“I will leave it to you to brace Nunn on his failings,” Hecate said. “If you’d like to look over the menus and suggest alterations, I will relay them to Cook.”
“While you expect me to content myself in a room under the eaves. Good God, Hecate, it’s only to be expected that no man would have you for a wife.”
Many men would have had Hecate for a wife, provided they’d had her fortune to waste on their idle pleasures. As a footman came by to light the nearest torch, Hecate realized she’d never once worried that Phillip would try to touch her money.
And she was very much looking forward to the next time he touched her.
“I have subjected myself to this farce of a gathering for one reason,” Papa said. “Nunn has received word that your cousin Johnny is on his way back from Canada. Johnny will in all likelihood begin his visit here at the family seat, greeting the earl before he makes the usual round in Town and at Horse Guards. You will welcome your cousin with open arms.”
Cousin Johnny was returning from Canada.
Hecate mentally rummaged around for a reaction, and all she came up with was: The best rooms are taken, but Phillip will happily give up his quarters and sleep in the summer cottage if I ask it of him. Then Papa will pout about Johnny getting a better apartment than I can offer Papa. Perhaps Phillip and Mr. DeWitt won’t mind removing to the summer cottage together.
“I will be very pleased to see Cousin Johnny,” Hecate said. “He’s doubtless bringing all manner of tales home with him from Canada, and we’ve all missed him.”
Hecate had stopped missing Johnny within a year of his departure. She’d been too busy fending off the family’s attempts to pillage her fortune, and by then, she’d realized not to expect any letters from the gallant soldier.
Even Uncle Frank wrote to her occasionally, cheerful travelogues always postscripted by a request for money.
“Edna might be thinking of pairing Johnny with one of her girls,” Papa said. “I’ll not have it. He’d be a first cousin to either of them, and I do not approve of first cousins marrying.”
And Papa’s myriad disapprovals should carry the weight of royal decrees.
“I truly appreciate your warning me of Johnny’s possible arrival. That gives me an excuse to rearrange rooms and guests and to put you in more commodious quarters. Did Nunn give you any idea when Johnny might appear?”
“I gather, given the vagaries of ocean travel and the Canadian mail service, he might grace us with his presence any day. You will see to the practicalities with all possible haste, Hecate. I won’t have one of our own made to loiter in the parlor while the maids dust off the governess’s old bedroom.”
The nursery suite was actually spacious and comfortable, if one didn’t mind two screaming little boys thundering about.
“I will alert the staff first thing tomorrow, Papa. Was there anything else?”
“Which of Edna’s little harpies has set her cap for the courtesy lout? The sheep are fatter here in Hampshire. Did you know that, Hecate?”
“I believe Portia is making an effort in Lord Phillip’s direction, when she isn’t flirting with the Corviser brothers or trying to distract Mr. DeWitt from admiring Flavia’s charms.”
Papa shot his lacy cuffs. “DeWitt’s the good-looking devil with all the money?”
“He is wealthy and charming, and he’s here at Lord Phillip’s request.”
“A bear leader by any other name. I suppose Edna put together this gathering because her girls once again failed to inspire any proposals. Always a pity, when a young lady has no suitors.”
Years ago, Papa’s barb would have landed close to Hecate’s heart, or to her dignity. Now, she found it easier to ignore him—mostly.
“I put together this gathering at Edna’s request,” Hecate said. “In years past, Cousin Charles dealt very shabbily with the current Marquess of Tavistock’s new marchioness. Charles sought to mend fences by extending hospitality to Lord Phillip, who is heir presumptive to the marquessate.”
“And Lord Phillip could probably advise Charlie on the specifics of mending fences right down to the placement of the posts and rails. The aristocracy never ceases to appall. You will situate Johnny handsomely and do all in your power to make him welcome.”
“Of course.”
“Then I’m off to content myself with the meager fare on offer at yonder buffet. If you can get Edna’s girls matched up with DeWitt and Lord Lout, I might count myself amazed.”
He sauntered off, an aging roué in better trim than most of his ilk. Hecate sank onto the nearest bench and tried counting to ten in German. She made it to one hundred before she’d gained a measure of calm.
Papa was nothing if not predictable. After criticizing Hecate’s best efforts and setting monumental challenges before her—move the highest-ranking guest to the most humble accommodations, while finding another spacious apartment for Papa himself—he’d dangled the possibility of a moment’s approval: Get Edna’s daughters engaged to the two most impressive eligibles at the gathering, neither of whom would be caught dead offering advances to Portia or Flavia, and Papa might count himself amazed.
Not pleased or impressed, but amazed. Maybe.
Not for the first time, Hecate permitted herself a silent, traitorous thought: I am glad you are not my father. On the heels of that notion came the usual disclaimers. Papa had not had an easy life, by his standards, and he’d been bitterly disappointed in his marriage and in the financial arrangements resulting therefrom.
He was pathetic, viewed in a certain light, and Hecate struggled to respect him.
“I heard most of that,” Phillip said, emerging from the shadows at the bottom of the garden. “Speaking as one who appreciates thriving flocks, a mere lout dressed up as a lord, I will beat him to flinders if you allow it. We louts take exception to any who treat a lady ill, and that man… My dear, how do you stand him?”
The usual defenses were beyond Hecate. He’s not that bad. His bark is worse than his bite, which was a way of acknowledging that all of Papa’s blows were verbal rather than physical. Lord Nunn, Mrs. Roberts, Phillip, any number of people had weathered bitter disappointments in life and not turned to cruelty as their consolation.
Phillip settled on the bench beside her, his arm coming around her shoulders. Hecate leaned into his warmth and wished the whole blazing house party to perdition.
“Papa wants to be on hand to welcome Cousin Johnny home. He probably hopes Johnny has become wealthy in Canada—many do—and to ingratiate himself with our dear cousin if that’s the case. A gentleman doesn’t eavesdrop.”
“And thus I once again fail to make the ranks, because as your devoted admirer, I won’t leave you to do solo combat with a bitter, aging fribble. Have you ever met your real father?”
Hecate shook her head. “What if he’s worse than the one I have?”
“The imagination trembles to conceive of such a notion.”
Phillip rested his cheek against her temple, and though the conversation with Papa hadn’t been terrible, it had still left Hecate off-balance. She’d come right soon enough—she’d been on the receiving end of enough paternal criticism to know that—but still, that he’d insult Phillip…