“I'm grateful to you. At his age, my father should not be working anymore, but you and I both know he will never quit.”
“Did you persuade him to join us for dinner?”
Oliver smiled.”I tried. He said he will take his meals at the cottage, as always. I think he prefers it that way. It's how things have always been.”
“It seems silly”, Theo said, “for him to dine alone, when he is practically family to me.”
“In his eyes, you are still the master here, and he, your servant. He would feel uncomfortable being placed above the other servants.”
“Even while his son dines at my table.”
Beaujean sat up, suddenly energetic. “Speaking of dinner, it is almost time to eat isn't it?”
“I suppose it is”, Theo answered, glancing at the clock on the mantelpiece. “We had better dress. Mrs Acker will be put out if the dinner she’s prepared gets cold while we dally.”
“It is never a good idea to upset one’s cook- who knows what they might do to your food in retaliation!” Beaujean ribbed.
“If we are late to dinner, it will be Beaujean’s fault. Beau, you need not take a full hour to dress for dinner each day, you know. It is only us!” Oliver teased.
Beaujean put on a shocked expression in mock seriousness. “A dandy must always pay utmost attention to his appearance, regardless of his company. Dinner, and then down to The King Richard, again?” he asked.
Oliver laughed. “So this is who you are dressing for! Is this all you think about, Jean Beaujean? Seeing your new lady love?”
“Not much else to do in this place. Might help if we had some company.”
His comment reminded Theo of the carriage he saw earlier. He repeated what he heard from Mr. Hodge about the Hursts’ arrival.
To Oliver, he said, “Isn’t Reggie Hurst that fat-bottomed boy we used to make fun of?”
“I believe so. Although, we ought to be more kind in our choice of words, now that we are gentlemen, and not the little rascals who used to play tricks on him.”
“True, true. Although some of our tricks were downright hilarious. Do you recall the time we traded places and clothes, and had him convinced that you were me, and I was you?”
Oliver nodded. “As I remember it, we continued our charade for an entire day, making nearly half the village believe it.”
“Or perhaps they merely pretended to, knowing it would please us.” Theo chuckled. “We certainly had Hurst fooled, though.”
“I know Reginald Hurst,” Beaujean said. “I met him in Town a few years ago. He was courting one of the Bingley sisters at the time.”
“He must have married her, then. Mr. Hodge mentioned they brought their sister, Miss Bingley, with them.”
“Miss Caroline Bingley?” Beaujean made a face.
“You know her, then? Is she beautiful?” Theo asked, thinking of the redheaded beauty he had glimpsed.
“Beautiful, yes. But you will want to avoid that one. Social climbers, the Bingleys are. All of them. The brother is a right fellow, I suppose, but the sisters…” Beaujean shuddered. “I pity Hurst for having been snared by one of them. Anyways, I suppose they will do, for company, but I would take care not to do anything which might raise Miss Bingley’s hopes. You can bet she’ll be out for blood the moment she learns of your title and fortune, Connally.”
Oliver chortled. “Is she really as bad as all that? She must have some money of her own if she is able to move in such circles.”
“Twenty-thousand pounds, I believe.”
“I’m surprised you’re not after her then, Beaujean. Aren’t you in need of funds to support your lifestyle? I recall you complaining only the other day about how tight a hold your mother keeps on the purse-strings.” Theo’s eyes twinkled.
“I am already promised to my cousin, as you recall. I will take my chances that I can prolong my engagement until it becomes absolutely necessary to marry, rather than jilt her for Miss Bingley. If you’ve a mind for her, though, then by all means…”
“Oh, no! I would as soon remain a bachelor.” Theo laughed. With that, the men retired to change and the discussion was closed.
S
