She allowed a sound of disbelief.“I watched him while we were riding the camels.I saw how he looked at her during dinner.It’s as if he cannot abide being in the same room with her.”
Harry seemed to think about her examples for a moment before he shook his head.“First of all, it was quite obvious he was jealous of our guide’s regard for Helen,” he claimed.“And Salman knew it, I think.He was practically goading Thomas to do something.”
“That’s what you thought?”Stella asked in surprise.
Harry nodded.“He’s also rather jealous of Bradley, although I haven’t quite sorted why, other than he desires her attentions for himself.”
Staring at her husband as if he had grown horns, Stella gave his words a good deal of thought before she settled her head back into the pillow.“She does spend a good deal of time with Bradley,” she murmured.“She’ll be a most excellent sister when he’s older, I think.That is, if she’s still living with us.”
Harry grunted.“She’s behaves as if she’s hismother,” he commented.
Inhaling sharply, Stella stared at him.“Are you saying she is a better mother to him than I?”
He shook his head.“Not at all,” he quickly countered.“Only that if someone saw them together and didn’t know any better, they might assume she was his mother.”
Stella gave his words some thought before she suddenly gasped.“Do you suppose Thomas?—?”
“Yes,” he interrupted.“But you’re not going to say anything to him,” he added before she had a chance to finish her query.
She scoffed softly.“Why ever not?”
Harry chuckled.“I might be wrong,” he replied.“But if I’m not, I think I will enjoy watching the young man decide whether or not he has true feelings for our daughter.”
“Harry,” she gently scolded.
“Let him squirm a bit,” he said, ignoring her rebuke.“We’ll be on the same boat together going up the Nile.There will be plenty of time for him to show himself.”
Stella remained quiet for several seconds before she said, “What if he doesn’t?Have any feelings for her, I mean?”
Harry lifted a shoulder in the pillow.“Someone else will, my sweet.She’s a duke’s granddaughter.An earl’s daughter,” he went on, as if lineage alone would be enough to secure a match.
Maybe lineage would have been enough back when he and Stella had met and married.He knew of many marriages of convenience.He also knew the partnerships didn’t always lead to a loving relationship.He supposed that’s why men hired mistresses and wives were allowed their own lovers once the heir and spare had been born.
Marriages of late seemed far different.As if this generation of young people had decided love matches were more important than politics or business or personal fortunes.
“Mydaughter,” he whispered suddenly.“She’s worthy of the very best match, dammit.”
Rather relieved he seemed to have more confidence in the matter of Helen’s desirability than she did, Stella settled her head back into the small of his shoulder and had just closed her eyes when she remembered they were supposed to be departing theriad.
“We have to dress, darling,” she said, rising from the bed.“We’ll be leaving at any moment.”She turned to discover Harry snoring softly.
Sighing, she pulled on her skirts and was glad when Harry awoke on his own and resumed what they had been doing before carnal thoughts had interrupted their preparations.
Remembering his comments about the younger Forster boy, she couldn’t help but grin.
Perhaps there was a young man who would fall in love with Helen.
Perhaps he already had.
