She’d wanted to look back. She’d wanted to steal one last glance at him and memorize his stance—that singular way he held himself when he stood, hands behind his back, legs slightly apart. Lucy knew that hundreds of men stood the same way, but on him it was different. He could be facing the other direction, yards and yards away, and she would know it was he.
He walked differently, too, a little bit loose and easygoing, as if a small part of his heart was still seven years old. It was in the shoulders, the hips maybe—the sort of thing almost no one would notice, but Lucy had always paid attention to details.
But she hadn’t looked back. It would have only made it worse. He probably wasn’t watching her, but if he were . . . and he saw her turn around . . .
It would have been devastating. She wasn’t sure why, but it would. She didn’t want him to see her face. She had managed to remain composed through their conversation, but once she turned away, she had felt herself change. Her lips had parted, and she’d sucked in a huge breath, and it was as if she had hollowed herself out.
It was awful. And she didn’t want him to see it.
Besides, he wasn’t interested. He had all but fallen over himself to apologize for the kiss. She knew it was what he had to do; society dictated it (or if not that, then a quick trip to the altar). But it hurt all the same. She’d wanted to think he’d felt at least a tiny fraction of what she had. Not that anything could come of it, but it would have made her feel better.
Or maybe worse.
And in the end, it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter what her heart did or didn’t know, because she couldn’t do anything with it. What was the point of feelings if one couldn’t use them toward a tangible end? She had to be practical. It was what she was. It was her only constant in a world that was spinning far too quickly for her comfort.
But still—here in London—she wanted to see him. It was silly and it was foolish and it was most certainly unadvisable, but she wanted it all the same. She didn’t even have to speak with him. In fact she probably shouldn’t speak with him. But a glimpse . . .
A glimpse wouldn’t hurt anyone.
But when she had asked Uncle Robert if she might attend a party, he had refused, stating that there was little point in wasting time or money on the season when she was already in possession of the desired outcome—a proposal of marriage.
Furthermore, he informed her, Lord Davenport wished for Lucy to be introduced to society as Lady Haselby, not as Lady Lucinda Abernathy. Lucy wasn’t sure why this was important, especially as quite a few members of society already knew her as Lady Lucinda Abernathy, both from school and the “polishing” she and Hermione had undergone that spring. But Uncle Robert had indicated (in his inimitable manner, that is to say, without a word) that the interview was over, and he had already returned his attention to the papers on his desk.
For a brief moment, Lucy had remained in place. If she said his name, he might look up. Or he might not. But if he did, his patience would be thin, and she would feel like an annoyance, and she wouldn’t receive any answers to her questions, anyway.
So she just nodded and left the room. Although heaven only knew why she had bothered to nod. Uncle Robert never looked back up once he dismissed her.
And now here she was, at the supper she herself had requested, and she was wishing—fervently—that she had never opened her mouth. Haselby was fine, perfectly pleasant even. But his father . . .
Lucy prayed that she would not be living at the Davenport residence. Please please let Haselby have his own home.
In Wales. Or maybe France.
Lord Davenport had, after complaining about the weather, the House of Commons, and the opera (which he found, respectively, rainy, full of ill-bred idiots, and by God not even in English!) then turned his critical eye on her.
It had taken all of Lucy’s fortitude not to back up as he descended upon her. He looked rather like an overweight fish, with bulbous eyes and thick, fleshy lips. Truly, Lucy would not have been surprised if he had torn off his shirt to reveal gills and scales.
And then . . . eeeeuhh . . . she shuddered just to remember it. He stepped close, so close that his hot, stale breath puffed around her face.
She stood rigidly, with the perfect posture that had been drilled into her since birth.
He told her to show her teeth.
It had been humiliating.
Lord Davenport had inspected her like a broodmare, even going so far as to place his hands on her hips to measure them for potential childbirth! Lucy had gasped and glanced frantically at her uncle for help, but he was stone-faced and staring resolutely at a spot that was not her face.
And now that they had sat to eat . . . good heavens! Lord Davenport was interrogating her. He had asked every conceivable question about her health, covering areas she was quite certain were not suitable for mixed company, and then, just when she thought the worst of it was over—
“Can you do your tables?”
Lucy blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
“Your tables,” he said impatiently. “Sixes, sevens.”
For a moment Lucy could not speak. He wanted her to do maths?
“Well?” he demanded.
“Of course,” she stammered. She looked again to her uncle, but he was maintaining his expression of determined disinterest.
“Show me.” Davenport’s mouth settled into a firm line in his jowly cheeks. “Sevens will do.”
“I . . . ah . . .” Utterly desperate, she even tried to catch Aunt Harriet’s eye, but she was completely oblivious to the proceedings and in fact had not uttered a word since the evening had begun.
“Father,” Haselby interrupted, “surely you—”
“It’s all about breeding,” Lord Davenport said curtly. “The future of the family lies in her womb. We have a right to know what we’re getting.”
Lucy’s lips parted in shock. Then she realized she’d moved a hand to her abdomen. Hastily she allowed it to drop. Her eyes shot back and forth between father and son, not sure whether she was supposed to speak.
“The last thing you want is a woman who thinks too much,” Lord Davenport was saying, “but she ought to be able to do something as basic as multiplication. Good God, son, think of the ramifications.”
Lucy looked to Haselby. He looked back. Apologetically.
She swallowed and shut her eyes for a fortifying moment. When she opened them, Lord Davenport was staring straight at her, and his lips were parting, and she realized he was going to speak again, which she positively could not bear, and—
“Seven, fourteen, twenty-one,” she blurted out, cutting him off as best she could. “Twenty-eight, thirty-five, forty-two . . .”
