“It’s a Smythe-Harding tradition.” Carenza smiled at him. “Ask Mr. Hoskins. He’ll know what to do, as he’s been there for at least forty years.”
“Mr. Hoskins has been fired without a reference.” The earl glanced nervously at his wife. “He was too inclined to think he knew better than his employers.”
“I found he usually did know what was best.” Carenza’s tone remained even, but Julian knew her well enough to see that she was angry at the new earl’s apparent callousness. “But I’m sure your new staff will cope perfectly well.”
The countess said, “We’re not taking on new staff, and we have no intention of hosting such a party. I despise hangers-on.”
“That’s a shame,” Aragon said. “I always enjoy a good Christmas gathering and Hector and Lady Carenza used to host a wonderful party.” He turned to his mother. “I know! We’ll have one here and invite everyone.”
“I hardly think—”
Julian spoke over his mother. “What an excellent idea.”
“Perhaps you might devote your attention to amusements at your own premises, Julian, and not make use of mine,” his mother snapped.
“Hang on, Mother. This is still Julian’s family home,” Aragon said. “And, as the head of the household, I’ll ensure he’ll always be welcome here.”
The look Julian’s mother gave him should have turned him to stone, but he ignored her and smiled at his brother.
“Thank you, Aragon,” Julian said.
Aragon nodded and turned to Carenza. “You’ll come, won’t you, Lady Carenza?”
“Of course I will.”
“Then that’s all I need to know.” He finished his glass of wine and sat back to allow the footman to remove his soup plate.
Briefly, Julian wondered how many courses were left and what else might go wrong. He turned to Allegra and asked, “What did you think of the Cartwrights?”
“I was most impressed,” Allegra said. “Miss Cartwright is a formidable woman.”
“She certainly is.”
“She mentioned her family are connected to the Devonshire Cartwrights,” Allegra said. “I have an acquaintance with the current earl of that branch. I’ll have to mention Miss Cartwright when I next write to him.”
“I doubt her family approve of the work she does,” Julian said.
“Then perhaps it would be better if I didn’t mention her at all,” Allegra replied.
“Who is this woman?” Aragon, who appeared to be enjoying his role as host rather too much, inquired. “A love interest at last, Julian?”
“Miss Cartwright and her brother run a charitable institution for orphaned boys,” Allegra explained. “Mr. Laurent is on the board of trustees. Carenza and I might be joining him.”
Lady Harriet sniffed. “Considering the state of the Smythe-Harding earldom, I am surprised the previous countess can afford to be charitable toward anything.” She pointedly didn’t look at Carenza. “Unless, of course, her settlement is the reason why the earldom was left in such financial disarray in the first place.”
“I fear you have been misinformed, ma’am,” Julian said. “I was one of the executors of Hector’s will, and I can assure you that he took far more from his wife’s finances than she ever got from him.”
“It might surprise you to know, Lady Harriet, that Carenza and I are well provided for by our father and have no need of anyone else’s money or their charity,” Allegra said. “In truth, without Hector spending all Carenza’s allowance, she is far better off than she was during her marriage.”
Lady Harriet looked at her husband. “As you feared, it is obvious that the previous countess and her family are willing to introduce the most inappropriate discussions about money to the dining table.”
“You started it,” Allegra said, “by inferring that my sister had somehow diddled the earldom out of a fortune, when the truth is that Hector almost bankruptedher.”
Lady Harriet turned to her hostess. “I can only apologize on behalf of my family, my lady, for the common nature of those who were once, unfortunately, linked to the Smythe-Harding name.”
Carenza set down her fork. “Will you excuse me for a moment, ma’am?” She left the dining room with her usual calm demeanor.
Julian waited until the conversation changed to something less fractious and slipped out of the room, murmuring that he needed to speak to the butler. He found Carenza in one of the parlors, her back turned, her shoulders shaking as she stared out of the window. He shut the door behind him.
