Page 1 of A Spinster’s Folly (Courting the Unconventional #2)
L ady Eugenie Drayton found newlyweds to be utterly insufferable.
At present, she was trapped in a cramped coach across from her brother, Niles, Earl of Westcott, and his new wife, Elsbeth.
She had no means of escape, which meant she was forced to endure their endless exchanges of tender looks and whispered sentiments.
Lifting her book as a barrier between her and the couple, she hoped for some reprieve. Instead, it seemed to encourage them further. Elsbeth leaned in for another kiss. Eugenie groaned inwardly. Did they think she was invisible? She decided to test her theory and pinched her arm.
“Ouch,” she muttered under her breath.
Niles, glancing up, raised an eyebrow. “Why did you pinch yourself?”
“I was checking to see if I was invisible,” Eugenie retorted.
Niles tilted his head in confusion. “And why would you think that?”
Lowering her book, Eugenie fixed him with a dry stare. “ Because neither of you bother to acknowledge my presence. You’re carrying on as though I don’t exist.”
Elsbeth offered a contrite smile. “I’m sorry, Eugenie. We have been terrible company, haven’t we?”
“I don’t think so,” Niles interjected, sliding his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “In fact, I think it’s good for Eugenie to witness such a loving marriage. Isn’t that right, my love biscuit?”
Eugenie made a gagging noise. “I think I just threw up a little in my mouth,” she mocked.
Niles chuckled. “You are being overdramatic.”
“And you are being unbearable,” Eugenie countered. “Can you two please stop touching for two seconds? Is that even possible?”
Elsbeth removed Niles’s arm from her shoulders, her eyes holding compassion. “Eugenie has a fair point. We should be more mindful.”
“Should we?” Niles asked, leaning closer to his wife. “Perhaps we should go on another wedding tour. I rather enjoyed being alone with you.”
Eugenie rolled her eyes. It was like talking to a brick wall. Why did she even bother speaking up?
Quite frankly, she was happy for Niles and Elsbeth. Her brother had been so unhappy before he had met Elsbeth. But his wife had brought him alive in so many ways. Now he was the brother that she had always hoped would reemerge once more.
Turning towards the window, she decided to let Niles and Elsbeth have their moment.
It wouldn’t be long before they arrived at their townhouse in London.
She wasn’t particularly excited about the upcoming Season, but she enjoyed being in Town.
There was so much to participate in, including the circulating libraries. She could read to her heart’s content .
Niles’s voice broke through her thoughts. “We’re nearly there.”
“Thank you for stating the obvious,” Eugenie muttered, not bothering to look his way.
Elsbeth leaned forward. “Eugenie, is it true what Niles says about your family’s library? He speaks of it so fondly.”
Eugenie’s lips curved into a small smile as she met her sister-in-law’s gaze. “It’s true. Our father was an avid reader, like me. There are more books than one can count; many of them are rare first editions. It’s like having a collection of old friends at my fingertips.”
“That sounds enchanting,” Elsbeth replied. “Perhaps I’ll take up reading myself.”
Niles smirked. “Why?” he asked. “If you are looking for something to entertain yourself, I would be more than happy to offer my services.” He waggled his eyebrows.
“I know you would, but I want to take an interest in what Eugenie is doing,” Elsbeth said. “It is the duty of any good sister-in-law.”
“You don’t need to read—you are a countess,” Niles remarked, a playful edge in his voice.
Eugenie knew that her brother was goading her, but she couldn’t help but take the bait. “People who read are far more interesting than their counterparts who don’t,” she insisted. “Do you want a boring wife?”
Niles shook his head. “Elsbeth is far from boring. I find her the most intriguing person that I know.”
Elsbeth shifted in her seat to face her husband. “That is so sweet of you to say,” she murmured, leaning in for a kiss.
Good heavens! These two were incorrigible. Perhaps she was unrealistic about her expectations of them. They were young and in love.
Thankfully, the coach came to a halt in front of their townhouse. Eugenie wasted no time in stepping out and inhaling the crisp London air. She was home, and free from the cramped coach.
Elsbeth joined her, gazing up at the whitewashed facade. “What a beautiful home,” she remarked.
Niles reached for his wife’s hand. “I hope you love it,” he said. “It was redecorated by my mother shortly before she passed.”
“I am sure I will love it, then,” Elsbeth assured him.
“Come, let me introduce you to the household staff,” Niles said as he helped his wife up the townhouse steps.
Eugenie followed behind, feeling like an interloper in her own home. The main door opened and the tall, white-haired butler stood to the side to allow them entry.
