That was the last thing that Delphine wanted to do. The more she learned about Mr. Simpkin, the less she liked him.
Fortunately, Lady Dallington chimed in. “We usually play card games in the parlor after dinner. It is a family tradition.”
Mr. Simpkin looked disappointed but was wise enough not to argue with their host. “Very well,” he said. “We can always go on a tour of the gardens tomorrow.”
Bennett glanced down at Delphine’s plate and asked, “How are you enjoying your haggis?”
“It is delicious,” Delphine replied. “It was most thoughtful that you had the cook prepare this dish again.”
“I remembered how much you liked it last time,” Bennett said with a smile.
Delphine held his gaze for a moment before returning to her plate of food. How she wished that Bennett was her husband, and she could flirt with him as often as she wished.
Mr. Simpkin attempted to speak again, but his words were once more lost amidst the lively tunes of the bagpipes. Annoyance flickered across his face, indicating that he had finally realized the deliberate interference orchestrated by the bagpiper.
Charlotte, who had been quietly eating her haggis, leaned forward in her seat to meet Delphine’s gaze. “Do you recall when your father would insist on being woken up by the bagpipes?”
“That was an unfortunate time for everyone, especially the person playing the bagpipes,” Delphine said. “My mother would often throw her pillows out the windows in an effort to get him to stop playing.”
“Your father had his own way of doing things,” Charlotte commented.
“That he did,” Delphine agreed. “But he did ensure I appreciated my Scottish heritage. For that, I am most grateful.”
Winston joined in on the conversation by asking, “Do you prefer living in Scotland or England?”
Delphine considered his words for a moment, ensuring she gave it proper thought. “That is a tricky question. I consider them both my home. However, I could do without the house spiders in Scotland.”
“I hate spiders,” Melody muttered with a shudder.
“Then you would loathe the house spiders,” Delphine asserted. “They enter the homes through gaps under the doors and chimneys. Their spiderwebs are enormous and almost look like a bedsheet. The worst part is that you can hear them as they move across the floor at night.”
Melody turned towards her mother with wide eyes. “I do not wish to ever visit Scotland.”
“I am sure that Delphine is just exaggerating,” Lady Dallington said.
Bennett shook his head. “I’m afraid she’s not,” he confirmed. “I have seen many house spiders when I have visited Scotland. When they drop down onto a table, you can hear a palpable thud.”
Elodie was pushing the haggis around the plate as she shared, “Spiders do not bother me, but I do not like rats.”
“No one likes rats,” Winston remarked.
The butler stepped into the room and met Delphine’s gaze. “Pardon the interruption but Mr. Vincent Paterson is here to call upon you.”
Delphine stared back at him in disbelief. “My cousin is here?”
“Yes, my lady,” the butler confirmed.
As she struggled to think of one valid reason as to why Vincent was here, Mr. Simpkin revealed, “I should note that I invited Mr. Paterson here.”
She turned towards him. “Why would you do such a thing?” she demanded. “Vincent has been trying to take my title since I inherited it.”
Mr. Simpkin smiled at her, no doubt in an attempt to disarm her. “Mr. Paterson is only here to ensure that you are well.”
“I doubt that.”
“It is true,” Mr. Simpkin said. “When I returned from Scotland without you, your solicitor insisted that I show proof that you had died before he proceeded with transferring your assets to me. Mr. Paterson also had a vested interest in securing proof so he might inherit your title.”
Mr. Simpkin continued. “Before we could dispatch riders to look for your body, we received word from Lady Dallington about your condition. You can only imagine how relieved we both were.”
