Page 56 of An Earl Like You
“Was it the cost?” she persisted. The number of small inconsistencies and veiled looks had grown until she couldn’t ignore them all. During their several trips to warehouses and drapers’ shops, Eliza discerned that the dowager had been eager to redecorate but Hugh had repeatedly refused. Then suddenly he gave Eliza carte blanche to do as she liked to the whole house, without any comment on the expense.
Eliza suspected it was her own dowry funds she was spending, which did not bother her. But she didn’t like that her mother-in-law seemed unaware that there might not have been other funds. Having been mistress of a household for years, Eliza wondered if the dowager really could not know, but Georgiana had told her many society ladies not only didn’t speak of money, they didn’t care about spending their way deep into debt.
Her husband only seemed amused. “Worried about the accounts already?”
She flushed. “No! I wondered why you didn’t tell your mother there was no money for carpets before we married.”
That wiped the humor from his face. He stopped dancing and let her go, then strode past her and closed the door. “I preferred not to,” he said in a low voice. “Does that satisfy you?” She hesitated, and he gave her a coaxing smile. “It occurred to me that my wife, if I were so fortunate to find one, might like to have a say in decorating her new home. And as it turned out, I was correct, to everyone’s benefit.”
“Well...” She wrung her hands. That made sense and yet... why couldn’t he tell his mother that? “I don’t like deceiving people.”
“Deception!” He scoffed in disdain, but stopped when he saw her frown. “It was not deception so much as omission. My father sheltered her from all concerns, and then she was heartbroken at his death. Planning Edith’s debut and now her trousseau has brought her joy and helped her get over her grief. I should have squashed that with nattering concerns about how many pounds spent on upholstery?”
“No, but...” Eliza squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, then plunged onward. “I also think you should tell Edith about Mr. Benwick immediately.”
Hugh’s face dropped all expression. “What?”
“I overheard just a tiny bit of conversation,” she explained. “Edith is worried and upset that he’s not come to visit lately. Has he told you he wishes to proceed with the settlements?”
He didn’t have to answer. His expression turned hard and cold, as she had rarely seen him. Eliza felt a prickle of unease but pressed on.
“Then tell her, before she makes a fool of herself,” she urged. “She still loves him and has no idea he’s about to desert her. She might say or do something humiliating. You must tell her, Hugh.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.
“If you don’t tell her, she’ll feel horribly betrayed and upset when she discovers not only Mr. Benwick’s change of heart, but that you knew about it and didn’t warn her,” Eliza added softly.
With a muttered curse, he turned and paced away from her, swinging around in front of the windows. “Why are you so upset about this?”
Eliza fluttered one hand in helplessness. “Do you think I’m wrong? You know your sister better than I do.”
He glared at her, but did not argue.
She crossed the room to him. “She can survive the loss of Mr. Benwick. You will always be her brother, though, and you don’t want her memory of this time to be that you lied to her.”
A visible shudder went through him. “No.”
“So you’ll tell her? Even a hint that it may happen?” She stepped closer and put her hand on his arm. “I know it will be difficult...”
He flinched away from her touch. Eliza froze, but Hugh turned and pulled her into his arms, resting his cheek atop her head. “It will be awful,” he said with a heavy sigh. “But of course I’ll do it. I have to. I planned to all along, you know. But I dread it.”
She snaked her arms around his waist. Her heart felt full. “No one likes to be deceived,” she said. “Edith will be glad you told her, eventually.”
He said nothing for a long moment. “If she doesn’t, it would be no more than I deserve.”
“No!” She looked up at him. “She’ll forgive you.”
His eyes were dark and brooding. “Will she? Would you?”
“Of course!” she cried. “As long as you were honest with me, I would always forgive you.”
He smiled, but it was grim. “I hope you’re right about that.”
Chapter 22
Hugh felt himself sinking through the levels of hell.
His solicitor had heard nothing from the Livingston solicitors. It had been a slim hope, but now even it was gone, as his deadline arrived and passed. He’d been bracing himself for the nightmare of telling Edith, and then Eliza had to pour salt on the wound by speaking of honesty.
