Chapter 9 #2
‘I’m not!’ I pulled my wrist from Edward’s loose hold, my words sounding far more defensive than I’d planned them.
But then I’d spent years trying to fit in, moving somewhere new, trying again, never quite being the right peg for that hole.
I’d thought that was all behind me. I’d built a life in London.
Settled. Until I didn’t feel like I belonged there any longer.
But it was clear I didn’t belong here either, certainly not in this house.
‘Oh bugger. What did I do? Emmeline?’
‘You corrected her, you idiot! Unnecessarily.’
I looked up in surprise at Edward’s tone. I’d thought I was cross but he looked positively livid!
‘No, I didn’t.’ Barnaby did actually seem genuinely confused. ‘When?’
‘What, not sorry,’ his mother helped him out.
I, meanwhile, was shrivelling with embarrassment.
‘I really need to—’
‘Oh, for God’s sake, that wasn’t directed at Emmeline!’
‘Barney.’ Edward’s tone held a warning.
‘It wasn’t.’ Barnaby turned to me. ‘It really wasn’t.
I promise. Sorry if it came across like that which…
’ He paused for a moment replaying the scene in his head.
‘Now I think about it, it does rather seem that way. But I promise it wasn’t.
It was something our grandmother always used to say whenever one of us said, “sorry,” or, “pardon”.
It sort of just slipped out. We’d mimic her whenever we got told off.
’ He glanced at his brother for backup. Edward gave it, although with a moment of hesitation.
‘That’s true. I’d forgotten about that.’
Barnaby gave a waggle of his head. ‘It was a long time ago. I don’t even know the last time I said it.’ He pulled a face at me. ‘I really am sorry. I wasn’t being an arse intentionally.’
‘Now that’s definitely true. It’s always entirely unintentional,’ Edward agreed.
His brother gave him the v sign and picked his and my glass back up. ‘Please stay a little longer. I promise to be on my best behaviour.’ A jolly salute followed.
‘What the hell was that?’ Edward asked.
‘A salute.’
His brother stared for a moment. ‘It really, really wasn’t. Don’t ever do that again.’
Barnaby pulled a face. ‘All right, Major Fancy-Pants.’
Edward turned his amber gaze back on me.
‘I blame you for this,’ he said before facing his brother.
‘As Emmeline is intelligent – and kind – enough to forgive you for your poor manners and not heading back to write her resignation, I must agree that you were absolutely right to hire her.’ He turned back towards me and hit me with that smile and all the thoughts raced back in – tall, broad, classic looks that meant he could have just walked out of a fifties’ film set and topped with an unexpected and entirely killer smile.
I returned it automatically before my brain gave me a hefty mental kick.
‘Nope!’
‘What?’
Oh shit! Was that out loud?
‘Nothing!’
I was most definitely not going to crush on Edward Ashington. No way.
‘Are you sure?’ His whole demeanour changed when he smiled or even thought about smiling, as he was clearly doing now.
‘Definitely. And I really should be going. I mean, properly this time.’
I took a sip of the golden liquid. All I really wanted to do was down the lot and get out of there.
That, however, seemed a bit crass and it was so bloody delicious, it would be a crying shame for it not to touch the sides.
Let’s face it, I was unlikely to be enjoying alcohol this expensive again any time soon so I may as well make the most of it.
From the corridor outside, there was a sudden flurry of sound.
‘But madam—’
‘It’s fine, Dawkins! I’ll show myself in. Penelope won’t mind a bit, will you, dear?’ The woman declared as she swept into the room leaving the poor butler in her trail.
‘Mrs Hartington-Bowes, milady,’ Dawkins puffed out.
Barnaby had his back to the new arrival and his grim expression combined with the tight smile of Penelope appeared to disagree with the visitor’s declaration.
‘Ooh, are we celebrating? I’d love a glass, Barnaby.’
‘But, of course, Fenella.’
Dawkins hurried across to take over the task but Barnaby stopped him. ‘I’ve got it, Dawkins. Unless there’s anything else, Mother, Dawkins can knock off, can’t he?’
Fenella flinched.
Penelope smothered a grin. ‘Of course. There’s nothing further I need this evening, Dawkins. Enjoy your evening.’
He gave the tiniest of bows. ‘Thank you, milady. Goodnight.’
The family chorused a return of the sentiment. I remained silent as I didn’t feel it was my place, barely knowing him – or any of them really. The visitor also remained silent but that appeared to be due to her sucking a lemon if her expression was anything to go by.
Once the door had closed behind the kindly butler, she spoke.
‘Really, Penelope. You are so familiar with your staff! And giving them the evening off. What if you want something?’
‘Then I’ll get it myself.’
‘Hardly worth having a dog and barking yourself.’
