Page 30 of An Earl Like You
“Reggie is appalled. He could barely speak of anything the rest of the evening last night at Lady Brewster’s soiree, even though I assured him I don’t want anything to do with her.”
Hugh let out his breath. He didn’t have patience for this, but resisted the urge to say that Benwick should mind his own affairs. Benwick was part of the reason Hugh was doing this in the first place, Benwick who expected a handsome dowry from him for Edith. “Calm yourself, Edith. It’s only tea.”
She stared at him. “It’s not,” she said in a low voice. “You’ve never asked Mama to invite another young lady to tea. You sat in her box at the theater. I could laugh that off, but then you danced with her—twice. Everyone was speaking of it last night, everyone!”
“Don’t exaggerate.”
At his tone, tears filled her eyes. “Please don’t, Hugh,” she begged. “Please! I—I won’t sit with her!”
“I only asked Mother to do that.”
“Neither will Henrietta!”
“If Henrietta doesn’t want tea, she doesn’t have to join Mother, either.”
Edith wrung her hands, obviously searching for some argument that would dissuade him. “Her father is awful. Appalling! I can’t believe you would pursue a connection with someone like him.”
Hugh might agree on all counts, but Edith’s vehemence was surprising. “What do you know of her father?”
“Lord Livingston despises him. Reggie wouldn’t tell me why, but he assured me it was terrible. Now will you see reason?”
He might have known it wouldn’t be smooth sailing, with Eliza warmly welcomed to his family. “Livingston may despise him, but I’ve not invited Mr. Cross—only Miss Cross. It’s not like you to be so cold to someone you’ve never met.”
Edith’s chest heaved. “And it’s not like you to be so—so bullheaded! And stupid! What can you possibly see in her?”
Much more than he’d expected to see. For a moment the memory of Eliza’s delighted smile, of her breathy moans, of the feel of her breast under his palm, filled his head. It was surprising that that was what came to his mind first, instead of the vast fortune Cross was promising him, but he couldn’t tell his sister any one of those reasons. Thank the blessed Lord, he didn’t have to tell her anything at all.
“That’s enough, Edith.” He turned on his heel and walked from the room. She ran after him, still babbling, but Hugh put up one hand to stop her. “Enough, Edith,” he repeated quietly but firmly. He took his hat and gloves from the butler, and left her staring after him in furious despair.
Eliza walked up the steps of Hastings House, sedate and polite on the outside but bubbling with excitement on the inside.
The invitation from Lady Hastings had caught her completely off guard. She had hoped the earl himself would call in Greenwich again, but a note from his mother came instead, on thick hot-pressed paper with the Hastings seal in blood-red wax. Eliza had taken it to her father, speechless with disbelief.
“Eliza!” He’d looked at her with such astonished delight. “The Countess of Hastings?”
“She’s invited me to take tea with her.”
“Well, of course you must go!” Beaming, he’d kissed both her cheeks. “What an honor—for Lady Hastings, of course, and I hope you have a pleasant time, as well.” It made her laugh at the time, but now she felt the prickle of nervous perspiration on her neck. What if she said the wrong thing? What if she spilled tea all over herself? What if—?
“Miss Cross.” Lord Hastings’s voice was a welcome interruption to her thoughts. He came across the hall and bowed before offering his arm. “Eliza,” he said, much more softly. “It’s a pleasure to see you again.”
“Thank you, sir. I’m delighted to be invited.”
He smiled as he led her up the stairs. “My mother is eager to make your acquaintance.”
Eliza didn’t dare think too hard what that meant, because they were at the drawing room door all too soon and she needed to concentrate on her manners. The countess stood in front of the tall windows facing St. James’s Square, the table already spread with a delicate tea service. She was a petite, beautiful woman, and she smiled graciously when the earl presented Eliza.
The visit passed like a dream. The countess was formal but kind, and Lord Hastings kept the conversation flowing. The topics were as banal as any social call, but Eliza left feeling overwhelmed by the experience. In spite of her nerves she’d not giggled once, and the earl even laughed at something she said.
Lord Hastings escorted her out of the drawing room when the visit was over, after Lady Hastings had thanked her very beautifully for calling. “It’s over,” he whispered to her as they went down the wide stairs.
Eliza exhaled and gave a shaky smile. “It was wonderful.”
“Yes,” he said in amusement, “but I could see you were nervous. Mother liked you.”
“Did she?” Eliza didn’t even know why she longed so desperately for that to be true. “I hope so.”
“I would not say it if I didn’t believe it.”
