“It was a lovely lunch. The food was delicious, and the queen was kind enough to allow me to clean up. I was even fitted for a new suit.” He leaped to his feet and turned this way and that, showing it off. “Don’t you think it’s nice? The royal tailor made it for me.”
“Oh yes, yes. The material is exquisite, and it’s obvious the tailor is quite skilled. He was smart enough to show off your perfect shoulders. What we need to know about is the prince. What was he like? Did you speak together for a long time? Do you think there’s a chance that he might call on you?”
“No, absolutely not,” Hugo answered like a shot. He needed to nip this line of thinking off as soon as possible. “I don’t believe we had anything in common. We didn’t talk much at all. I think he was rather tired and had no desire to dine with me.”
“Oh, that’s nonsense. You’re always so charming.”
“No, Mother. He didn’t want to be there. The queen commanded it, and so it happened. Prince Everand had no desire to spend a single second with me.”
“That’s only because he doesn’t know you.”
“And after meeting me, he still had no interest in knowing me.”
“But—”
“It’s fine,” Hugo pressed.
“No, it’s not. He just needs another chance to get to know you. He will love you.”
“Does it matter that I could never love him?”
Jessamine blinked at her son. It was as if he’d slipped into a foreign tongue. “What do you mean?”
“He was…a bit of a boor. Rather uncouth and ill-mannered,” Hugo admitted quietly. There had been a hint of playfulness that had sparked Hugo’s interest for an instant, but it had been squashed far too quickly. Hugo wasn’t such a prig that he couldn’t appreciate a relaxed demeanor. Yet, not on their first meeting. There was simply an expectation of some politeness in the beginning as two people got to know each other. At least an air of respect for each other. But Prince Everand had given him none of that. How could he ever care for someone who didn’t respect him?
“Oh, that.” She chuckled and picked up her teacup, taking a sip. “That’s nothing, Hugo. You can’t be so picky when searching for a husband. No one is going to be perfect. Such a small thing like that? You can fix him over time.”
Hugo was skeptical and glanced at Dorian, who had a matching expression on his face.
“The important thing to remember is that if you were to marry the prince, we would have no trouble at all finding proper matches for your brothers. The entire family would be safe,and we’d have nothing to worry about,” Jessamine continued, oblivious to Hugo’s concerns.
Of course, “proper matches” translated into “rich families.” His mother’s concerns were for safety and comfort. Things like happiness and love were for people who weren’t worried about not having enough money for food and coal to get them through the next winter.
“I appreciate that, Mother, but I don’t think that Prince Everand and I will ever be a good match,” Hugo said, trying to cushion the rejection for her.
“We need to find a situation where you can meet. Then you can dazzle him with your wit and charm. He will undoubtedly fall in love with you. I know it.”
“Mother, we will never meet again. The same way we willnottravel in the same circles as Lady Hawthorne and the others at the Winthrop Spring Gala.” Hugo rose and pressed a kiss to his mother’s cheek. “I will find a good match and take care of our family, I promise. You must trust me.”
She reached up and patted his cheek. “And I’m your mother. Marriages are my specialty. I will find a good match for you.”
“Withouttelling more lies?”
She gave him a long, caustic look before finally sighing. “Yes, without telling more lies,” she repeated, though it was far less convincing than when she’d promised the first time.
Hugo forced a smile. May the gods have pity on him. He couldn’t possibly get married fast enough to end this torture.
Eight
“Hugo, please stop,” Dorian called as Hugo shifted the positioning of the ladder against the side of the house. “You don’t have lunch with the bloody prince and then climb onto the roof. It’s…it’s just not done.”
Hugo glanced at his brother and frowned. “It wouldn’t matter if I had dinner with the king and queen—the roof still needs to be fixed.”
“Yes, but your mind isn’t focused on fixing things. Your mind is on other things, which it shouldn’t be if you’re going to be on a roof.” Dorian marched over and pulled the hammer from Hugo’s fist. “We didn’t get you back from near death only to have you fall and break your neck.”
“I’m not going to break my neck.”
Dorian pointed the hammer at him. “The sun is setting, and there isn’t a cloud in the sky. It won’t rain. You can get onto the roof tomorrow. I’ll even help you.”
