Trouble With Wickham (21 page)

Lord Radcliffe shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“I detest sage.” he scowled.

“Me too,” Hugh added. “Here, Mamma, let me help you out with that,” he said, walking quickly to his mother and taking the recipe from her hands. He then strode deliberately to the hearth and tossed the paper in the fire.

The family was silent as they watched the recipe curl up and burn.

“I must confess I do not care much for Lady Catherine’s company,” Lady Radcliffe said, sighing.

“Me neither,” Guy agreed, then added, “Anne was tolerable, though.”

“Yes, Miss de Bourgh was no trouble,” Charlotte said, nodding.

“Quite pleasant,” Hugh admitted, avoiding his parents’ eyes.

Lady Radcliffe ruffled through the rest of her mail and her face brightened. “Look! A letter from the owner of the Meryton Millinery Shop, alerting me to the arrival of new fabrics and trim, and inviting me to a private showing! Of course I will accept,” Lady Radcliffe folded the letter happily. “One does not need to be acquainted with people of high rank, such as Lady Catherine, when one lives in the beautiful countryside of Hertfordshire with such warm, generous neighbors and shopkeepers nearby,” she smiled. “Come, let’s all go into the library and compose our necessary letters and post them immediately.”

Charlotte and Guy followed the elder Radcliffes out of the drawing room. Hugh, however, rose slowly from his seat and lagged behind his family, instead walking to the drawing room window to gaze outside, pondering the complications of a trip to Pemberley. He had not intended to give Lydia Wickham the wrong impression but, truth be told, he had noticed the forward way her eyes had lingered on him while sitting vigil. He had tried to convince himself that he was imagining her interest but the postscript confirmed his fears.

It might be tricky dousing her hopes while at the same time increasing his acquaintance with Miss Darcy. He did not want to further aggrieve a young widow yet he had sacrificed enough of his time to Lydia Wickham’s needs. It was Miss Darcy he wanted and if he had to firmly shut down Lydia Wickham then he was more than determined to do so.

His heart hardened when he thought of Lydia’s greedy, indolent nature. She would, no doubt, try to get him alone somehow, perhaps in her dowager cottage. No good could come from that to his reputation or his progress with Miss Darcy. There was only one way to deal with a predatory woman like Lydia, he chuckled softly

He knew exactly what he would do.

Hugh continued to stare out the window, gazing at the familiar trees and fountain. He watched the soft autumn wind picking off the leaves one by one, and thought that he had never felt luckier to be the future master of Bennington Park than he did at that moment, when he let his hopes soar enough to imagine a life with Miss Georgiana Darcy at his side, and their children running on the lawn in front of him.

In his mind, Monday could not come soon enough.

Follow the further adventures of Charlotte, Guy, Hugh and Georgiana in
Trouble at Pemberley
, coming soon!