Chapter 32

Eleanor knew a good place for a private conversation—the little closet next to the music room where she and Jasper had shared their first kiss. She led him there, then closed the door behind them.

A trace of worry creased his brow. “Is everything all right? I hope I did not embarrass you by causing a sce—”

“You stood up for me.”

He tilted his head, as if struggling to parse why this had shaken her so profoundly. “Of course, I did.”

Eleanor shook her head. “There’s no of course about it. I’ve been wracking my brains for the last quarter of an hour, and I do believe that is the first time anyone has ever stood up for me, excepting my sisters. Usually, I am the one who has to stand up for everyone else.” She laughed, swiping her thumbs beneath her eyes. “It has rendered me a bit flabbergasted.”

He took her hands in his. “Do you know when I realized I wanted to marry you?”

“I’ve honestly no idea.”

He stroked his thumbs across the backs of her hands. “It was the night we went to the folly, when you offered to help me carry Benedick back to the house.”

“Oh,” Eleanor said, flushing at the memory. “You gave me a strange look. I felt certain I had appalled you with my unladylike offer.”

“Not at all.” A shaft of light broke through the clouds and fell on his face. His eyes looked bright. Hopeful. “I realized in that moment that no matter what the future brought, you would always help me, to the best of your ability. And I will always help you, Eleanor. I will always stand up for you. You’re not alone anymore.”

Then she was crying in earnest, but they were the happiest of tears. The weight she had carried alone for the past twenty years, of having to look after her sisters, no longer felt so heavy upon her shoulders.

Not only that, but instead of spending the rest of her life toiling in the household of her father, who had always taken her for granted, she would spend the rest of her life with Jasper. Strong, honorable Jasper, who she could happily talk to for hours on end, and who fiercely defended the people he loved.

Occasionally, a little too fiercely.

But she could help him with that.

“I love you,” she said, looping her arms around his neck. “I can’t believe I get to marry you. It feels too good to be true.”

“And I love you, Eleanor.” He put his hands on her hips, pulling her to him. “You were right when you told me I’d never met your ilk before. You are a peerless treasure, and I can honestly say, ‘I would not wish any companion in the world but you.’”

“The Tempest,” Eleanor observed. “A beautiful, and fitting, quote. But I must confess, the passage that springs into my mind is from Romeo and Juliet.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

Eleanor leaned in close to murmur in his ear, “‘O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?’”

Jasper chuckled. “Never, my darling Eleanor.”

He lowered his lips to hers. Eleanor was just twining her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck when she heard it.

“Scoot over!” a soft voice hissed from the other side of the door. “I can’t hear what’s going on.”

“You can’t hear what’s going on because they’ve gone silent.” The speaker was recognizable as Clarissa.

“You don’t think they’re… satisfying each other. Do you?” Kate asked.

“What would that even entail?” Pippa asked, all curiosity.

Eleanor groaned, burying her face in Jasper’s chest, which was shaking with laughter. Motioning for him to be quiet, she slipped from his arms and crept over to the door, behind which the conversation continued unabated.

“Eleanor wouldn’t do that!” Pippa insisted, apparently having received an answer to her question. After a pregnant pause, she added, “Would she?”

“I wouldn’t have thought so,” Kate whispered. “But His Grace… I mean, Jasper… said something about a midnight rendezvous at the fol—”

Eleanor yanked the door open before Kate could finish her sentence. Surely enough, there were all three of her sisters. Kate and Clarissa jerked back guiltily. Pippa, on the other hand, lost her balance and would’ve fallen on her face had Eleanor not caught her.

“Greetings, sisters,” Eleanor said dryly. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Pippa waved her hands. “We were just, uh…”

“Eavesdropping?” Eleanor suggested.

“Precisely!” Clarissa said without an ounce of remorse.

Jasper had come up behind Eleanor and placed his hands on her shoulders. She glanced up at him. “Are you sure you want these three living under your roof?”

