“Oh, no! How terrible. That explains why he didn’t come down for breakfast this morning,” Emma said.
“Yes. He left for Oxfordshire shortly after his valet arrived with distressing news.”
“Oh, my word, that sounds horrible. I do hope Mr. Hughes will be able to comfort his uncle on such a devastating loss,” Bett said.
“As do I, Lady Williams. I cannot even imagine such a tragedy befalling my family,” Miles said.
Bett was severely disappointed that she wouldn’t see the man she so desperately loved. She tried to keep her expression neutral, but Mr. Walker was quite perceptive.
“Lady Williams, were you aware that Mr. Hughes called on you recently?” he asked.
Bett’s head snapped up. “What?” she asked, shaken by the revelation. “He did?”
“Yes. It was at least a sennight ago.”
“I was visiting my sister, but I wasn’t made aware that I had a caller while I was away.”
“Somehow, I suspected as much,” Miles said.
A slight wind could have knocked Bett over. Noah had called on her, and Peter had neglected to tell her. She now regretted very much not telling both Peter and Cecily that she’d met Mr. Hughes at the house party. She could just imagine the reception he got from Peter. Probably just short of outright dismissal if she knew her brother-in-law. Her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.
“Lady Williams, are you well? You look pale,” Mr. Walker said.
All she could do was nod. She was grateful to be saved from any further conversation by Carlton announcing that luncheon was served. As everyone walked to the dining room, it gave her a moment to process everything Mr. Walker had revealed.
Despite her distraction, Bett noticed the spark of interest between Emma and Mr. Walker as they walked together and Mr. Walker took the seat next to her at the table.
Could they be forming an attachment?
She liked Mr. Walker a great deal, especially after Olivia told her what he’d done for her at the house party in response to Lord Pressley’s horrible behavior. Mr. Walker was an upstanding gentleman, and she would be thrilled for Emma if they fell in love.
The conversation around the dining room table was lively, but Bett hardly heard a word of it and barely tasted the delicious fare. All she could think about was the fact that Noah had come to call on her. What had he thought when she wasn’t at home to greet him? Had he mistakenly believed she was no longer interested in him, especially since she hadn’t mentioned anything about visiting her sister? That was the furthest thing from the truth. She was more in love with him than ever and planned to speak with Peter about his failure to inform her of her caller when she returned to Crenshaw Manor.
A few hours later, Bett said her goodbyes to the Flemings.
“Lady Williams, may I walk you out to the carriage?” Mr. Walker asked.
“Of course. Thank you.”
Bett kissed Emma on both cheeks, vowing to see her again very soon, before taking Mr. Walker’s arm. As they walked outside, Bett asked, “Mr. Walker, I do hope that all will be well with Mr. Hughes’s family.?”
“As do I, Lady Williams. I do know that Mr. Hughes will be sorry to hear that he missed seeing you. I hope you’ll understand that he’ll be unable to call on you in the immediate future until his family situation is worked out, but I know that Mr. Hughes would wish to if he could. Especially as he was quite distressed when his previous attempt to see you came to nothing. Evidently, the baron didn’t see fit to tell him your whereabouts or when you would be returning. From the little Noah told me, his visit was not welcomed by your brother-in-law.”
Bett was devastated and nearly stumbled. Peter’s controlling nature had gone too far.
“Lady Williams, are you well?” Mr. Walker asked, grasping her arm to keep her from falling.
“I’m so very sorry that my brother-in-law chose to withhold that information from Mr. Hughes. You must know I would have wholeheartedly welcomed a call from him.”
“That’s what I thought. It’s clear that both of you have formed an attachment.”
“I know that’s true on my part, but I thought he was no longer interested in me when I hadn’t heard from him.”
“I understand, but that is clearly not the case for my friend. Noah has never been one to pursue women, but he’s been restless ever since the house party and jumped at the chance to visit the Flemings with me. I believe it was because he wanted to call on you.”
“Can you share with me where he’s gone?”
“To his uncle’s estate, Harrison Manor, in Oxfordshire.”
