Page 13 of The Heiress in Disguise
“If I hear that you left this house and went elsewhere,” Aunt Wilhelmina said warningly, “there will be consequences for you, Ella.”
“I didn’t leave the property,” Angelique said wearily. “I was out at the stables.”
“And what were you doing there?”
“You told me to go there to help Peter, Aunt Wilhelmina.”
Aunt Wilhelmina wrinkled her nose. She liked Peter even less than she liked Molly. Peter had been Angelique’s father’s valet, but Aunt Wilhelmina so disliked having him around that she’d sent him to work in the stables so she wouldn’t have to see him.
“Well, I won’t have you spending your time with that stable hand,” Aunt Wilhelmina said. “I don’t need the gentleman next door to see you and become distracted from what heshouldbe focusing on—my Gwyneth.”
Gwyneth pouted. “Why would he become distracted, Mother?”
No one said anything, but Angelique knew what her aunt was thinking. Although they shared the same pale hair and blue eyes, Gwyneth’s facial features were narrow and sort of pinched. Angelique actually thought her cousin looked quite lovely when she relaxed, but relaxing was something Gwyneth rarely did, and meanwhile, they both knew Aunt Wilhelmina favored Angelique’s softer features and was jealous for her daughter.
No doubt she was worried that anyone who laid eyes on Angelique would feel that Gwyneth paled in comparison.
“The garland is good enough, Ella,” Aunt Wilhelmina said. “Go and fetch a tea tray. Count Benavente will be here shortly for a visit.”
Angelique’s heart sank. “Count Benavente?”
“Yes, that’s right. And you must make sure to bring us the tea yourself. Don’t send anyone else to do it in your place! You know how Count Benavente admires you. He’ll wish to see you.”
Angelique knew, all right. Count Benavente stared at her, as if she was a meal, every time he saw her. And unlike with most gentlemen, Aunt Wilhelmina did not mind at all that he seemed to find Angelique lovelier than either of her daughters. It often amused her to threaten to give Angelique in marriage to the count. Angelique didn’t think that would ever happen.
Her aunt valued her as a servant too much to give her to anyone at all. But she wouldn’t stop Count Benavente from staring or from making inappropriate comments about Angelique.
Angelique hurried from the room to get the tea together, trying not to think about the next few hours and the time she would be forced to spend in the count’s company.
Instead, she allowed her mind to wander back to Philip, the handsome stable hand from next door.
There had been something very familiar about him. She thought it might have been his teeth—she’d noticed when he smiled that the teeth at the very edges of his smile were pointed. Perhaps not classically handsome, but a feature that she had always liked when it had appeared on people in her life. She couldn’t help feeling as if she had seen that smile before in her life. But she couldn’t remember when, or with whom she ought to associate the memory.
It was probably nothing. She was sure thousands of men had teeth like that. But she couldn’t help hoping that she might have the chance to see Philip again, in spite of her aunt’s objections.
He had been so kind, and she had been pleased to meet him and excited about the fact that she might actually have a friend while she was here in London. Perhaps if she could find a way to seehim without ever interacting with the gentleman next door, Aunt Wilhelmina might find it in her heart to permit the friendship.
Then Angelique had to chuckle to herself. That idea presumed that her aunt even had a heart, and there was nothing in Angelique’s years of experience to suggest it was true. If Aunt Wilhelmina was capable of sentiment or empathy, she had certainly never shown those things to Angelique.
It would never have been an enduring friendship. After all, they were only going to be in London for a short time. Angelique would have to make her peace with the fact that she would likely never see the handsome man again.
Chapter 6
“You have a visitor, Lady Leicester,” the butler said, coming into the sitting room later that afternoon.
“Another one?” Aunt Wilhelmina asked, smiling coquettishly in a way that didn’t suit her at all. “Why, the count just left! Aren’t we popular today!”
“Who’s here?” Gwyneth asked.
“A servant from Lord Cambridge next door,” the butler said. “He’s come with some gifts from the Earl.”
“Lord Cambridge,” Aunt Wilhelmina repeated. “I hadn’t known his title until now. And he’s an earl, you say?”
“My understanding from his valet is that he wears multiple titles, but Cambridge is the one he seemed to wish to introduce himself with,” the butler said.
“Very well,” Aunt Wilhelmina said. “This sounds like it might be an enjoyable visit—we do like receiving gifts, don’t we, Gwyneth? Show him in.”
“Should I prepare more tea?” Angelique asked.
