Chapter 7

7

F elicity typically welcomed surprises, but in this case, a little warning might have helped her composure.

“I don’t…” Her mouth flapped open and shut. “I don’t understand.”

Her mother was already setting down her teacup and motioning to her maid to gather her things.

She’d been in Felicity’s great uncle’s home for all of ten minutes, but she’d said what she’d come to say and apparently had no time to dally over an actual conversation.

Panic gripped Felicity by the throat. “But, I don’t understand. What do you mean?”

Her mother paused, her brows arching in surprise. “I thought I’d made myself clear. Your father has found a husband for you.”

“I—what?! But who?”

“Lord Bargedale.” Her mother huffed with impatience. “Really, Felicity, you must learn to listen better.”

Felicity’s mouth flapped again and she felt like a fish with her bulging eyes and gaping lips.

She had listened. She just hadn’t believed what she’d heard.

“But Lord Bargedale…”

Is ancient. And mean.

And old enough to be my grandfather.

And also…just plain mean!

Her mother didn’t pause to wait for Felicity to speak. And Felicity didn’t bother finishing. Her mother likely knew all these things, as did her father.

Pointing out his flaws would only make her mother annoyed and impatient. So Felicity drew in a deep breath and tried to think.

Be reasonable , that was what her mother always said.

Reasonable. She could do that. “Mother, we’d agreed that I’d have this Season to make a match?—”

“And how has that been going, hmm?” Her mother’s pinched lips held the answer.

Not good. Not good at all.

Her mother sighed, bustling about to leave as she spoke. “Do you think your father and I haven’t been paying attention? I have friends everywhere, dear, and what we’ve heard is most discouraging.”

“But—”

“All of your friends have found a match. Why, the eligible men of the ton are being snatched up quicker than a blink.” She tsked, not even looking at Felicity as she donned her wrap. “And what have you done? Sit in a corner? Surround yourself with wallflowers and outcasts as usual?”

Her mother headed to the door. “Your father thought it might help your stubborn willfulness if we gave you a say. I told him it was a silly plan from the start. Now look at you. All of your friends have done as they were told, and you are the last woman standing.”

“The Season is still well underway,” Felicity started.

She went unheard. “And now Lady Olivia has come to town. Do you really believe you can stand a chance when there’s competition like that around?”

“We’re not competition,” Felicity said. But she barely heard herself, her voice was so small.

This was a point on which they’d never agree. Her mother saw all the women of their acquaintance as either a tactical ally or the enemy. Felicity wasn’t sure her mother actually understood what a ‘friend’ truly was.

“No, you are not competition for her ,” her mother clarified. “You should be grateful your father found someone willing to take you on.”

“I—” Felicity couldn’t continue. How could she argue that? Was she really so difficult?

She frowned. Possibly.

“But Mother?—”

“No arguing. If you’d just done as you were told for once, you might have more say in the matter. But as usual, you were headstrong and willful?—”

“I wasn’t. I fully planned on…”

But her words trailed off as she watched her mother walk out the door without so much as a goodbye.

Later that evening, she was still quiet as she fussed with her dinner. She pushed the food around but could not bring herself to eat it.

“Is something the matter?” Uncle Edward’s tone was as short as ever.

A diplomat he would never be.

The thought made her smile despite her heavy heart. “Nothing important, Uncle.”

“Mmph.”

She went back to pushing her food around on the plate, biding her time until dinner was over and she could escape.

Fresh air, that was what she needed.

Fresh air and moonlight. And perhaps an adventure. Just a small one. She wouldn’t stray far from home.

Her brows knit. How far was Everson’s home?

The thought of Albright’s annoyance if he even knew she was even thinking about spying on Everson had another smile tugging at her lips.

He truly was the most amusing to annoy. He was easy to rile and yet he seemed amused as well. And all the more irritated because he was amused.

She finally took a bite of her food and chewed slowly. Yes, Albright was surprisingly fun to tease. Surprisingly fun…period.

She’d overlooked him at the start of the Season. She’d seen his easy smile and his calm demeanor and had mistaken him for…

Well, boring, she supposed. But while he was indeed calm, she couldn’t see him now without thinking of that Latin phrase her old tutor had made her memorize: altissima quaeque flumina minimo sono labi.

Or, the much easier to remember English translation— still waters run deep .

She was lost in thought as she chewed her next bite. And indeed, these thoughts were a most welcome distraction from the impending engagement that had kept her mind churning these last few hours.

A little later, however, her Uncle Edward broke the silence at the dinner table again. “Do you know what I’ve always liked about you, Felicity?”

