Six months ago, I would have missed it, hell, forty-nine days ago I would have missed it. Were I not so attuned to her in this moment, I never would have seen the tiny flinch she made before sliding her hand in the crook of my arm. It served as the slap to the face I needed. We may have flirted about my unkempt beard and jested about servants’ disapproval, but our situation was untenable, nothing was all right.
There was still work to be done.
Thirty-Three
THORNTON HALL, KENT - OCTOBER 15, 1814
KATE
The house was the same.Somehow, I had expected Agatha to return everything to the way it was before I existed. The only difference was the lingering scent of lilacs and death in the drawing room. It seemed that, after weeks away and a catastrophic shift in our marriage, the house should have reflected the turmoil.
My husband’s appearance certainly did. Hugh was a handsome man. Even when I disliked him, there was no denying that. But now, with several days of growth on his chin, and several weeks of it on the top of his head… He was devastating.
I had little more than half an hour to refresh myself before supper. I briefly wondered how long we would retain Mrs. Hudson, now that Anna was to wed her Augie. I suspected she would retire when her first grandchild made their appearance. Mrs. Hudson’s loss would be a devastating blow. I would need a new lady’s maid as well. Mary was the obvious choice, and she had proven a more than adequate substitute the few times Anna had been unable to attend me. Such things were worries for tomorrow.
Agatha had made herself scarce in the brief time I had been home. It was a welcome reprieve, and I could only pray she had another megrim. I was not ready to face her tonight. Days in a carriage had left me weary, and the nerves over my reception had made me tetchy.
Hugh seemed pleased to see me, eager even. I could not think I would have received such a welcome if he were unhappy to see me.
Mary made quick work of my coiffure and selected a lovely seafoam gown. “Mary, is there anything I missed when I was away?”
Mary had looser lips than Anna, so I would need to be more careful in my confidences, but it would serve me well tonight.
“Well, at first, the dowager was quite busy, making all sorts of demands. She wanted all your changes put back and was ready to fire Mrs. Tanner for refusing, but His Lordship put a stop to that right quick. Said we weren’t to change a single thing without your approval. Well, she was in such a state over it that she refused to give any sort of direction. I think that was supposed to be a punishment, but the house always runs better when she is away. His lordship took over the food orders and such, so I doubt you’ll find much out of place.”
“Hugh refused to let her change anything?”
“Oh yes, it was an entire ordeal at supper one night. Timothy saw the whole thing. His Lordship said it was your household to run as you see fit.”
“He missed you something fierce. Stevens was quite ready to turn in his notice when we got your letter this afternoon. He said that he refuses to have his good name associated with a gentleman running around so unkempt like His Lordship. But, between you and me, some of the maids and I were thinking you wouldn’t mind it so much. We certainly didn’t.” I couldn’t restrict a pointed cough at that—that was too much, even for my purposes. They may be right, but they ought not to be ogling my husband. “Sorry ma’am.”
“No, I asked. Perhaps you might discourage speculation on my opinions of various aspects of my husband’s person though?”
“Yes, ma’am.” She glances down, properly chastened.
Studying my coiffure, looking for wayward strands, she deemed it acceptable. Turning her attention toward the bouquet at the window, she grabbed a single jasmine blossom, and slipped it in my curls, pinning it in place. The effect was lovely.
* * *
My tentative optimismwas shattered when I stepped into the drawing room and was immediately beset by the overdrawn scent of lilacs.
Agatha.
Hugh was there too, clothing less rumpled but the beginnings of a beard and his scraggly locks were still present. Stevens may have been disappointed, but I was not. He startled to his feet at my appearance, his gray eyes flitted over my person, not steely but… warm? Interested perhaps?
I could not explain exactly the reason, but I felt as though he was looking, not for fault, but simply because it gave him pleasure. I enjoyed a single moment of revelry before Agatha interrupted with a pointed hoot-cough.
Reluctantly, I turned toward her, offering a nod of acknowledgement. I expected she would like some sort of appreciation for managing the estate in my absence. Fortunately, I was armed with the knowledge that the credit was not due to her.
She was still petite, pretty even, but I could swear her slightly hooked nose had gotten more birdlike in my absence. It was likely the combination of feathers in her hair and the perpetual squawks for attention that made it so in my mind. Why on earth was she wearing feathers for a family supper?
One of the servants directed us to the table—still sized for no more than six. I thought that would be one of the first things she would have changed. Agatha made her usual dash for her former place.
Certainly, she had adopted it for her own once more. With a resigned sigh, I moved toward the open seat, unwilling to take up the fight after so long a journey.
Hugh glanced across the table and stared at the sight. “Mother, Kate has returned. You are in her place.”
I imagined the expression of shock on Agatha’s face was mirrored on my own. She offered a slow blink but no comment before stepping away from the chair and forfeiting my rightful place to me. Hugh noticed where we were seated? Hugh cared where we were seated? And when did he start calling me Kate? I had always preferred it over Katherine. It was even more delightful in his voice, deeper for his warning.
