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“Yes, Mr. Marsh. Thank you.” She allowed him to settle her in a chair beside her mother, and he took the empty one across from her. He did not mind the distance. It allowed for a better view of her.
Once they had placed their orders, Hyacinth turned to Aurora’s mother. “Aunt Abigail, will you tell us what the jest was all about?”
She nodded. “May I tell them, Perin?”
“Do be kind to me, Lady Westcliff,” he said with a groan. “I would rather your daughter not think of me as a complete idiot.”
“Nonsense,” Aurora said. “I am the one who has made a fool of herself.”
“No, Lady Aurora. You are utterly charming.”
Hyacinth giggled. “Oh, our cakes are here.”
The mothers were sharing a slice of ginger cake between them.
Aurora and her cousin had each ordered strawberry ices.
He had not ordered anything for himself, satisfied with a cup of tea.
Aurora’s mother swallowed a bite of her ginger cake, washed it down with a sip of her tea, then began to explain about the jest. “Your father and I, along with my brothers and their wives, had all gone to Torquay to celebrate the marriage of our youngest brother, Peter, to his lovely Annie. We were all waiting to have supper at the inn when Peter and Annie hurried in to join us. They brought along a boy who appeared to be little more than a street urchin, but he quickly charmed us all.”
Perin remembered the day quite well, even though it was eighteen years ago. In many ways, that moment had been a turning point in his life. Just how and why was too complicated to explain here. “I was an arrogant, nine-year-old brat at the time, shooting off my mouth for effect and not thinking about what I was saying.”
Lady Westcliff cast him a doting smile. “You quickly had us all enchanted. We were holding our sides from laughing so hard at your insolent remarks.”
Aurora glanced at him. “Mama, what did he say?”
“Oh, for starters, he called your father hairy.”
Aurora had just taken a spoonful of her strawberry ice into her mouth but quickly swallowed it down and burst out laughing. “You said that to Papa? And you are still alive today?” she teased.
“Then he accused my brother Gideon of leering at his wife all night, telling him he ought to roll his tongue back in his mouth before the serving staff tripped over it.” Her mother paused, momentarily unable to contain her own mirth. “And he could not get over William’s wife, Aislin, being a pirate’s daughter.”
He groaned again. “Please, Lady Westcliff. Say no more.”
Hyacinth clapped her hands. “No, we must hear all of it!”
Aurora was smiling at him, her beautiful eyes shimmering. “Oh, Mama. Do go on. What else did Mr. Marsh say?”
“You could blow me down with a donkey,” her mother went on, now mimicking a boy’s voice. “I’ve never met a pirate’s daughter before. I thought you would be carrying a sword, have gold caps in your teeth, and be peppering your conversation witharghandmatey.”
Aurora snorted, unable to quite suppress her laughter. “Mr. Marsh, I wish I had known you back then. I would have paid anything to see their expressions as you mouthed off to them, especially my father’s. He is not hairy, you know.”
Perin chuckled. “I know. As you said, I was mouthing off because I was brash and too stupid to hold my tongue. I like to think I am more sensible now.”
“I am sure you are.” She cast him a dimpled smile.
“He was the brightest young fellow I had ever met,” Aurora’s mother insisted. “After calling your father hairy, he then turned to me and asked if we had any children. You were just a baby then, too young to travel with us, so we had left you with your grandmother, Miranda. I told him we had a daughter.”
Aurora took another teaspoon of her strawberry ice, her lips closing over the spoon with effortless delicacy and her tongue darting out to lick a stray drop. “And what did he say next?”
“Do you think I could meet her when she is of age to marry? Because if she looks anything like you, I would like to marry her.”
Aurora began to cough again.
As she reached for her tea, she accidentally knocked over the cup of strawberry ice, and the slushy remains poured out. She leaped to her feet to push away from the table before it spilled onto her gown, and in doing so, knocked over her chair.
“Aurora!” Perin also leaped to his feet to come around and catch her because she was about to trip over her chair. Fortunately, he was just in time, able to haul her into his arms before she took a nasty tumble.
