He jumped with surprise as Hestony spoke by his shoulder.
“Mr. Ellington?”
“Oh!” He blushed. “Good morning, Lady Hestony. Apologies…I woke early. May I call for some tea for you?”
“Thank you, yes,” she replied.
Hal sprang up from his seat, dropped the paper and almost slipped as he took the bell-rope and pulled firmly. Hestony looked lovely, with her hair still ringleted, dressed in soft blue muslin, the neck a low oval, trimmed with lace. As much as he stared, though, he felt as if something within her had gone missing.
I’m imagining things: she’s just tired.
He came back to the table, reaching for a slice of toast. “Did you sleep well?” he asked politely, spreading butter into the toast. They had arrived late from the ball, past midnight, and it was only half an hour past eight.
“I slept well,” Hestony commented. She reached for some toast and added marmalade, but no butter, and nibbled on it.
“Are you feeling well?” Hal asked, concerned. Sometimes, when he felt ill, he couldn’t bear butter, and ate dry toast. He sipped his tea, wondering if Hestony was suffering some sort of ill digestion.
“I’m alright,” Hestony murmured, dropping the toast onto her plate. “I just feel a bit…stomachy.” She put her hand somewhere in the region of her chest. Hal nodded feelingly.
“You poor thing!” he said with sympathy. “I have some wonderful peppermint lozenges, if you feel bad. It’s a bit early for such things, but you never know, it might…”
“I’m well, Hal,” Hestony interrupted him. “I think I’ll feel much better after we visit Mr. Lewis today.”
“Ah, yes. Capital.” Hal felt a little silly. How could he sit here, prating about peppermint lozenges, when they had such important matters to face?
“I’ll feel much better then,” she said reassuringly. She reached across the table and gently patted his hand. Hal felt his heart fill up again, suddenly plump and healthy again, where it had been tight and shriveled, dried out by the harsh breath of sorrow.
“Of course.” Hal nodded. “We plan to go at two, is that correct?”
“Mama arranged a meeting then, yes.” Hestony nodded. “The letter was delivered by the fastest mail-coach. It ought to have reached him ahead of us.”
“I’m sure he will be happy to see us, appointment or no,” Hal commented lightly. “I reckon he ought to have arranged to meet you, given the tidings.”
Hestony shot him a look. “I would rather not think about it, if you please?”
“Of course.” Hal nodded again, wishing that he wasn’t being such a fool. He had a complete inability to say the right thing! He just wasn’t used to Hestony being so tense.
The manservant came in with the teapot, and Hestony gratefully accepted a cup of tea.
“You will have the coach readied by half an hour past one?” she asked.
“Indeed, My Lady.”
Hal waited until he had gone, and dabbed his lips with his napkin, leaning across the table to Hestony.
“My Lady? Might I ask you to walk with me in St. James’ Park, when we leave Lewis’ rooms?”
Hestony smiled at him and patted his hand fondly. He saw in her blue eyes some semblance of the gentle soul of the previous night. He smiled as she nodded.
“Oh, Mr. Ellington,” she said fondly. “I would dearly appreciate that. It will make the whole meeting so much more bearable.”
Hal glowed and looked at the table to hide how absurdly proud he felt, that he could increase her happiness, and ease her tension. He tried to speak, but his voice was strained and he coughed, to clear it.
“Well, then, My Lady,” he said. “I have something to look forward to, later.”
Hestony raised a brow, a smile twisting her gentle features. She didn’t say anything, but her eyes were tender and Hal almost had to remind himself to breathe.
“Well, then,” he said again, trying to get a grip on himself. “I reckon I should ask my man to find my proper dark suit? Since we’re going after lunch, and taking a turn around the town after, I reckon I should be suitably appareled.”
Hestony smiled, eyes twinkling. “Oh, Hal,” she said, and her voice sounded slightly wistful. “You’re always suitably-dressed.”
Hal smiled, raised his cup to his lips and tipped it back. The day was turning out splendidly, after all.
After breakfast, he found himself in a restless frame of mind. Hestony was quite withdrawn still, and he felt she might need time alone, to prepare and rest before the meeting.
“I wanted to ask if I might take a walk about the streets awhile?” Hal asked, as they entered the hallway together. “I feel quite invigorated after the breakfast, and in need of a constitutional walk.”
Hestony nodded. “Of course, sir. I had thought to lie abed a while. I am quite tired after the ball.”
“Of course.” Hal bowed low. “It was quite an event – so many new people! I saw hardly anyone I’ve met before! Remarkable, how one can be in society, and yet know almost no-one.”
“I suppose,” Hestony said, non-committal. She had a strange expression on her face, her mouth downturned and her eyes troubled. Hal wondered what had happened the previous evening. He had noticed Hestony had changed a little between their dance and when he went to speak to Logan. He wondered why.
“You’re being fanciful,” he told himself as he hurried downstairs.
All the same, he couldn’t shake the thought from his mind that something was troubling Hestony.
“I’m going to spend an hour or so taking a turn,” Hal informed the butler, and headed down the steps and out the front door. The street was bracing and cool and Hal breathed in the fresh air, listening to the sounds of the street – coaches rumbling over cobblestones, a boy selling the paper, announcing his wares, a Hansom driver calling down to Hal that he was headed to the park.
Hal raised his hat politely, but shook his head. He didn’t want to take a ride in a coach – he wanted to breathe clear air and think about the strange mood Hestony was in.
“She’s nervous, Hal,” he told himself, shaking his head in impatience. He wasn’t being fair: her reaction was perfectly natural. He should understand that Hestony was simply worrying about something that was understandably terrifying.
All the same, he couldn’t forget that moment when her face had fallen. He couldn’t help wondering if she had seen somebody at the ball the night before.
He was walking past a baker’s stall, wondering if he should buy some pastries to take back – Hestony had eaten very little during breakfast and he thought she might be hungry mid-morning. Somebody called him.