He had to solve this on his own.
He leaned back in his chair, eyes staring up at the darkness where the ceiling disappeared in the gloom. He wasn’t going to be able to sleep until he’d figured this all out.
“Sir?” a knock at the door made him leap up, his hands in fists. He shook his head. It was only his valet, Townsfield, coming to see him.
“Townsfield! Come in,” Hal said wearily. “If you could lay out my blue set for tomorrow?”
“Very good, sir.”
His valet went through the nightly ritual of laying out his clothes, polishing his shoes and selecting a cravat, while Hal undressed himself and shrugged into his nightshirt. He hoped that he would finally manage to sleep. He considered asking the man to fetch a posset from the kitchens, or some sort of tisane to make him feel drowsy, but thought better of it. There was no point in sleeping until he’d sorted this out.
“Have a refreshing sleep, sir,” Townsfield said as he left.
“You, too, Townsend. Goodnight.”
Hal pulled the sheets up to his chin and tried, unsuccessfully, at first, to sleep. A plan formed in his mind, slowly. He would ride over early in the morning – before breakfast – in the hopes of seeing Lady Hartfield as early as possible, before she and Hestony had a chance to make any outing. He wanted Hestony to be there, too – he would speak to her ladyship alone, but the knowledge of Hestony’s presence nearby was supportive.
With the plan in his head, he fell asleep.
Next morning, Hal awoke to the pale-gray morning light. He slid out of bed, stretching and feeling strangely purposeful. Splashing his face with water, he looked out over the calm landscape, where mist rolled in over the hills. He was planning an early ride.
He pulled the bell to summon Townsfield. His valet stumbled in a second or two later.
“Sir?” He looked somewhat confused, and somewhat as if he’d recently awoken himself. “It’s early.”
“My apologies.” Hal said gently. “I wish to ride early. If you could fetch my blue riding suit, instead? And a silk cravat.”
“Very good, sir.”
If Townsfield resented having to redo his efforts, he gave no sign. In fact, he was oddly reserved as he helped Hal into his velvet riding-coat.
“Thank you, Townsfield,” Hal called as he walked swiftly from the room. He headed down the steps. He could smell breakfast being laid out downstairs, in the dining-room: evidently more guests had stayed on than he thought, or the family would be using the breakfast-room upstairs. He breathed in the smells of fresh bread and baking and felt his stomach clench.
“You can have breakfast at Amhurst,” he reminded himself.
He was not going to risk missing his chance to address Lady Hartfield.
Amhurst was very quiet as he rode up, the pale sandstone building rising up out of the mist. He dismounted, boots crunching on the gravel, and handed his reins to a surprised-looking .
“See that he’s rubbed dry,” he said to the man. It was soaking with mist in the fields, and he didn’t want his horse to get stiff tendons.
“Very good, sir.”
Hal knocked at the door, his heart thudding like he’d never felt it. He took a deep breath. His gut churned.
“Good morning?”
“Ah! Mr. Hall. If you could inform Lady Hartfield of my arrival? If it is acceptable, I will take breakfast with herself and her daughter?”
The older man looked surprised for a moment but nodded. “Come in, sir.” He seemed to have accepted the idea – like most of the servants – that Hal had full permission to court Lady Hestony and that he was therefore welcome under any circumstance. Hal swallowed hard. He wished that were true. Unfortunately, Lady Hartfield didn’t share that view.
“Come on, Hal. Be patient,” he told himself. He was pacing in the hallway, restlessly. Waiting for the butler to return from whence he’d disappeared upstairs.
“You may come up, sir.”
Hal swallowed and nodded. “Coming, directly.”
He ran up the steps, his heart thumping. He took a steadying breath. Take it easy, Hal! He knew he was being ridiculous. He stepped up into the upstairs corridor, and then right and left again, to the east side.
“My Lady Hestony!”
He stared at her. From his vantage-point in the doorway of the breakfast-room, he could see her clearly. He hadn’t been expecting to. He had thought he was here to face Lady Hartfield, and instead he found Hestony, looking nervously at him. She was standing by the table, dressed in a long white day-gown, trimmed with lace. Her big eyes rested on his face. She was pale, but looked lovely.
He ran a hand over his own countenance, thinking he looked disheveled and ill-rested, and bowed low.
“My Lady. A pleasure to see you. May I join you in your repast?”
“Yes, sir,” she whispered. “Of course.”
Hal raised a brow. The formality had returned. As he searched for signs that she was uncomfortable in his company, she sat down and looked at him with a conspiratorial grin.
“Have you taken tea?” she asked.
He shook his head and she reached for the pot in the center of the table, carefully filling his cup. His breath stopped, watching her slender wrists bend a little under the weight of the pot, before she set it away.
“I rode over at once,” he whispered.
She smiled. “Oh, Hal.”
He felt his heart start to thump. They were alone here, the fire crackling in the grate. The walls were decorated with flocked wallpaper in a design of white with cream acanthus leaves. The table was dark wood, elegant and stylish. Pale sunlight filtered through net curtains, giving the place a dreamy, unreal quality.
“Hestony,” he whispered. He reached over and rested his hand on hers.
Hestony took a deep breath, then put her other hand on top of his. He looked into her eyes. Very deliberately, he kissed her.
Hestony closed her eyes. He could hear her soft breath and feel her plump lips parting under his. He tensed, with the longing almost unbearable inside him. He took a deep, slow breath, smelling the scent of her. He wished he could stay endlessly.
“Hestony,” he murmured again, as she leaned back in her chair. Her eyes opened, and he smiled, seeing the slightly dazed expression. She smiled back, shyly.
“Shall we go riding?”
Hal raised a brow, feeling a grin spread across his face. Of all the things he could most want, going riding with Hestony was right at the very top of his list. He nodded.
“I would love that.”