She wondered what he would do if she botched it. Would he call off the marriage?
“. . . forty-nine, fifty-six . . .”
It was tempting. So tempting.
“. . . sixty-three, seventy, seventy-seven . . .”
She looked at her uncle. He was eating. He wasn’t even looking at her.
“. . . eighty-two, eighty-nine . . .”
“Eh, that’s enough,” Lord Davenport announced, coming in right atop the eighty-two.
The giddy feeling in her chest quickly drained away. She’d rebelled—possibly for the first time in her entire life—and no one had noticed. She’d waited too long.
She wondered what else she should have done already.
“Well done,” Haselby said, with an encouraging smile.
Lucy managed a little smile in return. He really wasn’t bad. In fact, if not for Gregory, she would have thought him a rather fine choice. Haselby’s hair was perhaps a little thin, and actually he was a little thin as well, but that wasn’t really anything to complain about. Especially as his personality—surely the most important aspect of any man—was perfectly agreeable. They had managed a short conversation before supper while his father and her uncle were discussing politics, and he had been quite charming. He’d even made a dry, sideways sort of joke about his father, accompanied by a roll of the eyes that had made Lucy chuckle.
Truly, she shouldn’t complain.
And she didn’t. She wouldn’t. She just wished for something else.
“I trust you acquitted yourself acceptably at Miss Moss’s?” Lord Davenport asked, his eyes narrowed just enough to make his query not precisely friendly.
“Yes, of course,” Lucy replied, blinking with surprise. She’d thought the conversation had veered away from her.
“Excellent institution,” Davenport said, chewing on a piece of roasted lamb. “They know what a girl should and should not know. Winslow’s daughter went there. Fordham’s, too.”
“Yes,” Lucy murmured, since a reply seemed to be expected. “They are both very sweet girls,” she lied. Sybilla Winslow was a nasty little tyrant who thought it good fun to pinch the upper arms of the younger students.
But for the first time that evening, Lord Davenport appeared to be pleased with her. “You know them well, then?” he asked.
“Er, somewhat,” Lucy hedged. “Lady Joanna was a bit older, but it’s not a large school. One can’t really not know the other students.”
“Good.” Lord Davenport nodded approvingly, his jowls quivering with the movement.
Lucy tried not to look.
“These are the people you will need to know,” he went on. “Connections that you must cultivate.”
Lucy nodded dutifully, all the while making a mental list of all the places she would rather be. Paris, Venice, Greece, although weren’t they at war? No matter. She would still rather be in Greece.
“. . . responsibility to the name . . . certain standards of behavior . . .”
Was it very hot in the Orient? She’d always admired Chinese vases.
“. . . will not tolerate any deviation from . . .”
What was the name of that dreadful section of town? St. Giles? Yes, she’d rather be there as well.
“. . . obligations. Obligations!”
This last was accompanied by a fist on the table, causing the silver to rattle and Lucy to jerk in her seat. Even Aunt Harriet looked up from her food.
Lucy snapped to attention, and because all eyes were on her, she said, “Yes?”
Lord Davenport leaned in, almost menacingly. “Someday you will be Lady Davenport. You will have obligations. Many obligations.”
Lucy managed to stretch her lips just enough to count as a response. Dear God, when would this evening end?
Lord Davenport leaned in, and even though the table was wide and laden with food, Lucy instinctively backed away. “You cannot take lightly your responsibilities,” he continued, his voice rising scarily in volume. “Do you understand me, gel?”
Lucy wondered what would happen if she clasped her hands to her head and shouted it out.
God in heaven, put an end to this torture!!!
Yes, she thought, almost analytically, that might very well put him off. Maybe he would judge her unsound of mind and—
“Of course, Lord Davenport,” she heard herself say.
She was a coward. A miserable coward.
And then, as if he were some sort of wind-up toy that someone had twisted off, Lord Davenport sat back in his seat, perfectly composed. “I am glad to hear of it,” he said dabbing at the corner of his mouth with his serviette. “I am reassured to see that they still teach deference and respect at Miss Moss’s. I do not regret my choice in having sent you there.”
Lucy’s fork halted halfway to her mouth. “I did not realize you had made the arrangements.”
“I had to do something,” he grunted, looking at her as if she were of feeble mind. “You haven’t a mother to make sure you are properly schooled for your role in life. There are things you will need to know to be a countess. Skills you must possess.”
“Of course,” she said deferentially, having decided that a show of absolute meekness and obedience would be the quickest way to put an end to the torture. “Er, and thank you.”
“For what?” Haselby asked.
Lucy turned to her fiancé. He appeared to be genuinely curious.
“Why, for having me sent to Miss Moss’s,” she explained, carefully directing her answer at Haselby. Maybe if she didn’t look at Lord Davenport, he would forget she was there.
“Did you enjoy it, then?” Haselby asked.
“Yes, very much,” she replied, somewhat surprised at how very nice it felt to be asked a polite question. “It was lovely. I was extremely happy there.”
Haselby opened his mouth to reply, but to Lucy’s horror, the voice that emerged was that of his father.
“It’s not about what makes one happy!” came Lord Davenport’s blustery roar.
Lucy could not take her eyes off the sight of Haselby’s still-open mouth. Really, she thought, in a strange moment of absolute calm, that had been almost frightening.
Haselby shut his mouth and turned to his father with a tight smile. “What is about, then?” he inquired, and Lucy could not help but be impressed at the absolute lack of displeasure in his voice.