After helping Mr. Hinckley up the carriage steps, then handing Ellie and Maggie up and shutting the door, Godfrey mounted George and joined Harry in ambling after the carriage as the coachman steered it down the street.
Mounted on a nice-looking roan, Jeffers was waiting outside the Queen’s Head. He fell in beside Harry, and as they continued riding along, Godfrey found himself grinning at Jeffers’s observations about things he’d seen on his recent foray, having gone as far west as the edge of the dales; the man had a distinctly dry sense of humor.
They reached the Hall in good time, and on being returned to his wheeled chair in his own front hall, Mr. Hinckley led the way into the drawing room.
At Mr. Hinckley’s wave and his recommendation to Jeffers not to stand on ceremony, they spread themselves in the available chairs. Godfrey sat alongside Ellie on the sofa, while Jeffers claimed the armchair on her other side, the one opposite Mr. Hinckley’s position. As Harry and Maggie sat in chairs facing the sofa, Kemp arrived bearing a tray hosting the sherry decanter and glasses.
Mr. Hinckley looked at Godfrey. “I hope the excursion hasn’t overtired you, sir.”
Godfrey smiled. “No, indeed. Rather, I found the fresh air invigorating.” In reply to Jeffers’s puzzled look, Godfrey explained, “I was caught out in the snowstorm and, subsequently, confined to bed for a week.”
“Ah, I see.” Jeffers grimaced. “Quite aside from the snow, the wind was quite vicious, even in York.”
Kemp had just finished distributing glasses of the fine Jerez sherry when the sound of an arrival reached them. A moment later, a footman opened the door to admit Masterton.
He walked in with his usual confident stride—which hitched and slowed when he saw Jeffers. After a second of staring at Jeffers, Masterton dragged his gaze to Mr. Hinckley. “Good day, Matthew.” Halting, Masterton nodded to Mr. Hinckley, then glanced again at Jeffers. “I didn’t know you would be entertaining company.” Recollecting himself, Masterton sent a faint smile Godfrey’s way. “Other than Cavanaugh, of course.”
Mr. Hinckley waved that aside. “You know you’re always welcome to join us, Michael. This is Mr. Jeffers from York—he’s visiting the area.”
Godfrey watched as Masterton and Jeffers exchanged nods, on Jeffers’s part with relaxed ease, while Masterton seemed a trifle stiff. Godfrey wasn’t sure whether Masterton had recognized Jeffers and disapproved of his presence, or whether Masterton was miffed simply over finding an outsider sitting down with the family he appeared to consider in some way his concern.
With what seemed his customary facility, Jeffers commented to Mr. Hinckley about the house, and the pair fell into an undemanding exchange.
Kemp approached and offered Masterton a glass of sherry. Masterton picked up the glass, surveyed the available seats, then moved to sit in the chair beside the sofa, beyond Godfrey.
Invited by his father to explain the house’s history to Jeffers, Harry complied. It was evident the younger Hinckley had made a study of the house’s past. From his perusal of the books Ellie had lent him, Godfrey recalled several colorful snippets, which he volunteered as embellishments to Harry’s accounting.
Allowing Harry to reclaim center stage, Godfrey sat back, amused. After a moment, he glanced at Masterton and found the man watching Jeffers, who was leaning back in his chair, to all appearances happy to be entertained.
Kemp returned to announce luncheon, and they all rose. Godfrey gave Ellie his arm, which she took, and they followed Harry, pushing his father’s chair, with Jeffers pacing alongside. Masterton had fallen in on Harry’s other side, while Maggie came up beside Godfrey. He smiled and offered her his other arm, and with an impish grin, she looped her arm in his.
In the dining room, they arranged themselves around the table, with Mr. Hinckley at its head and Ellie at its foot. Godfrey claimed the chair on her right, while Masterton, not to be outdone, took the chair on her left.
Maggie sat on Godfrey’s other side, with Harry beside her, and as befitted an invited guest, Jeffers sat on Mr. Hinckley’s right, opposite Harry.
The meal began with a warming soup and continued through four substantial courses. Having finished describing the house to Jeffers, Harry asked Jeffers’s opinion of York.
Although it transpired that Jeffers had moved from Doncaster to York only three months before, nevertheless, he had stories to tell that confirmed he’d spent those months exploring the city.
Deftly, he asked Godfrey about various similarities with London, and between them, they kept the conversation rolling effortlessly and the company well entertained.
Ellie noted that Masterton listened, but said nothing; then again, he customarily volunteered little about his private life or personal views. While at the Hall, he tended to talk primarily of Hall matters; today, with that topic very much in abeyance, he made no attempt to introduce it into the conversation, for which Ellie was grateful. Jeffers didn’t need to know her family’s business.
When they adjourned to the drawing room for tea and cakes, she was quietly pleased by how well the day had gone; Jeffers had more than repaid their invitation by making her father laugh countless times and engaging with Harry and Godfrey as well. She was impressed that Jeffers had made no especial effort to attract and hold Maggie’s attention or hers; personable and handsome he might be, yet he was transparently not on the hunt for female company.
Was he married? She realized they hadn’t asked. Jeffers had mentioned a partner, but through all his tales, he hadn’t mentioned a wife, although there’d been no reason for him to do so; none of his tales had impinged on his private life.
The tea trolley arrived, and she poured, and Godfrey and Maggie helped distribute the cups and hand around the platter of petits fours. Ably assisted by Harry’s and Maggie’s insatiable curiosity, Godfrey and Jeffers between them steered the conversation on in pleasant and relaxed vein.
Eventually, with the tea and cakes consumed and the cups and saucers set aside, Ellie was congratulating herself on having overseen an unrelievedly pleasant afternoon when, with her father, Jeffers, Harry, and Maggie absorbed in a discussion of the theatres in York, Masterton leaned toward Godfrey and said, “As you’re up and about socializing, Cavanaugh, I assume you’ve completed your assessment of the Albertinelli. So what’s your verdict?”
Ellie leapt in. “As you know, Michael, Papa holds strong views on the observance of the Sabbath. In addition, Mr. Cavanaugh has explained that assessments such as his take time to complete, and in this case, as it is the National Gallery involved, he wishes to be especially thorough.”
Masterton searched Godfrey’s face. From the corner of her eye, she saw that Godfrey had adopted his charming—and utterly uninformative—mask.
“Miss Hinckley is correct,” Godfrey quietly stated. “While it might seem odd to the uninitiated, it does take time to cross every t and dot every i.”
Masterton looked like he wished to argue, but in the face of Godfrey’s unruffled assertion, he was forced to back down. “I see.”
At that moment, Jeffers straightened and said to her father, “I most sincerely thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Hinckley.” Smiling, he inclined his head to Ellie. “Miss Hinckley. I’ve truly enjoyed my day at the Hall, but I should be on my way before the light starts to fade.”