***
Caleb peered over at Hannah as he cut into his beef, which the chef had cooked to perfection.
‘How was your day, Hannah?’
She looked up at him in surprise – it was rare that he addressed her directly at the dinner table. He noted that her eyes looked wide and wet, as though she were a little frightened. He surmised there may be a shyness within Hannah that he had not been fully aware of before.
‘It…’ she looked quickly over to Anne, ‘it was very good, thank you,’ she replied stiffly and returned her attention quickly to her plate.
‘How did you spend your time?’
‘Oh…I…’ this time, she looked to Emmeline seemingly for reassurance ‘I sorted through some of my things. Lucy helped me to get settled and unpack a little more.’
‘Very good,’ Caleb concluded as he took the steak into his mouth and chewed it. He noticed that Hannah pushed the potatoes around her plate and it appeared as though her hand was shaking. He frowned, watching it, and felt a fierce protectiveness of her. He needed to continue to engage her in order to coax her out of her shell and help her feel comfortable – she should not have to feel ill at ease in her own home.
‘Have you started to read the book you selected from the library?’
Hannah looked up at him and he saw the spark return to her eye at the idea of the book.
‘I have. I do so love to sit in the window seat and read.’
‘My favourite place to sit and read as a boy!’ Caleb smiled encouragingly. ‘Wasn’t it, mother?’
‘Hmph,’ Anne did not meet his eye. A frown bothered Caleb’s brow at her reaction, but he swiftly moved on from it.
‘And how are you finding the book?’
‘Oh, it’s terribly interesting. I am learning many techniques that I was not previously cognizant of. It will be awfully useful to me,’ Hannah nodded her gratitude but had been careful not to mention the subject of the book – it felt too raw and she was certain the Dowager Duchess would jump upon the topic again if she should even mention Art.
‘I am very pleased to hear it. Perhaps you will select another book, at your leisure?’
‘I am excited to peruse your collection. Thank you, Caleb.’
He smiled warmly at her then and Hannah felt strange about it – whilst it was consoling to bathe in the light of his approval, she felt as though his attention was applied with a touch of pity and she did not want his charity. However, she would take any affection she was offered in this current seclusion, so she smiled back at him and took her first mouthful.
‘I met Albert at a lovely coffee house this morning,’ Caleb told the table and Hannah thought that he was talking more that evening than she had ever witnessed. She looked to Anne and Emmeline to see what their reaction was; whether this was usual for Caleb and she was only now beginning to see his true nature, or if he was indeed excessively enthusiastic that evening in particular. It was difficult to determine – Anne had her head sulkily over her plate and Emmeline looked as charmed by her big brother as she habitually did.
‘Are you fond of coffee, Hannah?’
‘I am. I visited a quaint coffee house on Mount Street just recently with Sophia, in fact.’
‘Why the very same I attended today!’ Caleb placed his fork on the table in a mark of exclamation.
‘Then you did indeed endure a treat!’ Hannah smiled, enjoying their mutual exchange.
‘I do believe Albert may have burnt his mouth, so eager he was to partake!’ Caleb jested.
‘I say, you must try to eat a little chocolate with your coffee,’ Hannah suggested.
Caleb looked at her questioningly.
‘It may sound a little strange, but Sophia had chocolates from her aunt when last we took coffee together and when one was tasted after the other, the flavour combination was quite exquisite!’
Caleb smiled warmly ‘I shall certainly try it.’
When the meal was done, Hannah politely excused herself.
‘I will retire early this evening; I am quite exhausted,’ she smiled at Caleb and Emmeline but avoided her mother-in-law’s eye.
