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The respite from the rain was welcome but—she leaned against the sedate floral seat and closed her eyes. Why was everything so confusing these days? Ursula blinked at the man across from her and frowned. “Why are you so glum?”
Hugo leaned back against his own seat. He placed his hat next to him and mopped his brow with his handkerchief.
“My parents want me to become engaged to Katherine Morris.”
She stifled a gasp. Already? The Middletons worked fast.
“It’s part of a bargain. If we become engaged, her parents will gift certain properties to mine and her father will guarantee mine the seat on the Third Circuit.” He toyed with his cuff.
Ursula bit her lip. How to approach this? He couldn’t actually want to become engaged to Katherine instead of her, could he? She pictured the woman: limp brown hair, bland gray eyes, chicken-breasted, two years older than Hugo. She wasn’t plain, but she wasn’t anything special. Worse, she was friends with Priscilla and Agnes so that either made her a climber or a snob or just vile.
Oh, there was the sneer that never left the woman’s face. And there was the way she ignored Ursula altogether except for a few snickers at Priscilla’s comments. Vile was an excellent word.
“Do you want to become engaged to her?” She searched his face, heart quaking a little.
“Of course not.” Hugo bent forward and held his face in his hands. “I’d much rather be engaged to you. Katherine will expect me to be a certain way and force me to spend time with her father and men like him.”
A ringing endorsement of their potential union, indeed. She hugged herself tighter. She shouldn’t care. He was being sensible. Wasn’t that what she wanted? Still, a jabbing sting settled into her stomach, as if she’d swallowed a bee.
“So, I’m your first choice because I’m less bossy than Katherine? Your flattery is breathtaking.”
Hugo lifted his neck and turned up his lips at her quip. “I wouldn’t say you’re less bossy, I just prefer the direction in which you lead.”
Ursula pressed her lips together as hard as she could, but to no avail. The laughter rippled through her. She crashed back against the seat and threw her hands over her mouth, unable to suppress anything.
Hugo joined, a genuine smile spreading over his features.
“You really know how to court a woman, Hugo.” She snorted a little between whoops. She should really work on that.
He reached across and grasped her hand. “I just love how you understand me.”
She squeezed back. Did she really? Did he understand her? They enjoyed each other’s company. He was handsome and smart and interesting, but did he understand?
She wrinkled her brow. Perhaps if she thought hard enough about it she could will him to say the right thing, say what he needed to say or, more, what she needed to hear.
“I do understand you.” Ursula drew in a breath through her nose. “I can picture the life you’d want. We could have a life with books and time to read and lovely conversation and interesting lectures.”
“Things we both enjoy.” He nodded. “Katherine would never appreciate such desires. You and I are much better suited, much more compatible.”
“Yes.” Her vision misted as she peered out the window at the rain. When would it stop? She should really go back to the house. Her father would return and be worried about her.
“The sun will come out again soon, before it gets too late.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Hugo opened the lid.
“Penny candy?” He tinkled the sweets under her nose.
“You know me too well.” She picked a lemon drop and popped it into her mouth. “It’ll work out, Hugo. I promise.”
Ursula reached her hand across. He grasped it and swept his lips against her skin. Her breath hitched in anticipation of a heat, a warmth, which never came. What was the matter with her? Why did her body fizzle and tingle when Jay merely brushed against her, but Hugo’s lips did nothing?
Pressure pooled behind her eyes. Her throat closed. How could she force things to go right?
Hugo pushed her head against the seat and this time, parted his lips and oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, this was somehow worse. When they broke apart she had to turn away so he couldn’t see her retrieve Jay’s handkerchief—she really should give it back—to wipe, not dab, her mouth. Ursula fought the urge to wring her hands.
Instead, she hid the cloth in her bosom again, her face, for sure, revealing everything.
“We’ll solve it, Hugo, we will.” She steadied her voice and even met his eye.
“I know, Ursula, but hurry, we should hurry. This is why we made the pact in the first place. To prevent such awful...” He leaned against the seat. “When do I see you again?”
