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“I live with my mother now.”
“Right, exactly, you live withher. It is her home. You only live there. And for a mother, that would be how it would be. At least a strong mother like mine and, I suspect, yours. You would not want her to try to take over the home you had established for yourself, would you?”
“No, I suppose not. But it must be a challenge for the wife of a nobleman. If you live in the home attached to your title, that means that at some point it was, in fact, her home. I hadn’t really thought of that. A woman ought to look at it as a temporary arrangement when she weds a nobleman, shouldn’t she?”
Hilaria tried not to squirm under his continued scrutiny.
“I hadn’t thought of that either,” he finally answered. “But in any case, my mother chose to move out when I came of age. She said she had never much liked Eastwood anyway, so she didn’t mind when I offered to buy her a house in London.”
“So, she stays in London all year round?”
“No, there’s also the dower house at Eastwood. She goes there for the summer and at various times when she wants a break from Town. Or she’ll travel to Bath or Brighton, depending on her mood.”
Hilaria nodded. “She sounds adventuresome.”
“I can’t wait for you to meet her.”
Hilaria couldn’t quite put her finger on why she didn’t like his tone when he made that statement. It didn’t feel as though he were actually anticipating the event in a positive way. Then she remembered that he was expecting his mother to stop pressuring him to marry due to his supposed pursuit of her.
“Why do you expect your mother to object to me? Is it just because I’m merely an earl’s daughter? Or is it something specific to me as a person? Is it because I’m plain? She would prefer the next viscountess to be a beauty, I’m sure.”
“You aren’t plain, Lady Hilaria.” His tone implied he found it irritating that she would say so. “Why are you fishing for compliments? Surely your mirror tells you otherwise.”
“I am once again reminded that you are a strange man, Eastwood,” was all Hilaria bothered to say. She turned the subject once more. “Ought we to make a plan, my lord? Should I know when to expect you or do you think I will just sit around at home waiting for you to grace me with your presence?”
Eastwood’s scowl seemed fake to Hilaria. She was surprised at how sunny his nature appeared to be that day. She hadn’t gotten the impression that he was at all pleasant when they had met previously.
“If you would be so kind as to tell me when is your next day to be receiving guests, I will be sure to turn up bearing gifts. Then we could spend the next few days in each other’s company. Perhaps with your sister in tow to ensure the proprieties. If you tell me which balls you plan to attend, I will ensure I’m there to dance with you and perhaps lead you in to supper. If you have an evening free, we could go to the theatre or Vauxhall. Wexford told me he already escorted you all to a balloon ascension, so we’ll have to come up with something else. Do you have any ideas of excursions you would enjoy?”
“Elgin’s marbles.” Hilaria blurted the words and then regretted them as soon as they had left her mouth.
“I didn’t take you for the history loving type of bluestocking. But I’d be happy to escort you there. I’ll speak to the earl to see if he’d be willing to open them up for us. Although, to make it worthwhile we’ll have to invite a few others to join us to stir up more interest. I’m not certain there will be sufficient room to have very many, but there is sure to be gossip about it as everyone is already talking about them. But if we crowd in there, you might not actually enjoy the spectacle.”
Hilaria was taken aback at his perception. But rather than delve into it at the moment she merely nodded.
“You’re probably right. It was a daft idea. I’ll think of something else.” She paused for a moment to nod and smile at an acquaintance. “It would seem we’re already drawing attention.”
“Excellent.” The depth of his satisfaction made Hilaria’s stomach contract with nerves. She wished she understood him a little better. But she had her own aims to achieve. She tried to ignore her concerns about his intentions.
“As to your question about our next ‘at home.’ We receive on Tuesdays and Fridays.”
“Two days each week?”
Hilaria shrugged. “This year there were three of us,” she reminded him.
“Does your cook make reasonably good pastry?”
Knowing her expression was probably one of puzzled amusement, Hilaria didn’t bother trying to hide it from him.
He grinned as he explained. “I’ll probably outstay the polite visiting time. I hope I won’t go hungry while I’m there.”
Hilaria laughed. “No, you won’t go hungry. The pastries are delicious and plentiful. But I’ll be sure to mention to the kitchen that you expect to eat more than your share.”
Eastwood commanded his coachman to turn the carriage around. “I suppose it’s time for me to return you home. Tongues will be wagging sufficiently for our causes by now.”
“I’m sure,” Hilaria agreed with a glance around the crowded park. “We have actually been more engrossed in conversation than is usual, I think. That in itself will cause some gossip.”
“Excellent,” Eastwood agreed as he glanced at her with a conspiratorial wink. “By the way, you seem to not be as misnamed as I had at first thought.”
“I beg your pardon?” Hilaria knew what he was talking about, but she hated to discuss it.
“Your name. Hilaria means happy in Latin, doesn’t it? One of your parents must have been a scholar. You all seem to have unique, linguistic names.”
Hilaria nodded, not bothering to meet his gaze. “Our father loves Latin,” was all the explanation she was going to offer.
“You didn’t strike me as being very happy. I thought you had been terribly misnamed. But you’ve laughed a great deal this afternoon, so perhaps I was mistaken.”
“Perhaps you were,” Hilaria replied, willing his horses to a greater speed.