Edward had placed his hands together behind his back. At her comment, I noticed them tighten. His face, however, remained a picture of impassivity.
‘I have news! Oh!’ She seemed to notice me for the first time. ‘And you are?’
‘This is our dear friend, Emmeline Buchanan.’
‘Of the Devonshire Buchanans?’
‘I…’
‘So, what is this news that brings you round, Fenella?’
Fenella put her hands to her chest. ‘One is shortly to become a grandmother again.’
‘Oh, how lovely. Congratulations.’ Penelope bestowed a smile as the men also offered their best wishes.
‘Thank you, thank you,’ she said, beaming, almost bowing to the offered felicitations as if she alone were responsible for the forthcoming event.
‘It is such great comfort to know that the noble name of Hartington-Bowes will continue through the ages.’ She directed another beaming smile at Lady Penelope, who returned it but on the short acquaintance we’d had, even I could see that this one did not reach her eyes.
I slid my gaze surreptitiously to Edward, who was still standing beside me. He met it.
‘Insufferable woman.’ The words were spoken low, from the corner of his mouth, and immediately masked by a short cough.
I rolled my lips together to prevent a giggle escaping.
‘What’s that?’ Fenella turned cool, assessing eyes upon the pair of us.
I panicked and gave Edward a hefty whack on the back. He coughed again.
‘Frog,’ he said, pointing at his throat.
Behind Fenella, Penelope was sporting a wide grin which immediately settled back into a bland smile the moment her neighbour turned away from us.
‘Remind me never to challenge you to an arm wrestle. I think I just swallowed a filling,’ he whispered.
‘I had to make it look authentic!’
‘Like your CV?’
I flashed him a look and he grinned. And, oh God, it was spectacular. His face lit up with warmth and I felt the same warmth rush through my body to places that should, especially in the current moment, have remained determinedly un-warmed!
‘And you, Edward?’
We both snapped our attention back towards her, the smiles dropping from our faces.
‘Me?’ he asked.
She made a little movement that, I assumed, was supposed to be coy. Either that or she was about to have some sort of episode. It was hard to tell.
‘No lucky lady in your sights, after all those women one reads about being in your company.’
‘Come now, Fenella. We both know you shouldn’t believe everything you read. I don’t have to tell you that with what the gutter press have insinuated about Tarquin’s,’ he mouthed the next words, ‘gambling problem.’
‘Tarquin doesn’t have a gambling problem!’ she replied a little too sharply and quickly so that everyone in the room was now utterly secure in the knowledge that Tarquin most certainly did.
‘My point exactly.’ He hit her with that smile and she wavered.
‘We’re suing for libel, of course.’
‘Quite right.’
‘And I’m sure you’ll find someone just as wonderful as Clarissa too.’ She tilted her head. ‘In time.’
His smile this time was tighter.
‘Such a shame things didn’t work out with Lady Susan. We all had such high hopes for you both.’
By now, Edward’s smile and jaw were so tight, I feared for another filling.
‘Susan was never good enough for him, anyway.’ Barnaby snapped the deadlock.
Fenella turned away. ‘No, of course not.’ Any sincerity in her tone was replaced instead with something like pity.
I risked a glance. Edward was staring at the back of Fenella’s head. I nudged him and almost physically jumped when he swung the furious gaze round to me. Immediately, he reached out and touched me on the hand in silent apology with a smile that was once more full of warmth.
‘Verity was devastated, of course.’ Her attention was back on Edward. ‘Being the one that introduced you and then for Susan to… you know.’
Edward remained silent. His hand had dropped away from mine. After a moment or two of excruciatingly awkward silence, Fenella filled the conversational gap.
‘She’s coming home tomorrow to stay for a while – Verity, I mean. Her building is having some major renovation work and she needs some peace and quiet to work on a very important project.’
‘Good luck with peace and quiet,’ Barnaby mumbled and coughed.
‘What?’ She swung round and Penelope quickly gave her son a whack on the back.
‘Sorry. Cough. Must have caught it from Edward.’
‘Oh.’ Fenella gave him a brief look then returned her focus to the elder brother. ‘Where was I? Yes, very important project—’
‘What’s that?’ Penelope asked.
‘What?’
‘The project Verity is working on.’
‘I… It’s to do with… Well, it’s…’
We all waited in anticipation.
‘It’s probably better if Verity explains it herself. She was asking after you, Edward.’ Back came her laser gaze. ‘Why don’t you come over for supper on Saturday night? Shall we say seven? Good. It’ll be so wonderful to see you together again. I’ll tell—’
‘I’m afraid that won’t be possible,’ Penelope said, crossing the room and slipping her arm first through Edward’s elbow and then mine. ‘We’re actually having our own little soiree to celebrate Edward and Emmeline’s engagement.’