Her head shot up in surprise. “What’s that, Uncle?”

“How self sufficient you are,” he said.

She blinked. On one hand, this much was clear. She suspected the only reason he’d allowed her parents to keep foisting her on him and his household every year to “better prepare her for society” was aided by the fact that she’d required little by way of paternal affection from the man.

He’d hired servants to look after her and had endured relentless questions over dinner now and again, but for the most part, he’d been able to give her some freedom and maintained his in turn.

It had worked out well for both of them.

She cleared her throat, trying to shake off this feeling of hurt at his words. It wasn’t as though she misunderstood their relationship, but she’d thought he’d started to think of her as…

Well, maybe a young friend if not a dear niece? After all, he said himself she was the only one of his acquaintance who could best him at chess. And just yesterday she’d made him laugh over breakfast. Didn’t that count for something?

She forced a smile. “I try my best to inconvenience you as little as possible, Uncle. I’m glad you approve.”

He stopped eating and gaped at her. Then he let out a guffaw and slapped his knee.

Felicity stared. Her stern uncle actually slapped his knee from amusement.

“Did I…Did I say something amusing?”

He swiped at his eyes. “Inconvenience me,” he murmured through laughter. “My dear, you are as inconvenient as it gets.” He arched his brows. “Do you know how many chaperones and governesses I’ve had to hire over the years? Not one of them could keep up with your mischief.”

Her cheeks burned. Ah. So…perhaps she hadn’t been succeeding as well as she’d thought. She wet her lips, trying to form an apology, but he continued on.

“No, no. What I meant was, I’ve always admired your independent spirit.” He paused with his knife in the air as if to make his point. “Even if it did have its downsides.”

She relaxed a little. “Thank you for putting up with all my mischief, Uncle. I likely don’t say that often enough.”

He used his knife to wave away her thanks. “It’s for the best. As I always tell your parents, you keep me young.”

Her eyes widened. Did he say that? Truly? No one had ever told her this.

“Besides…” He dug into his food again. “Your parents wouldn’t know what to do with you.” His gaze met hers and it sparkled with mirth. “It’s difficult when the child is more clever than the parents, you know. It’s a recipe for trouble.”

Her lips parted. He hadn’t just said…

Had he?!

His wink was so quick she nearly missed it. “Now. My point is, you’ve never been one to sit and sulk when you don’t get your way. You’re a doer. An action taker. You’re decisive and stubborn.”

“You say that like it’s a good thing.” Her mind had drifted back to Albright. To the heat in his eyes when he’d called her stubborn. The butterflies in her belly still fluttered whenever she thought of that moment. The sight of his cool, calm demeanor giving way to such…such…

Passion , she supposed. It seemed so unfamiliar coming from him. So out of place. And yet it had stirred something inside of her that was still unsettled, even now.

She looked down at her plate with a sigh.

Albright certainly didn’t seem to think her stubbornness was a good thing.

Her uncle, meanwhile, seemed to be mulling over her words.

“Good is a relative term,” he finally said.

Felicity blinked. “Pardon?”

He set down his utensil and when her uncle looked at her, she realized he was actually seeing her, unlike her mother who’d avoided looking at her or had stared straight through her.

“Your being here in my home, for example.” He lifted his wine glass. “That is good for me.”

Felicity pressed her lips together. She was not one to cry like a ninny even when she hurt herself. She certainly wouldn’t succumb now. But her chest ached at the kind sentiment.

Her uncle leaned back in his chair. “Your mother’s visit today?” He made a face as if he’d smelled something foul. Felicity smothered a giggle. “That was…not good for me. She interrupted my day and made my housekeeper cry.”

Felicity’s urge to laugh died, her eyes widened. “No.”

Not old, terrifying Mrs. Marks.

He nodded solemnly. “Yes.”

“I’m sorry?—”

“Do not apologize for others,” he snapped.

Felicity shut her mouth. She was used to his harsh tone, though, so the bark washed right over her.

“My point is that what I value is different than what your mother values.” He picked up his knife and stabbed his meat. “It is your task to figure out what it is that you value.”

Her lips parted, but she found herself speechless. It did not take a genius to realize he knew about her mother’s news.

But what did he expect her to do about it?

Be stubborn , a little voice whispered. Be brave.

But how?

She nibbled on her lower lip, food forgotten again as she turned over her uncle’s words. She didn’t know what she’d do.

But she’d do something. She’d do anything. Because she might not be certain what it was she valued, as her uncle put it. Nor even what she thought was good.

But she did know one thing. She desperately wanted the freedom to figure it out.