“Yes, Curtis. I am here as a caller today,” he said.
“A caller. I did not realize you had spoken to Nancy save for a brief conversation at the ball,” he said, oblivious to his environment.
Augusta rolled her eyes. Leave it to him to think it was Nancy Benedict was here for. She did not believe he had thought at any point that the caller might have been for her and not Nancy. Evan only saw what he wished to see. Although she could not fault him as she would have thought the same if she hadn’t agreed to the challenge.
“While Lady Nancy is quite lovely, I am here for Lady Augusta and not her,” he said, looking directly at her.” These are for you.”
He gently pushed the flowers into her hands and stood awkwardly as they all stared at him.
“Right, I cannot pretend to understand what is going on here, however, I welcome you into my home, dear friend,” Evan said, looking between Benedict and her.
Heat rushed up her face at the attention. It had not occurred to her that he truly would arrive. “Please, do have a seat.”
She gestured to the seat opposite her that had been occupied by one of Nancy’s callers only moments ago but now was empty. She fanned her face to stop the blush that had ridden all the way up to cheeks, thoroughly dismayed by it.
You cannot possibly be blushing as a result of the attention you are receiving from this.
She glared at him as he squinted. He was the perfect depiction of smug. Those lips turned up in the faintest of smiles, eyes that glimmered as they stared into her soul. She had not been blushing because of the attention he paid her after all. She had only been irritated by the smugness of the man in front of her.
Augusta calmed herself, satisfied with that explanation. The challenge had only just begun and she would not lose to him. There was no doubt in her mind that he would make certain that she never forgot about it. She doubted she ever could.
Evan walked off, returning moments later with his wife, Jane, who had only just returned from her morning walk around the gardens and had missed out on all the excitement.
Augusta observed her with dread and soon her worries were confirmed when instead of pity she appeared to be struggling to hold back her laughter. She sighed. Would there be any end to her torment?
“Your Grace, you are welcome to our home,” Jane said calmly. “Would you perhaps like some refreshments?”
She reached to ring for the butler but Benedict stopped her. “Please, do not trouble yourself on my account. I have just come here from breakfast with my family and do not believe I can have another bite to eat.”
Augusta watched him, completely shocked by how much lovelier he was now that he was speaking to her family. She glowered, only managing to stop herself from crossing her arms in front of her chest. Was she the only one he reserved his smug side for? Or would that change now that he was supposed to be courting her?
She shook the thoughts out of her head as her mind conjured up images of him speaking to her in softer tones and being more considerate of her feelings. Somehow, all that had seemed so wrong. She did not think he was quite capable of treating her that way.
“Perhaps Augusta would love to play the pianoforte for us,” Jane suggested.
Augusta stared back at her in shock. It was quite common knowledge in her family that she was terrible at playing the pianoforte. She had not been interested in such activities as she had no plans of putting them to use, however, now it seemed that her decisions had come to haunt her.
Jane took a sip of the tea she had rung for but not before Augusta saw her lips wobble as she struggled to contain her smile. She looked at Evan who could not be bothered to try for propriety’s sake, as he chuckled. Nancy giggled, staring apologetically at her.
Augusta panicked. She needed to find a way to extract herself from the situation. She turned to Benedict who was seeming to be her last hope. She glared at him, hoping he could see in her eyes that she did not wish to play the pianoforte.
She sighed when Benedict’s confused gaze turned into one of understanding. He would get her out of this situation.
“I had actually come to ask Lady Augusta for a promenade,” he began effortlessly. Augusta sighed with relief, glad that she did not have to embarrass herself as she had thought that she would. “However, I do believe that is an excellent idea. There is no way I can possibly say no to that.”
Augusta reared back, staring at him in shock. He had betrayed her just as quickly as the others. His eyes filled with mirth, as just like her brother, he struggled to contain his laughter.
“You fit right in with the members of my family. Perhaps they would like you in exchange for me,” she moaned, contemplating ways to get out of this situation.
She looked around the room at the men who appeared eager to hear her play. They had inched closer, all of them ending the topics they so passionately discussed as they gathered around.
Augusta’s eyes closed, her hands tightening into fists when she could come up with no solution to her problem. She pushed away from the chair, heading towards inevitable doom with Nancy’s giggles following her.
Reluctantly, she sat in front of the pianoforte and looked at it with dread. She tried to recall all of the lessons she had received in the past but they were distant blurs she could not take hold of. She had paid no mind to her pianoforte lesson, choosing instead to focus on other more important things.
Resigned, she placed her fingers on the pianoforte, hoping that it would not end as badly as she foresaw it happening. Sweat beaded her forehead as eyes pierced her from every direction. Unable to stall much longer, she moved her hands, the keys denting underneath the force she applied.
A sharp sound rend the air, the sound so jolting, the smiles on the faces of her sister’s callers turned into a frown. Save for her family, only one face remained smiling, the face of her single caller.
