Elsbeth nodded. “Yes, good.”
But then he abruptly stopped walking and dropped his arm. His next words drained any goodwill she might have mustered. “And this should go without saying, but I must also ask that you stay away from my sister. I do not wish for her to be influenced by you.”
Her spine stiffened. “My influence?”
He waved a hand dismissively in her direction. “Yes, everything about you—the way you speak, the way you carry yourself—is the opposite of how I would wish Eugenie to behave.”
And she was back to loathing him.
The audacity of this man! Stepping closer, she fixed him with a glare. “And everything about you, my lord, is offensive to me.”
His jaw clenched. “I am merely speaking the truth.”
“As am I.”
Lord Westcott’s lips thinned into a line. “You resort to insults rather quickly.”
Elsbeth shook her head. “You are impossible,” she declared before turning on her heel and leaving him to stand alone.
Lady Margaret spoke up, drawing everyone’s attention. “I was informed that dinner is ready to be served.”
As Elsbeth walked towards the dining room, Eugenie appeared next to her, matching her stride. “What did my brother say to you?”
Elsbeth saw no reason not to tell Eugenie the truth. “He doesn’t want me to spend time with you for fear of my bad influence.”
Eugenie rolled her eyes. “What an idiotic thing to say.”
Elsbeth felt herself relax. “I thought so, too.”
Looping arms with her, Eugenie said, “Regardless of what my brother says, I think we should be friends.”
“Your brother will hate that.”
Eugenie shrugged. “So, do you agree?”
A genuine smile spread across Elsbeth’s face, the first she had worn all evening. “I do.”
“Wonderful!” Eugenie exclaimed. “We shallhave such fun together!”
Niles tried to mask his irritation as he sat at the head of the long dining table, the lively hum of conversation swirling around him. Lady Elsbeth’s laugh rang out as she spoke with Eugenie, and his jaw clenched. How had it come to this? Hadn’t he made it abundantly clear that Lady Elsbeth should stay away from Eugenie? And yet, here she was, seated among them as if her family’s reputation weren’t hanging by a thread.
He caught Aunt Margaret’s watchful gaze from across the table. She gave him a knowing look, one that seemed to suggest she had perceived his thoughts. Botheration. The last thing he needed was for his aunt to think he had any interest in Lady Elsbeth. That would be a disaster.
Lady Elsbeth’s laughter again drew his attention, much to his chagrin. Why did her laughter grate on his very last nerve?
Eugenie turned to him, a knowing smile playing on her lips. “Why are you stewing, Brother?”
“I am not stewing,” he replied, reaching for his glass.
Aunt Margaret cleared her throat. “Perhaps we should steer the conversation towards something more pleasant than analyzing Niles’s expressions?”
Eugenie dabbed at her lips with her white linen napkin. “Very well. I read the most interesting book recently?—”
Niles groaned inwardly. “Is it suitable for discussion at the dinner table?”
“That depends on who you ask,” Eugenie replied. “It isCommon Senseby Thomas Paine?—”
Aunt Margaret interjected swiftly. “Perhaps we should discuss something less controversial, my dear.”
