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Lord Claverley’s gaze flicked to me. “I’d hoped for a word with Miss Northcott.”
“Of course,” I said gallantly, then swung my arm toward the sofas. “Please be seated.”
He hesitated, but I did not move forward. He must have sensed that I would not step toward the seats until he did. I waited until he lowered himself onto the sofa before opting to sit across from him, Benedict beside me.
“You must be anxious for the wedding,” Lord Claverley said, looking from me to Benedict. His eyes narrowed. “The union came as a complete surprise to me.”
I arranged my expression into a smile, though it fought to scowl instead. “Indeed, we are very anxious. Is there something you needed from me, my lord?”
He cleared his throat. “Yes, well, I came to offer my assistance. I would like to host an engagement ball in your honor.”
“I only just had a ball, so we do not feel it necessary—”
“Ah, but you had a ball in London, not in Cumberland. Surely Lady Edith will desire to celebrate your union at home with your neighbors.”
“She might,” I admitted. “I intend to reserve that honor for her.”
The earl looked exasperated. “Should I be offended that you do not seem to desire my help, Miss Northcott? I have been nothing but dismissed from you since you returned from school.”
Benedict cleared his throat. “I believe if a woman rejects your advances, Cousin, it is wise to cease making them.”
“Advances?” His cheeks flushed. “I am offeringassistance.”
He was doing so with the motive of dancing with me, I knew it. The man was prideful, or bored, and wanted to find a way to put his hands on me. Benedict knew it as well as I, if the anger glittering in his blue eyes was any indication.
“We no longer need your assistance, and I will thank you for respecting that,” I said.
Benedict stood to punctuate my point, and I rose beside him, curling my hand around his arm.
Lord Claverley sputtered. His blush crept to the edges of his ears and along his neck, making his pallid face brighter than an apple. He did not do us the courtesy of taking our leave, but trudged from the room with angry, humiliated steps.
“I fear that will have consequences,” I said mildly.
“Indeed, like keeping my cousin away from Chelton?”
“And Bumpton, potentially,” I added.
Benedict turned and took me in his arms, heedless of the open door and potential of being spotted by Felicity or James. He tipped my chin up to kiss me squarely on the lips, then leaned back and spoke softly. “That man will never set foot in Bumpton, darling.”
“You will turn away your own cousin?”
“I will turn away anyone who causes you to feel unsafe. Like I said, Thea . . .” Benedict broke his words up with a succession of kisses along my jaw. “I will always be here for you.”
Epilogue
THEA
Lady Edith glowed with palpable pride, her smile a lit candle, beaming ceaselessly. The wedding was over and we stood in the courtyard at Chelton, admiring the tables laden with food and drink and the various friends and neighbors milling about.
“Is it safe to assume you never thought this would happen?” I asked, looking over her shoulder where Benedict stood with James.
“I think it is safe to assume even you did not believe it possible,” Lady Edith said. “Though I am ever so glad to be surprised in this case.” She reached for my hand and squeezed my fingers affectionately.
I sipped from my lemonade glass and scanned the occupants of the courtyard, glad to find Lord Claverley’s ruddy face absent. It had been a spot of unease for Lady Edith to agree to withhold the earl’s invitation, but in the end Benedict had remained firm, and his mother relented.
“If I’d known you would be happy with Benedict, I would not have worried so deeply about finding you a match in Town.” She sipped her lemonade and looked at me over the rim. “In fact, at one point I did wonder if I could contrive a match between you and Henry, but your personalities are so different that I did not think you would suit one another.”
I lifted an eyebrow and each of us sought Henry out. Unsurprisingly, he was missing.
