Page 35 of A Marriage of Convenience with a Rake
“Well, you must call me Tessa, then. Or Aunt, if you would prefer.” Aunt Tessa beamed; her long, regal face suddenly warm as she smiled.
“Thank you,” Eleanor replied. “I shall.”
“Well, then,” Aunt Tessa said with another bright grin. “Let us sit down to tea. I am delighted to see you.”
“I’ll send for the tea,” Eleanor said, moving towards the bell. “Sebastian is regrettably busy,” she added, thinking that his aunt would probably miss him.
“I know, my dear,” Aunt Tessa answered instantly. “I wished to speak to him also. But firstly, I wished to speak to you without others listening.”
“Oh?” Eleanor felt her heart pounding. “Why is that?”
“Because, my dear, I feel there is a lot you need to know.”
“There is?” Eleanor whispered. She looked around nervously. “You must also wish to hear of your nephew,” she added. “Lord Ramsgate is recovering. He ate some gruel yesterday.”
“Good, good.” Aunt Tessa replied at once, though she did not, really, sound that interested. She was focusing on Eleanor in a way that made her tense as she reached for the teapot.
She looked at Aunt Tessa inquiringly.
“My dear,” Aunt Tessa began, responding to the inquiring expression. “Is aught troubling you?”
“Um, no,” Eleanor began. “No, Aunt.” She was surprised by how natural it felt to call Lady Waddingham “aunt”. “Actually, well...” she wet her lips nervously. “I was wondering about the,um, the fact you mentioned.”
“The curse, you mean?” Aunt Tessa asked, as calm as ever.
“Yes! Yes,” Eleanor replied, her voice shrill with nerves. Even mentioning it was a frightening idea. The thought of witches and witchcraft discomforted her—even though she had joked about it in her story with the children. Everyone who lived outside the city had heard of someone who had been cursed. She looked at Aunt Tessa, who seemed remarkably unbothered by the notion, as if she heard of such things every day.
“Yes, my dear,” Aunt Tessa replied seriously. “The curse. It is not just a story, though my nephew, dear Randall, does tend to act as though it’s a fairytale to frighten small children. And Sebastian will hear nothing of it.” She sighed.
Randall, Eleanor guessed, was the first name of Sebastian’s father. Aunt Tessa, despite her vitality, was actually the aunt of Sebastian’s father, making her Sebastian’s great aunt. All the same, she seemed remarkably close to the family and if she was serious about this story, Eleanor wished to hear.
“What is it?” Eleanor asked softly, voice trembling.
“It’s simple,” Aunt Tessa replied. “The lineage of my family is cursed not to proliferate. Which means, in short, that we are very lacking in heirs. As you might know, Randall was an only child, despite his mama becoming with child several times.”
“Oh. I’m sorry,” Eleanor murmured. She swallowed hard. That was a horrible tale.
“No need, my dear. It was horrid,” Aunt Tessa agreed. “It’s a most unfortunate curse. And it has been there for several generations.”
“Yes,” Eleanor breathed. Again, she was struck by Aunt Tessa’s blase comments. It was almost as if the woman knew something more.
She cleared her throat, about to inquire if Aunt Tessa had knowledge of who had laid the curse or where it had come from,but as she drew breath, the butler appeared.
“Tea, my lady,” he murmured.
“Oh! "Yes, of course,” Eleanor replied instantly. She had forgotten about the tea. She gestured to the table and the butler started to set out the pot and cups, but just as he did, a face appeared in the doorway and Eleanor’s heart soared.
“Aunt Tessa,” Sebastian greeted warmly. “I did not know you were visiting us. This is a surprise.”
“Bastien,” Aunt Tessa greeted him fondly. “So good to see you. How fares your papa?”
“Better,” Sebastian replied. “May I sit down with you ladies?”
“Of course!” Aunt Tessa replied at once. “Please, join us.”
Eleanor turned to the butler. “Please fetch an extra cup for his lordship? And an extra plate for cake.”
“I am not hungry,” Sebastian began, but his eyes darted to the loaf-cake as he came and settled down beside Eleanor at the table. Eleanor felt her heart race. His closeness always made her feel flustered, more so of late. She could not help noting how fine his chiseled features were, nor ignore the faint scent of leather and musk that hung in the air.
