He smiled back at her in amusement. “Your mother caught sight of you in your phaeton.”
She grimaced, knowing that meant a lecture was in her future. Harriet winked at the older man. “Thank you.”
Smith chuckled and shook his head. She’d known him forever. Her family’s estate was less than a mile from Webster Hall. Before Lillian became the duchess, Harriet and her sister visited often. Their mother and the dowager duchess were the dearest of friends.
Even though they were less than a mile away, she and her mother were currently residing at Webster Hall for Christmas. They did this every year since Lillian married Philip, but this time drama was afoot. The missing Lord Anthony Webster would be home for all the festivities.
He’d been gone for almost five years—since Lillian and Philip married. Anthony had departed England with hurt feelings. Her sister and Philip had been secretly in love for years, but Philip had insisted she have at least one Season. Unfortunately, Anthony, during Lillian’s first Season, decided he fancied her. Truthfully, most men who encountered her sister during her debut had immediately become smitten.
Lillian had been a smashing success in London. She suspected even Jon had looked at her differently for a moment. Harriet should resent Lillian for her looks and perfect bearing, but her older sister, by barely a year, was too sweet for her ever to feel that way.
Harriet stepped into the drawing room to find Lillian, her mother, and the Dowager Duchess of Webster, Sarah, enjoyingtea and chatting. Her mother’s eyes immediately flared with annoyance. “I spotted you practically flying in that little buggy of yours. You could have been hurt.”
Harriet sat next to Lillian, who smiled at her apologetically. Again, her sister was a saint that no one, not even Philip, truly deserved. “I’m sorry, Mother. I will try to slow down. Sometimes the excitement of being able to go so fast gets the better of me.”
“It isn’t ladylike,” her mother said, exasperation laced in her words.
“Mother, I’m away from London and the gossipers; no one out here cares what I do. There are no suitors that I need to impress with my ladylike abilities.”
Her mother and Sarah glanced at each other guiltily. What were the two of them up to? Their gazes flicked back to her, both fidgeting nervously, and alarm-filled Harriet. She tried to push it away. It wasn’t as if they could drag her off to more balls or other society events during the holidays.
Not that it mattered, Harriet was twenty-six and firmly on the shelf. Lillian leaned forward, studying Harriet’s necklace. “When did you get that? It is beautiful.”
She grinned at her sister, grateful that she had changed the subject. “Thank you. I found it in a shop in London.”
Her mother sighed. “You love those garnets.”
“I do,” Harriet confirmed.
They were such beautiful stones. They were all the rage, but she didn’t like them for the same reason most of society did. The gossipers were enthralled by the fact that an anonymous Englishman had invested in garnet mines in Bohemia and was making a fortune. Yet, no one knew who it was. Adding more intrigue, the mystery man was also using some of his fortune to build a hospital and children’s home in Devil’s Acre, one of the most downtrodden, notorious neighborhoods in London.
The unknown do-gooder didn’t seem to want any gratitude or attention for it. The London papers had tried their best to discover who he was but had yet to learn his name.
“I wonder if Anthony will know who the King of Garnets is?” her mother pondered.
Harriet rolled her eyes at the silly name the papers called the mysterious man. Anthony’s mother, Sarah, sighed, “From what I’ve gleaned from Anthony’s letter, his focus is on entertainment, not business.”
Lillian looked down, wringing her hands. Harriet knew she felt bad for choosing Philip over Anthony. She shouldn’t. Her sister and Philip loved each other deeply. Harriet squeezed her sister’s hand reassuringly.
From everything she read in the gossip sheets, Anthony was enjoying himself. No one should feel bad for him. Growing up, Harriet had always found Anthony a tad annoying, or rather, his amusement in what he called her antics. Whenever she was around him, chaos seemed to happen. He always acted as if it were her fault. It was not.
She couldn’t help but be curious. Sometimes, Harriet just had to touch something or understand how an object worked. It didn’t always end well. Still, he constantly watched her with alarm; it was insulting.
Smith entered the room and announced to Sarah, “A rider is approaching. I believe it is your son, Your Grace.”
Sarah rose excited. “Anthony is finally home. Where is Philip?”
Lillian rose. “He is in the study. I will fetch him.”
Smith attempted to protest, and she shook her head. “I’m with child, Smith; not incapacitated.”
The Webster rake was finally home. Harriet rolled her eyes as her mother, Abigail, and Sarah paced excitedly. She satin a wingback chair, not nearly as elated as they were. Truthfully, she suspected it was going to be a long holiday.
Chapter Two
Anthony sat at the dining table studying his family and the Barstows. This was all so familiar, but also at the same time not. He’d expected to feel pain to see Lillian and Philip together, but while it had been awkward, the hurt feelings he’d left with five years ago were shockingly gone. Truthfully, maybe not so surprising. He’d not pined for her like he thought he would.
Yet, he had missed being around her and everyone else seated around the table. Philip leaned towards Lillian and whispered something in her ear. She beamed back at him. It was clear they adored each other. Anthony studied his sister-in-law, whom he’d known since he was a small boy. He’d idealized her once. She was still the epitome of grace, kindness, and beauty, but nothing stirred within him when he gazed upon her.
