
Ashbrook’s front door opened, and the butler — Barstow — peered out at them.
“Lady Gainsbourne and Lady Billington are expecting you!” The butler’s declaration was obviously intended to spur them into motion, so Eugenia let her explanation die unfinished on her lips as she followed Susan and Lord Seabury into the entrance hall.
“If you will all kindly follow me, Lady Gainsbourne, Lady Billington, and young Miss Wingfield are waiting for the ladies in the family drawing room, and Lord Billington is awaiting the gentlemen in his private study.” Barstow paused and gave Susan a warm smile.
“And if I may say so, it is lovely to see you again, Lady Seabury. We’ve missed you since you married and left us. ”
Susan returned his smile.
“I’ve missed you, too, Barstow, and Mrs. Stebbins, as well.
” The butler bowed, then, and turned to lead the way to the drawing room.
Susan looped her arm through Eugenia’s and explained.
“Barstow and Mrs. Stebbins followed my Mama from Gainsbourne to Briarwood, then from Briarwood to Ashbrook after the new Lord Gainsbourne fired the entire staff when he inherited my father’s title.
” Susan cleared her throat, then. “Do you know why Georgiana summoned us here, Barstow?”
“Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you, Lady Seabury. I’ll not be ruining Lady Billington’s fun.”
The butler let out a hearty chuckle, and Susan rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help smiling.
Eugenia and Susan shared a look of barely contained excitement.
What could be so important that Georgiana had summoned them away from a house party?
In the sitting room, Lady Gainsbourne, Susan’s younger sister Eliza, and her elder sister Georgiana all rose to greet them, taking turns with warm embraces and kissing both Susan and Eugenia on their cheeks.
“Will there be anything else, Lady Gainsbourne?”
The butler stood stiffly in the doorway, dutifully awaiting his orders before he was to guide Lord Seabury and Lord D’Asti to the study which Edward used when he visited his mother-in-law at Ashbrook.
Lady Gainsbourne smiled, her eyes dancing with excitement as she settled back into the wing-back chair she’d been lounging in when they arrived.
“Yes, please have Mrs. Stebbins bring some fresh tea and biscuits. Thank you, Barstow.”
The butler bowed and stepped backward out of the room, pulling the door shut as he went.
“So, what is your news, Georgiana?”
Susan bounced impatiently on the balls of her feet as she eyed her older sister.
“Yes,” Eugenia chimed in. “What news have you for us?”
Georgiana blushed and smoothed her hand gently over her slightly swollen stomach, highlighting the as-yet small bump that her cobalt gown had been doing a good job of hiding.
Eugenia felt joy and excitement explode in her heart as she realised the truth of her sister-in-law’s condition.
“You’re increasing?”
“Yes!”
Georgiana beamed at them, her delight at carrying Edward’s first child apparent in her expression. Susan took a moment longer than Eugenia to register the news.
“A baby. I’m going to be an aunt!”
She smiled broadly and pulled her sister into a fierce hug.
“Oh!” Eugenia let out a gleeful gasp and reached over, squeezing Susan’s hand. “I’m going to be an aunt, too! And soon we shall both have a precious little niece or nephew to dote on and spoil!”
Georgiana and Susan’s younger sister, Eliza, let out a delighted but incoherent squeal and shot up from her seat beside Lady Gainsbourne to embrace her sisters.
“This is so exciting!”
Georgiana pulled Eugenia into their sisterly embrace and the four of them hugged fiercely.
“You just think you’re excited to be becoming aunts,” Lady Gainsbourne quipped. “I’m going to be a grandmother, and I positively cannot wait!”
They were interrupted by the knock of the housekeeper, Mrs. Stebbins, at which they all sat down and tried to look demure and ladylike, as opposed to the circus of unbridled joy which the room had been, only moments before.
Once Mrs. Stebbins had deposited the tea and biscuits, then left the room, they all looked at one another, squealing with excitement once more.
“Tell us everything,” Eugenia breathed, her mind already racing with thoughts of everything she intended to spoil her niece or nephew with.