Page 59 of An Earl Like You
All the color drained from her face. She stepped back and tugged, but Hugh refused to let her go. “That’s why Edith hates me,” she whispered.
“Most likely,” he agreed. “Which is no good reflection on her. I thought she would realize it when she knew you. I thought Benwick cared for her enough to rebuff his father. I thought...” He fell silent, realizing how inane his excuses sounded. “I didn’t want to hurt you,” he said.I wanted to protect you, too.
“Hugh,” she said in agony. “How could you not tell me that? I would have spoken to her...”
“And said what?” Again he resisted her attempt to pull free. “Livingston is being irrational. Benwick is choosing his father over Edith. That puts the lie to his claim to love her, and if this is the way he treats her, it’s far better that she learn it now, before she’s his wife and bound to him forever. If anything, Edith should be relieved.”
“Of course she won’t be!” Eliza protested. “Not when her heart is broken...”
“Her love was wasted on him.”Just as yours has been wasted on me so far.
She looked at him in reproach, but stopped arguing. “The poor girl,” she said softly. “How it must have hurt her.”
Hugh expelled his breath. Even after what he’d told her, even after the way Edith had treated her, she felt sympathy and kindness for his sister. His sense that she was too good for him roared back. “Even if he came to me on his knees, I wouldn’t let him marry her now. He’s proven himself inconstant and callous and my sister deserves better.”As do you, he silently promised his wife. “And now I am done speaking and thinking of Reginald Benwick. Do you have a dress for the theater?”
She blinked. “Yes, but—but Edith—”
“Edith will recover. You told me so,” he reminded her. “Tonight I would like to take my wife to the theater, if she’ll go with me.”
A fine blush colored her cheeks. “Of course.”
He grinned and raised her hand for an impulsive kiss. He watched her face as he grazed his lips across her knuckles; her own lips parted and her eyes softened and warmed. She was in love with him. Hugh’s conscience twinged painfully. He should tell her the whole truth now and throw himself on her mercy. At this point he deserved a storm of tears and recriminations—followed, he hoped, by forgiveness.
But Willy ran up and dropped the ball on her skirt, and she jumped back with an exclamation, pulling free of Hugh’s grip. He watched as she scolded the dog and made him sit before handing the ball to Angus and sending the two of them off again.
By the time she turned back to him his resolve had weakened.When I have become worthy of her, he promised himself,then I can tell her. Once I’ve atoned for the lies I told her in the beginning. Once I’ve sorted out what I really feel for her, it will all be much easier to explain.
And so he said nothing.
Chapter 23
Eliza made several excuses for the fact that Hugh hadn’t told her the truth. It wasn’t an outright lie, merely an omission. He didn’t want her to be hurt, she reminded herself; his reluctance had been real. If Mr. Benwick’s dislike was entirely because of Papa, there was nothing Eliza could do about it anyway.
But while she could understand Edith choosing to side with the man she intended to marry—the man she believed loved her—Eliza couldn’t deny a sharp little pain that Edith had done so with such vigor. She had very willingly and quickly turned a cold shoulder to her brother’s bride even though she adored Hugh and he adored her. Georgiana had called Edith a snob, and Eliza felt horrible for thinking it must be a little bit true.
She was trying to be kind and understanding to her sister-in-law, and this unquestionably stung. It would be obnoxious to repay Edith in kind, but Eliza couldn’t help taking some of Georgiana’s advice. She would hold up her head and be strong, and not let any slight cow her. She was a countess now, Hugh’s countess—incredible thought—and she must rise to the demands of her position.
However, there was one thing she could do that didn’t require any fortitude or bravery on her part. “Papa, did you have any business dealings with Lord Livingston?” she asked her father when he came for his weekly visit. It was safe to do so, because everyone else was away from home by a stroke of luck.
“Livingston!” Her father looked surprised. “Why do you want to know about him?”
“So you did.” She sipped her tea, watching him over the rim of the cup. “What went wrong?”
His mouth quirked. “I never said I knew the man.”
“You didn’t deny it,” she pointed out. “I know you, Papa. What did you do that he didn’t like?”
“Did Hastings put you up to this?”
“No, why would he?” she asked, startled. But then she realized. “He spoke to you about Livingston, too, didn’t he?” Hugh would have tried everything to save his sister’s engagement.
Her father waved one hand. “Once. I told him it was nothing significant and he let it go.”
“It was not insignificant,” she told him. “Lord Livingston’s son was engaged to marry Lady Edith.”
“I know.”
“Lord Livingston is holding a grudge against you.”
