Page 72 of Pleasantly Pursued

“My decision has been made, but it will depend upon the owners, of course.”

Henry gave a faint smile. “I did wonder about that. I think Bumpton will suit you, if all goes according to plan.”

“Yes. We shall see what the owners say.” I hid my surprise and walked away from my brother, leaving him to return to his private correspondence. There was a quirk in my brow, though, when I left him. For the house I had settled on hadn’t been Bumpton at all.

* * *

Dinner that evening was taken up with chatter about the impending Season, now closer than any of us had originally planned. With the extra stop on the way to Town to see to Thea’s business in Bath, we would be later to London than we had thought, but because of that same stop, we were now leaving Chelton sooner than Mother felt prepared for. Mother feared sending us off before she could bestow every bit of advice on Felicity that she believed the young chaperone needed, and she took charge of the conversation at dinner to continue her teaching.

“As much as you will hate to do so, it is best to listen to a bit of the gossip, for then you will know which gentlemen to avoid producing introductions for.”

Felicity nodded. “I am certain I can call upon my mother’s expertise to keep me informed regarding who is fit and who is not for Thea’s company.”

“And me?” Thea asked, lowering her knife and fork. “Can I be depended upon to make the same decisions?”

“This is why you have a chaperone, dear,” Mother said lightly, “to help you make these decisions.”

It was not lost on the majority of the occupants at the table that Felicity and Thea were very nearly the same age. The nearly two years that separated them did not make Felicity aged with wisdom in this regard, which she clearly agreed on, if her raised eyebrows at James were any clue.

“Men might seek introductions with you, Felicity,” Mother continued. “But you needn’t present any of them to Thea if they do not appear fitting acquaintances.”

Felicity nodded dutifully. Her hand crossed over the top of the table and took James’s.

“We will do everything in our power to find Thea a decent match,” James said. “She will have me, Henry, and Benedict watching out for her.”

Mother looked to me. “Is that so?”

“Of course. I want nothing more than to see Thea happily settled.” With me, of course, in a lovely estate set on a hill. But I left that off for now.

“And Henry?” Mother asked, looking to her middle son.

“Will be far too busy browsing Hatchards and admiring the Elgin marbles to be of much use to us, I think,” Thea finished.

Henry smiled, a rare one that stretched from one side of his face to the other. “If that comes to be, then I will not be sad in the least.”

Dinner ended and we all filed into the drawing room for a bit of music. Thea took to the piano, playing perfectly as Mother crossed the room to stop by my side. “You might take a look while you are in London as well, Benedict.”

I watched Thea play softly, the sweet melody filling the room. “I will marry when I am ready.”

“But you will attend the dances and the parties?”

“I plan to.”

“Good.” She seemed to hesitate. “I worried about you and Thea bickering all the while, making it impossible for anyone to feel any peace, but you have both acted very reserved in regard to one another. I appreciate the maturity you’ve shown.”

My jaw tightened. “We agreed to put our ill feelings behind us and be cordial with one another. A truce, of sorts.”

“It has served us all well,” Mother said, placing her hand on my arm and squeezing it affectionately.

I nodded to her and returned my attention to the music. Once she’d left me alone, I crossed the room with marked slowness, hoping not to gather too much attention. Felicity and James sat at the card table, a game of draughts between them, and Henry sat on the sofa beside Mother with a book that he likely could not see very well in the waning light.

Thea did not cease playing, even as I approached. I leaned my back against the pianoforte, facing her slightly, my arms crossed lazily over my chest. “You know, it has come to my attention recently that we are impressing the members of my family with our good natures and lack of bickering.”

“Was no one at breakfast yesterday when we argued over the merits of jam or honey on toast?”

Mother certainly was not. That was beside the point. “But that was good natured bickering, Thea. It does not distress either of us.”

“Speak for yourself. I was extremely distressed when my honey was so viciously slandered.”

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