Benedict found himself wondering if she had always been that shallow. He hadn’t noticed it as much, but everything seemed to be illuminated in a different light since Livinia had come along.
Livinia …
His mind unwillingly wandered back to how she had reacted the night before. She was kind, caring, and never held herself above her station despite her nosy tendencies at times. She was a woman of worth in every sense of the matter.
“Benedict, why are you so broody this evening?” Eleanor’s voice cut through his thoughts and drew him back to the conversation at hand. She examined his face for a moment before continuing, “Lady Aster and I were just wondering if you would ever be seen in public with a woman who had been jilted at the altar?”
Lady Aster smirked and lifted her cup to her lips. Her chubby little nose gave her an almost swine-like appearance. She wasn’t someone that Benedict would have considered good company, but she was one of Eleanor’s oldest friends. Her mouse brown hair had been pinned to the back of her head and her matching eyes were almost as round as her face.
“I don’t see why that should colour anyone’s appearance on the matter. Does jilting a young woman at the altar not reflect more poorly on the man than it does the woman?” His honest question brought a look of displeasure to Eleanor’s eyes.
“That is such a male aspect on the matter; you wouldn’t understand such things,” Eleanor smirked with a light shake of her head and turned back to her friend. She had never liked it in the past when Benedict had disagreed with anything she had said, and he could see now that little had changed.
“Then perhaps you should not ask my opinion on such matters,” Benedict countered a little more sharply than he had intended. Keeping polite conversation was taxing when his mind was plagued with so many other matters.
Eleanor narrowed her eyes over the brim of her cup. It looked like she was about to say something more, but Theodora suddenly spoke up. “Benedict, would you mind if I asked Miss Campbell to accompany me for the rest of the evening?” She shot a weary glance at the other ladies before looking to him for an answer.
Benedict had noticed that his sister hadn’t been enjoying herself during dinner; she was far too humble of a girl to find their conversations entertaining. Having Livinia sit quietly with her in the corner wouldn’t be any harm.
“Perhaps you could come and sit here beside Lady Aster and me, Theodora. I think Miss Campbell may have turned in for the evening,” Eleanor cleared her throat and suggested before Benedict could say anything at all.
Theodora quickly turned back to her brother. “Miss Campbell never turns in this early; please, Benedict, we could discuss our lesson plans for tomorrow.” Her eyes pleaded with him to allow her the solace of having Livinia at her side.
“Thomas, you may fetch Miss Campbell and ask her to join us for Lady Theodora’s sake.” He caved into his sister’s pleading glances and nodded for Thomas to go.
The look his servant exchanged with Eleanor did not escape his notice.
Was Livinia right?
He felt a growing sense of unease rising in his chest. Was she trying to challenge his words and urge Thomas to stay, or was something else hiding behind their wordless exchange?
***
Livinia gathered her courage as she followed Thomas down the stairs. It wouldn’t have been right for her to deny a request from the earl. She knew it would likely have been Lady Theodora who had insisted upon her presence.
“I can’t say that I agree with having a governess present at a family dinner, but Lady Theodora was insistent.” Thomas lifted his nose in approval and sniffed arrogantly as they made their way down the stairs.
So, it was Theodora.
“I don’t think your opinion should matter in that case,” she answered bluntly, keeping her head high. Her argument with the earl had left her feeling winded, but she’d made up her mind to keep her head up high.
“I beg your pardon?” Thomas rounded on her with a nasty sneer.
Livinia clung to the polished wood of the banister to keep herself from colliding with Thomas.
“You have been far too uppity for someone in your position, Miss Campbell. I will remind you that while you are not a servant, you are in a position of employment in this house,” he said, raising his voice, irritation in his eyes.
Livinia looked down at the man with pity. Thomas was not a bad man, but whatever had transpired between him and Lady Eleanor had left him with a diminished sense of self. She had seen this kind of behaviour amongst members of the ton when unrequited feelings were at play.
“I am very well aware of my position in this house; thank you, Thomas. What I am not aware of is if you know where your loyalty lies?” she shot back at him with a cold glare. One man who held her position over her head was enough; Thomas wouldn’t get away with it.
“What are you implying?” He narrowed his eyes at her as his chest puffed out in the proud manner it always did when he thought himself in the right.
“I am implying that your loyalties should lie with the family, in this case, Lady Theodora, who requested my presence. If she is happy, and His Lordship agrees, then nobody else’s opinion or comfort should matter to you!” She stood her ground and glared at him.
The blood drained from Thomas’s face as his lips parted and closed like a fish gasping for air. The truth of the matter resonated in his eyes without him having to say anything at all. For whatever reason, he had placed Lady Eleanor’s wants above Theodora’s.
“I will do as asked and join Lady Theodora. I hope that in time you will make the right decision and place her first as I am doing.” She held his gaze for a moment before pushing past him on the stairs and heading towards the parlour.
She didn’t know what had happened between Thomas and Lady Eleanor. Whether he had been in love with her or if she knew something that she held over his head. All she wanted to do now was focus on the task at hand, being there for Lady Theodora.
The conversation inside the parlour came to an end the moment she stepped through the door. Theodora seemed happy to see her, but the two ladies scowled at her as if she were an insect that wandered in from the forest.
“Miss Campbell, may I present Lady Eleanor Spencer and Lady Minerva Aster.” Benedict made the introductions in a stiff voice.
The women barely acknowledged her as she curtsied politely and made her way to the corner where Theodora was eagerly waiting for her arrival. She tried her best to keep her eyes from wandering to Benedict or even Eleanor as her heart pounded in her chest.
Did he already ask her to be his wife?
Her chest constricted with pain once again despite the smile she offered to her charge.
“I’m so glad you are here,” Theodora whispered to her as she took a seat beside her.
Livinia offered her another smile before reaching over and giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
Thomas entered the room and exchanged a cold look with Eleanor before making his way to the opposite corner, where he stood dutifully with his back to the wall.
Benedict’s scowl and the way he clenched his jaw made her wonder if he had noticed the glances. Had he read the letter, and if so, would he rethink his decision to ask Lady Eleanor to be his wife?
