They both followed the butler into the elegantly furnished drawing room and saw that they were the first ones there.
“The family will be down shortly,” the butler informed them before he departed from the room.
Her father’s eyes roamed over the drawing room with its blue-papered walls. “This place has not changed much since the last time I was here.”
“When was that?”
“We attended a soiree here once before your mother died,” her father replied, his eyes growing reflective. “I did have a whole other life before that fateful day.”
Not sure what she could say, she just murmured, “I’m sorry.”
“There is no reason to be sorry,” he replied. “It was a different time, and I am a much different man now because of it.”
Simone could hear the pain in his words but she knew that no truer words had ever been spoken. The day her mother died, her father had changed. And not for the better.
A silence hung heavily in the air but Simone wasn’t sure what she could say to help her father. He was hurting, but so was she. Losing her mother in such a dramatic fashion had taken a toll on her. She hadn’t even had a chance to say goodbye to her.
Lady Oxley entered the room with a bright smile on her face. “Lord Hungerton, it is so good to see you again,” she said in a pleasant voice.
Her father bowed. “Lady Oxley,” he greeted.
“It has been ages since we have last seen one another.” Lady Oxley turned her attention towards Simone, her eyes exuding warmth. “And this must be Miss Delacourt. You are most welcome here.”
Knowing what was expected of her, Simone dropped into a curtsy. “My lady,” she greeted.
Lady Oxley perused the length of her. “You look so much like your mother,” she said. “It is almost uncanny.”
“It is a blessing and a curse,” her father remarked, his voice curt.
“I can only imagine,” Lady Oxley remarked.
Her father glanced at the doorway. “Will Lord Oxley not be joining us this evening?”
“He will be here shortly,” Lady Oxley replied. “He is just finishing up his meeting with his man of business. It used to be that I couldn’t keep him away from the House of Lords, but now he devotes all his time and energy to our country estate.”
Caleb stepped into the room and his eyes landed on Simone. In his gaze, she saw something. An apology, perhaps?
He bowed. “Miss Delacourt, you are looking enchanting this evening.”
Simone dropped into a curtsy. “You are too kind, Mr. Bolingbroke.”
Caleb turned his attention towards her father. “Lord Hungerton,” he said. “Thank you for coming this evening.”
“It was our pleasure,” her father responded. His words were cordial enough but they seemed to lack sincerity.
Lady Oxley gestured towards the mantel and addressed her father. “Did you see the vase that we just acquired from China? I recall how you love antiquities.”
As Lady Oxley and her father conversed about the vase, Caleb approached Simone and said in a hushed voice, “I’m sorry about this.”
Matching his low tone, Simone asked, “Why did you invite us to dine with you?”
“I didn’t invite you. My mother did. She is under the impression that I am attempting to court you.”
“Why would she assume such a thing?”
“Because my sister saw us on our carriage ride,” Caleb explained. “My mother is relentless about me finding a wife.”
With a glance at her father, Simone asked, “What are we to do about this, then?”
