CHAPTER7
There was an unwavering smile on Benedict’s face as he sat down to breakfast that morning, surprising his mother and sister. He had woken up with the memory of Augusta’s dreadful playing which had come to serenade him in his dreams.
He never thought he would be so pleased to have his ears bleed. Her face, flushed from embarrassment lingered in his mind’s eye, drawing a grin from his lips again.
“Ahem.” His mother cleared her throat and he raised his head to find that both she and Letitia were regarding him with similar expressions of scrutiny.
“Is… something the matter, brother?” his sister asked.
Benedict frowned for the first time that morning. “What do you mean?”
“Well, you’re awfully chipper. It’s not exactly usual,” Barbara added, taking a sip of tea.
His jaw dropped slightly. “I beg your pardon? You worry something might be wrong because I seem happy?”
Both Barbara and Letitia pressed their lips together and looked away instead of answering. Benedict was offended. They acted like he was a grouch.
“Whatisit that has you so happy, though?” Letitia probed.
His lips trembled as another smile fought to settle on them. Augusta’s glaring gaze as she fingered a tune from the depths of hell upon his eardrums returned to mind again.
When was the last time I had so much fun?
He’d started their little bet on a whim, since she just challenged him so, but only two days in and he was already enjoying himself more than he had in a long time.
She was quite the animated character… with a large range of facial expressions. She was also funny and very charming.
If she were not so against marriage for some reason, she might have made some lord quite the happy man.
He frowned at the thought.
Augusta had been tightlipped about her reasons, and that only made him more speculative. Could she have gotten her heart broken? It was hard to imagine a woman such as her in love and latching on to some gentleman’s arm though. He wanted to know her story.
“Hmm…” His mother’s voice drew him back to present and he realized, from her and Letitia’s narrowed eyes, that he hadn’t answered their questions, but had gotten lost in thought instead.
He finished off his tea and dabbed at his mouth with his napkin.
“Apologies, mother, sister. I am a tad distracted this morning,” he said as he stood up.
He thought about it for a moment, then decided to announce, “I am now courting a lady, by the way.”
It was almost comical how Barbara and Letitia’s eyes lit up the same way. They were on their feet immediately, clutching their hands to their chest.
“Really?”
“Truly, brother?”
“Well, who is it?”
“I have not seen you with many ladies of late.”
They began to talk over each other in their excitement and Benedict raised both hands to calm them.
“Oh, do be calm. It is the lady I danced with at the ball two nights ago. Do you two remember? Lady Augusta Curtis, the first daughter of the late Earl of Birdhall.”
Barbara and Letitia’s eyes lit up again as they recalled Augusta.
“Oh! The charming young lady who swooped in to save me from that rake!” Letitia clapped excitedly.
