Page 45 of An Earl Like You
Aside from a spoon dropped by Henrietta, the room fell silent. Lady Hastings looked astonished, Henrietta anxious, and Edith jumped up and went to the sideboard, turning her back to Eliza.
“I hope I’m not intruding,” Eliza added, trying and failing to keep the hesitation from her voice.
“Not at all, my dear. Of course you are welcome.” The dowager looked at the servant. “Geoffrey, prepare a plate for Lady Hastings.”
Eliza stifled the urge to say she would get her own plate. She took the empty seat next to her mother-in-law. “What lovely china,” she said when the footman brought her plate. “Thank you, Geoffrey.”
Silence settled over the room. Eliza tried to study her new family, hoping to find some way to win them over. She wasn’t sure why they were so restrained; she’d heard them laughing and talking with each other before she came in, and Hugh spoke of his sisters with easy affection. It could simply be the presence of a stranger in their house, at their table, but they didn’t seem that formal.
She thought she had the best chance with the dowager, who had been gracious and kind, if reserved, to her so far. The older woman was still lovely and dressed in the height of fashion. The silver streaks in her blond hair were only visible up close, and she was slim and dainty, the perfect lady. Henrietta, the younger sister, had Hugh’s dark eyes and hair, but Edith, fair and blue-eyed like her mother, was the beauty of the family.
“I wish to apologize for Willy,” she said. “I don’t want him to inconvenience anyone.”
The dowager smiled briefly. “How considerate of you. No one warned me, so he startled me.”
“He is a good dog,” Eliza quickly added. “He’s used to playing in the gardens at my father’s house, but he is also trained to behave indoors.”
Silverware clattered on china. Eliza looked up to see Edith staring at her, pale-faced. “You brought the dog?”
“Really?” chimed in Henrietta with a great deal more enthusiasm.
“Yes.” Eliza smiled at the girl, pleased to have elicited anything positive.
Edith shot a look of dismay at her mother before lowering her gaze to her plate. Henrietta’s delighted expression faltered, and she too looked away. Eliza didn’t know what to say, and so she sat and sipped her tea, cowed into silence.
After breakfast she took Willy for a long walk. It wasn’t the same as being in Greenwich, but Green Park was close by, and they took a meandering path through it. Eliza realized she would be able to walk regularly with Georgiana now, and her heart felt lighter until she returned to the house.
Just walking into it lowered her spirits. The house faced the open square, in view of trees and grass and sun, but it seemed perpetually in shadow. The front rooms were dark and drab. Eliza reminded herself not to be spoiled as she handed over her cloak and took Willy into the morning room. She would invite Georgiana to call, as soon as possible. Seeing a friend would help immeasurably.
She wrote the note and went to have it sent. The house was very quiet. “Where is Lady Hastings?” she asked the butler.
“She has gone out with Lady Edith, ma’am,” Wilkins replied.
“I see.” At a loss, Eliza drifted back to the morning room. Willy looked up and woofed at her. Eliza sank to the floor and the dog crawled into her lap, resting his head on her arm. She smiled and scratched his ears. “Good boy,” she told him. “What would I do without you?”
A tap on the door made her look up. Henrietta peered around it. “Is this your dog?”
Eliza scrambled up from the floor. “Yes! Come in, he’s very friendly. Willy, sit,” she told the dog firmly.
Tail wagging, Willy sat at her feet. Henrietta came in, a nervous smile on her face. “What should I do?”
“Just hold out your hand and let him sniff it.” Eliza held her breath as her sister-in-law came closer, her gaze fixed on Willy. Tentatively Henrietta put out her hand, and Willy, thank the blessed Lord, stayed quietly on the floor. He sniffed Henrietta’s offered hand and licked her fingers, then sat back and looked at her hopefully.
“He’s very gentle,” said Henrietta in astonished delight.
“You’re doing precisely the right thing.” Eliza beamed in relief. “Would you like to pet him?”
“Oh—yes.”
“Willy, down,” ordered Eliza. The dog dropped onto his belly, but his dark eyes stayed on Henrietta. “Go ahead,” she encouraged.
Henrietta sank onto the sofa and patted the dog’s head, then stroked her fingers into the ruff of fur around his neck. “He’s very soft.”
“He particularly likes it when you scratch behind his left ear.”
The girl did so, a surprised smile spreading over her face as Willy rolled over and gave a gusty sigh of obvious pleasure.
“Do you like dogs?” Eliza ventured. She took the chair next to the sofa.
