Page 14
Story: An Improbable Scheme (Courting the Unconventional #1)
Niles offered Elsbeth an apologetic look. “You will have to excuse my sister. She is always looking for an opportunity to challenge me.”
“I did bag more pheasants last time we went,” Eugenie reminded him.
“That was pure luck,” Niles countered.
Eugenie leaned closer to Elsbeth, shielding her mouth with her hand as if sharing a secret. “I should warn you, Niles is a dreadfully sore loser. Truly unbearable.”
“Don’t listen to her,” Niles said, looking heavenward. “She is an insufferable gloater.”
Elsbeth found the whole conversation to be rather amusing. And, despite it all, the thought of spending time with Niles while they engaged in pheasant hunting seemed rather enjoyable.
Niles sat in the darkened coach as it rumbled along the short journey to Lady Elsbeth’s manor. She had invited them to dinner, hoping to navigate the difficult situation with her cousin. He couldn’t blame her. Being offered marriage by one’s own cousin was a predicament no one deserved.
The silence inside the coach was broken by Eugenie’s soft, worried voice. “I’m concerned about Aunt Margaret. She wasn’t feeling well enough to accompany us this evening.”
“I wouldn’t give it much heed,” Niles replied evenly, though he understood his sister’s anxiety.
“Perhaps we should fetch the doctor,” she suggested, her concern etched across her delicate features.
Niles shook his head. “Let’s not overreact, Eugenie.”
Her hands fidgeted with the ribbon on her gown. “I can’t help it,” she admitted. “It started this way with Mother and Father. They were unwell, and it only got worse and worse until...” Her voice faltered, trailing into silence. “Until they died.”
His heart clenched at the pain in her words. He reached out, covering her hands with his own. “It’s not the same, Eugenie,” he said gently. “Aunt Margaret isn’t going anywhere. She’ll live a long life.”
“That’s what was supposed to happen with Mother and Father,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “What if she doesn’t? What will we do then?”
Niles leaned closer. “No matter what happens, you’ll always have me.”
Her gaze met his, searching for reassurance. “And what happens when you marry?”
He gave her a pointed look. “That’s not likely to happen anytime soon. ”
Eugenie’s lips quirked into a faint smile. “I think it’ll happen sooner than you think.”
Leaning back in his seat, Niles said firmly, “Regardless, you don’t need to worry about your future. I’ll always take care of you.”
“Thank you, Brother.”
The coach came to a halt in front of the Stockton estate. Niles stepped out without waiting for the footman, turning to offer his hand to Eugenie. She took it gracefully, stepping onto the gravel path with practiced ease.
As they approached the manor, the heavy door swung open, revealing the butler. The entry hall glowed warmly, and Elsbeth stood waiting just inside. Relief softened her features as her eyes landed on them.
“Thank you for coming,” she said, her voice carrying a hint of gratitude.
“There’s no place I’d rather be,” Niles responded sincerely.
Elsbeth’s lips twitched with amusement. “I can think of several places I’d rather be than having dinner with a cousin who’s proposed to me.”
He chuckled. “Fair point.”
Turning to Eugenie, Elsbeth added, “You look lovely this evening.”
Eugenie smoothed down her pale blue gown. “Thank you. I see you’ve changed your gown.”
Elsbeth’s hand instinctively went to her sleeve, where a bandage peeked out from beneath the fabric. “Yes. I told my mother about my fall from the horse. There was no need to keep it hidden anymore. And, quite frankly, that gown was awful.”
“How did she take the news?” Eugenie asked.
Elsbeth sighed, a trace of exasperation in her voice. “She’s forbidden me from riding for the foreseeable future. She thinks I take too many risks. ”
Eugenie nodded sympathetically. “Perhaps that’s for the best.”
Elsbeth managed a small smile. “Come, let me introduce you to my cousin, Lord Bedford.”
As they entered the drawing room, Eugenie came to an abrupt halt. Niles, distracted by her sudden pause, nearly ran into the back of her.
“What is it?” he asked, glancing at her curiously.
Eugenie’s gaze was fixed on a tall, dark-haired man standing near the hearth. Her expression was a mixture of surprise and unease.
“Charles,” Elsbeth said, motioning towards the man. “Allow me to introduce you to Lady Eugenie and Lord Westcott.”
The man’s eyes widened as he stared at Eugenie. “You.”
Elsbeth looked between them in confusion. “Are you two already acquainted?”