“Welcome home, my lord,” Tanner greeted.
Niles came to a stop on the black-and-white marbled floor of the entry hall. “Tanner, this is my wife, the Countess of Westcott,” he shared proudly.
Tanner bowed, his movements stiff. “It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady. As requested, the main bedchamber has been prepared for your arrival.”
“Very good,” Niles said.
Eugenie headed towards the grand staircase. “I do believe I will take a nap now. Do try not to smother each other in the meantime.”
“Before you go,” Niles’s voice called out, halting Eugenie mid-step.
Drat. She had almost escaped.
Eugenie turned back, schooling her expression into one of reluctant patience. “Yes?”
“Bedford will be joining us for supper,” Niles informed her, a faintly smug smile tugging at his lips as though he anticipated her reaction.
Eugenie fought to suppress a grimace. Lord Bedford. Of course. “Wonderful,” she muttered. “Now I have something to look forward to.” Without waiting for a response, she spun on her heel and ascended the staircase.
Reaching the sanctuary of her bedchamber, she opened the door to find her lady’s maid, Alice, unpacking the last of her trunks.
Eugenie crossed the room and flopped unceremoniously onto the bed. “I don’t think I’m going to survive this Season,” she declared.
Alice laughed. “You’ll manage just fine, my lady. You always do.”
Rolling onto her side, Eugenie propped herself up on one elbow. “Did you manage to retrieve the newssheets?”
“I did.” Alice turned, wiping her hands on her apron. “There’s a lecture at Oxford tomorrow on the optics and principles of Newton, Plato, and Aristotle.”
Eugenie straightened. “When?”
“Tomorrow morning, in the great lecture hall,” Alice replied, her tone tempered with caution. “But it’s for gentlemen only.”
Eugenie’s excitement dimmed, replaced with a familiar frustration. “Of course it is,” she sighed. “Anything of intellectual value is always reserved for men.” She slumped back against the pillows. “Are there any lectures I can attend?”
“There are a few next week on religion and poetry,” Alice offered.
Eugenie groaned. “Poetry again? How dreadfully uninspired. Last time I attended a poetry lecture, the most thrilling moment was when I accidentally dropped a lozenge and watched it roll all the way to the front of the hall.”
Alice grinned. “I’m sure Lord Westcott wasn’t pleased.”
“No, but what could he do about it?” Eugenie pushed herself off the bed and moved towards her trunk. “Have you unpacked my trousers yet? ”
Alice’s smile faltered, replaced by a look of wary resignation. “No, but I fear I know where this is going.”
Eugenie crouched, rummaging through the trunk until she retrieved a pair of neatly folded trousers and a matching waistcoat. “If I dress the part of a gentleman, I can attend the lecture,” she declared, holding the garments aloft triumphantly. “I’ve done it once before.”
Alice’s expression darkened with concern. “What if you’re caught? You’d be ruined.”
“Then I won’t get caught,” Eugenie said, pulling out a cravat and jacket to complete the look. She laid the clothes out on the settee, her determination evident.
“My lady,” Alice began, her tone tinged with warning, “you were lucky last time. I wouldn’t tempt fate again.”
Eugenie waved off the concern with a dismissive hand. “Oxford is only a few hours away and my dear friend, Alexandra, lives nearby. I’ll simply tell Niles I’m going to visit her for the day. He’s so preoccupied with Elsbeth these days, he won’t even notice.”
The sharpness in her tone didn’t escape Alice, who softened instantly. “Your brother cares for you.”
“I know,” Eugenie admitted as she straightened the jacket. “But he’s understandably distracted right now.”
Alice hesitated before responding, “Even so, he’d want you to be safe.”
Eugenie nodded absently, her mind already spinning with plans for tomorrow. “I’ll be safe. It is just one lecture. No one will even give me heed.”
“I think this is foolish,” Alice said, her voice tinged with both concern and disapproval.
“Duly noted.” Eugenie crossed the room and dropped onto the bed. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for me to rest before dinner.”
Alice let out a soft sigh, clearly dissatisfied but knowing better than to argue further. She moved towards the window and drew the heavy drapes, plunging the room into darkness. “Perhaps a nap will help you realize that no amount of clever dressing could make anyone believe you’re a man.”
Eugenie laid her head onto the pillow and closed her eyes.
She understood Alice’s apprehension, but the truth was, she was tired.
Not just of the day’s journey or the constant charade of pleasantries expected of a lady of her standing, but of the stifling constraints that seemed to define her existence.
The endless whispers of what she could and couldn’t do. What she should and shouldn’t want.