As they walked into the drawing room, Edwina commented, “Thank you for being so ‘earlish’ by escorting me.”
Miles let out a long sigh. “Now you are trying too hard. It is pathetic, really,” he said, his words tinged with mirth.
Edwina laughed. “At least I can whistle,” she stated.
Bennett looked between them curiously as he stood by the mantel. “Who cannot whistle?” he asked.
“Lord Hilgrove,” Edwina said as she removed her arm from his. “I just discovered this today and itshockethme.”
“There is no shame in not knowing how to whistle,” Lady Dallington remarked, “but there is shame in saying the word ‘shocketh.’”
“It is a word,” Edwina said.
“An archaic word that has no place in the vocabulary of a genteel woman,” Lady Dallington remarked.
Miles smirked at Edwina. “Your aunt is a wise woman. You would do well to heed her words.”
Rolling her eyes, Edwina retorted, “You just think she is wise because she agreed with you.”
“Most wise people do,” Miles responded.
Bennett interjected, “I recall that Miles used tospuddleaway his time when he was at Eton.”
“Perhaps when we first started, but by the time we went to university, I had grown out of that phase,” Miles defended.
Edwina raised her hand.
Lady Dallington gave her a baffled look. “What is it, Edwina?”
“Why did no one criticize Bennett for using the word ‘spuddle’? That is also an archaic word,” Edwina pointed out.
“‘Spuddle’ implies inefficiency in the way one works,” Lady Dallington replied. “It is still a perfectly acceptable word in our Society today.”
“If you accept ‘spuddle,’ then I think you should accept ‘shocketh,’” Edwina argued with amusement in her eyes. “At least in our home.”
Miles let out a deep chuckle. “You are relentless, my lady.”
“Yes, she is,” Bennett remarked. “Quite frankly, I haven’t seen Edwina this passionate about anything for far too long.”
Lord Dallington stepped into the room and Miles watched as Edwina grew visibly tense. “I am sorry I am late,” he said as he went to kiss his wife’s cheek. “I assure you that it couldn’t be helped.”
“I know, Dear,” Lady Dallington said. “We were just waiting for you to join us before we adjourned to the dining room.”
“Well, let us not wait any longer,” Lord Dallington responded, offering his arm to his wife.
Miles stepped forward and offered his arm to Edwina. “You need to breathe,” he whispered.
“My uncle is a liar, and I can’t believe that he would treat my aunt so distastefully,” Edwina whispered back with determination in her voice.
“I warned you that this would be difficult, but we must gather all the facts before confronting him,” Miles reminded her.
Edwina took a deep breath before saying, “You are right.”
“Can you say that again, and perhaps a bit louder so others can hear you?” Miles quipped.
“Now who is trying too hard?” Edwina bantered back.
Miles led Edwina into the elegant dining room, pulling out her chair before taking the seat next to her.
