Henry pursed his lips, shooting a nervous, sideways glance at Eleanor. She wasn’t looking at him, and the pair showed no intention of talking to her.
“I am not Mr Fairfax’s heir,” Henry said, as politely as he could manage. “I am his business partner. Should anything happen to Mr Fairfax, his shares in the business will go to his daughter, Miss Fairfax. At least, so I assume. Isn’t that so, Miss Fairfax?”
That got Eleanor’s attention. She eyed him seriously, and her expression was unreadable. The middle-aged pair were forced to pay her attention at last.
“You look very pretty today, Miss Fairfax,” the woman added, glancing at her brother for support. “I hear that you are joining the Season. It must be a relief to have Lord Henry here, to alleviate you of your responsibilities.”
A cold feeling trickled down Henry’s spine, and he began to realize why Eleanor was so cold to him.
“I’m not here to replace Miss Fairfax,” he said at once, before she could respond. “Let me make that abundantly clear. Miss Fairfax will have just as great a share in the business as she did before.”
The pair exchanged knowing glances.
“One cannot tell what the future holds,” the man said sweetly.
“No, indeed,” Eleanor said, seeming to wake up. “I can agree with that wholeheartedly. I, for instance, had no idea that Lord Henry Willenshire was joining us as a partner, until my father announced it over the dinner table. We had entertained his proposal, but I had no idea it had been accepted.”
The couple were starting to look more and more uncomfortable. Henry stared at the toes of his boots, wishing the floorboards would open and swallow him up.
“What a fine surprise it must have been,” the woman managed at long last.
“Indeed,” Eleanor said, voice cool and level. “Do excuse me, everybody.”
Without waiting for a response, she sailed away into the crowd, never once looking back. If she felt Henry’s eyes boring into the back of her shoulders, she showed no signs of it.
Chapter Thirteen
“Eleanor, darling, see who’s here.”
Eleanor glanced up from her work with something like trepidation.
After that awful shareholders’ meeting, at which Henry was so well-liked and Eleanor so very ignored, she’d thrown herself into work. It wasn’t a day off, and there were things to do.
Anything to avoid sitting at home and meditating on her new uselessness.
She’d half expected to see Lord Henry himself standing in the doorway with that twisted smile which made him look more handsome than was proper. Perhaps they would want her to give up her office to him, too.
But no, it was Aunt Florence. The older woman was resplendent in peach-coloured satin, trimmed with lace of an eye-watering expense, pearls studding her cuffs and draped around her neck.
“Eleanor, darling!” she cooed. “I thought I’d pop in and see you. I thought we could have a day out today. Shopping, perhaps lunch – Gunter’s does excellent ices, we must have one of those – what do you say? I shall treat you to a new dress.”
Eleanor hesitated, glancing over at her father. Charles seemed to be forcing a smile, looking more cheerful than he really felt.
“That’s so kind of you, aunt, but I really have a great deal of work to do today.”
“Can’t it wait?” Charles asked sharply, and Eleanor gave him a level look.
“No, Papa, it can’t.”
“I brought in Lord Henry so that you would have less work to do, and more time to enjoy yourself. More time toreallyenjoy the Season.”
“I told you, Papa, that I didn’t want that,” Eleanor responded, rising slowly to her feet. She was aware that her voice was getting louder and shriller, but it really was notfair. Was she expected to begratefulthat she’d been elbowed out of theposition she’d always wanted? Should she not mind that everybody assumed that Lord Henry – no blood relation, mind you – was going to replace her?
Above all, was she meant to grit her teeth, force a ladylike smile, and bear it?
No, no, a thousand times, no.
“Lord Henry is not here,” Eleanor continued, fingers tightening into fists. “I did not want Lord Henry to become our partner for just this reason. He’s alord, Papa. He cannot be relied upon. And the work must be done, and it cannot stop just because Lord Henry has social engagements.”