“These two,” Clarissa said swiftly. At Eleanor’s quizzical look, she ducked her chin. “I still mean to take the position. As companion to Lady Francesca’s great-aunt.”

Eleanor studied her sister. “There’s no need for you to do that now.”

Clarissa’s eyes took on a familiar mulish quality. “I know.”

“And being a companion isn’t necessarily an easy task. It may not be physically demanding, but if your employer is difficult, putting up with their antics can be exhausting in its own way.”

“Frankly, I’m not sure that you’re well-suited for it, Claire,” Kate muttered.

“I know that,” Clarissa said. “But I have reason to believe that this particular situation will suit me splendidly. And I want to do it. I really do.”

Eleanor studied her sister. She could tell Clarissa wanted to take this position as a companion—or at least, that she thought she did. Eleanor couldn’t fathom why.

But she knew herself well enough to understand that she had her own set of reasons for resisting the plan. For so many years, she had watched after her sisters, shepherding them along.

But they were grown now. Clarissa was five and twenty—firmly on the shelf, by most people’s reckoning. Of course, she wanted a life of her own, and to make her own choices.

And really, once they arrived in London and received a proper wardrobe, what were the odds that her three beautiful sisters would not have a dozen suitors begging for their hands?

Things were about to change. For the better, to be sure, but change was difficult, nonetheless. The Weatherby Wallflowers would be parted, and it would happen sooner than Eleanor wished.

She squeezed Clarissa’s hand. “We’ll talk some more, and you can explain why this is important to you.”

Clarissa nodded, eyes bright. “Thank you, Eleanor.”

Behind her, Jasper’s stomach gave a great growl. He cleared his throat. “Shall we return to the breakfast room? I don’t believe you ladies had the chance to finish your meals, either.”

As they crossed the music room, Pippa said, “So. Jasper. Last night, Eleanor mentioned your regret at having fallen for the Robertsons’ scheme, and not questioning it more closely.”

“She told you right,” Jasper said. “I am terribly sorry.”

Pippa waved this off with a smile. “I’ve thought of how you can make it up to me.”

Jasper arched an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Pippa nodded. “You see, for the first time in my life, I find myself without a single cat. I am catless, you might say!”

“Shall I arrange to have your three cats brought from Boroughbridge to the ducal estate?” Jasper offered.

“That is very kind of you. But a move can be very disruptive to cats, especially older cats who have lived all their lives in one home. I have just had a letter from Jane, the eldest daughter of the new family occupying our house. Ollie, Crumpet, and Pepper are doing very well. As much as I will miss them, I think it is best that I leave them there.”

Pippa’s eyes cut to Jasper, her expression sly. “But I cannot help but observe that Lady Milthorpe has four very fine kittens, kittens who are not firmly established in a home, and which I feel confident she will not want to deal with once the house party concludes.”

The corner of Jasper’s mouth twitched. “You are suggesting that we adopt them.”

Pippa smiled brightly. “Precisely!”

Jasper tipped his head down toward hers. “I think it a splendid plan. After all, Beatrice and Benedick would never forgive me if I left those kittens behind.”

Pippa squealed with delight, then hooked one arm through Kate’s and the other through Clarissa’s. The three sisters hurried ahead to the breakfast room.

As they passed a bay window overlooking the gardens, Eleanor spotted something that made her pause.

“What is it?” Jasper asked.

She found she could not speak as she watched the delicate yellow butterfly fluttering in the window frame.

“Eleanor?” Jasper asked, concern tinging his voice.

Eleanor watched the butterfly dance in the crisp fall breeze, then wheel off, fluttering toward the sunny gardens. A feeling of profound peace washed over her.

“Eleanor?” Jasper’s voice came to her as if from far away. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong,” she said, finally finding her tongue. She looked up at him and smiled. “Everything is going to be all right.”

Jasper sighed, doubtlessly thinking of Felix. “I hope you’re right.”

She tugged him forward toward the breakfast room. “Don’t worry. I always am.”

As usual, she was.