Once Lord Featherstone had returned to his seat, Marjorie shared, “Lord Featherstone has been regaling us with his hunting adventures.”
“Oh,” Henrietta replied, feigning interest. “Is that so?”
Marjorie bobbed her head. “He is quite proficient at grouse hunting and deer stalking.”
“It is true,” Lord Featherstone said, puffing out his chest. “I grew up hunting with my father on our lands, and I have a knack for it.”
“I am saddened that I missed your stories,” Henrietta remarked with a strained smile on her lips. She cared little about hunting.
Lord Featherstone hardly acknowledged her comment before saying, “I do enjoy the occasional fox hunt.”
Her mother interjected, “My husband enjoyed fox hunting, as well. I would often follow behind the men in a carriage.”
“My mother preferred to stay at home so she could entertain the other wives,” Lord Featherstone said.
A maid stepped into the room with a tray in her hand and placed it on the table in front of them. “Would you care for me to pour, milady?” she asked.
Her mother shook her head. “That won’t be necessary, Sally.”
The maid tipped her head in response and departed from the room. Henrietta couldn’t help but notice that Lord Featherstone’s eyes seemed to linger on the maid.
Her mother turned her attention towards Marjorie and asked, “Would you care to pour?”
“I would.” Marjorie went to sit on the edge of her seat and picked up the teapot. After she poured four cups of tea, she extended one towards Lord Featherstone.
He accepted it with a gracious smile. “Thank you, Miss Whiston.”
“You are most kindly welcome,” Marjorie said before passing out the other teacups.
Henrietta brought the cup up to her lips and took a long sip, wishing she could invent a reason to leave the room. After all, her presence wasn’t truly required since her mother was here.
Lord Featherstone lowered the cup to his lap, his attention not wavering from Marjorie. “Do you read?”
Marjorie hesitated for a moment before replying, “I do.”
“May I ask what books you have recently read?”
Her sister glanced over at Henrietta with panic in her eyes. “I… uh… read the Bible,” she stammered out.
“That is a fine pastime for any young woman to have,” Lord Featherstone remarked, “but surely you read more books than just the Bible.”
Taking pity on her sister, Henrietta interjected, “My sister recently recommendedRobinson Crusoeto me.”
“Did you not find the book too dark?” Lord Featherstone asked.
“I did not,” Marjorie replied.
Lord Featherstone placed his teacup down onto the tray. “I’m afraid my mother’s delicate constitution was unable to handleRobinson Crusoe.”
“May I ask why that was?” Henrietta asked, interjecting herself back into the conversation.
“She found the part about cannibals to be most distasteful,” Lord Featherstone shared, “especially when Crusoe killed most of them.”
Henrietta nodded. “That is true, but I do believe the good outweighs the bad.”
“In what way?” Lord Featherstone asked.
“There are many moral values that we can learn fromRobinson Crusoe, including his undeniable faith in God,” Henrietta said. “Furthermore, it teaches us a valuable lesson that we should always strive to live peacefully with people of different races.”