Eugenie’s cheeks turned pink as she stammered, “No! Not... not formally.”
Charles pressed his lips together. “We may not have been formally introduced, but we’ve met before.”
Eugenie waved her hand dismissively. “It was merely in passing. Hardly worth mentioning.”
“I recall it rather differently,” Charles said.
“You’re mistaken,” Eugenie said quickly, her voice rising slightly. “Has the dinner bell rung yet? I’m positively famished.”
Niles raised an eyebrow, noting his sister’s uncharacteristic fluster. There was clearly more to this story, and he intended to get to the bottom of it later.
Before anyone could speak further, Lady Isabella and Mr. Stockton entered the room. Lady Isabella smiled warmly. “I was just informed that dinner is ready to be served.”
“Wonderful!” Eugenie exclaimed, spinning on her heel and walking briskly towards the dining room.
Niles exchanged a glance with Elsbeth, who seemed just as intrigued by Eugenie’s odd behavior. He was about to offer his arm to Elsbeth when Lord Bedford stepped forward.
“Allow me to escort you to the dining room,” Lord Bedford said, extending his arm.
She hesitated before placing her hand lightly on his arm. “Thank you, Cousin.”
“Charles,” he corrected gently.
Elsbeth pressed her lips into a thin line, clearly biting back a response. “Of course,” she murmured.
Niles trailed behind them as they made their way to the dining room. He told himself that it didn’t matter that Elsbeth wasn’t on his arm. But it did. He found the situation irksome, though he couldn’t quite say why.
The dining room was bright and warm, the long table set with flickering candles. Niles moved to sit beside Eugenie, directly across from Elsbeth.
Lady Isabella, seated at one end of the table, smiled graciously. “We are so thankful to have everyone with us this evening.”
“Quite right,” Mr. Stockton agreed from the other side of the table, raising his glass in a toast.
“Thank you for inviting us,” Eugenie said politely.
“It is a shame that Margaret was not feeling up to joining us this evening,” Lady Isabella remarked.
“Indeed,” Eugenie replied. Her gaze darted towards Lord Bedford, but she quickly dropped her eyes to her plate as the footmen began placing bowls of soup in front of the guests.
Niles picked up his spoon, hoping to enjoy the meal in relative silence, but that hope was short-lived.
Lady Isabella turned towards Niles with a bright expression. “I understand that you will be partnering with Elsbeth for pheasant shooting.”
He inclined his head. “I do believe that is what we decided. ”
Eugenie interjected, her tone a little too eager. “It might be best if I partnered with Lady Elsbeth instead.”
Niles arched an eyebrow, sensing there was more to her suggestion than she let on. “And why would that be?”
With a tight, guarded smile, Eugenie said, “We could make it a competition. Women versus men. Wouldn’t that be grand?”
Lady Isabella didn’t quite look convinced. “I do think the men would have an unfair advantage.”
Before anyone else could comment, Lord Bedford chimed in. “I say we keep the partnerships as they are. I’m quite looking forward to shooting with Lady Eugenie.”
Eugenie opened her mouth, likely to argue, but let out a resigned sigh instead. “I suppose they can remain as they are.”
“Wonderful,” Lady Isabella stated. “But I do not want my daughter handling a rifle, not with the injury on her arm.”
Lord Bedford turned to Elsbeth with a reproachful look. “You should be more careful when riding.”
Elsbeth sat straighter in her chair, her tone defensive. “I am quite proficient at riding a horse. It was merely an unfortunate accident.”
“Like the time you stood on the back of a horse?” Lord Bedford teased.
Lady Isabella gasped, her hand flying to her chest. “You did what?”
Elsbeth shot her cousin an exasperated look. “It was hardly my fault,” she insisted. “Charles bet me a guinea that I couldn’t do it.”
“You could have broken your neck!” Lady Isabella exclaimed.
“But I didn’t,” Elsbeth replied, lifting her chin defiantly. “And besides, I was only ten at the time.”
Lady Isabella frowned. “That doesn’t make it any better.”
A rueful grin spread across Lord Bedford’s lips. “I tried to warn her, Aunt Isabella, but she wouldn’t listen. ”
“You did no such thing,” Elsbeth huffed. “If anything, you were encouraging me the entire time.”
Lord Bedford feigned an innocent expression. “I do not recall that.”
Elsbeth rolled her eyes. “How convenient.”
The playful exchange dissipated into a brief but heavy silence around the table. Niles, sensing an opportunity to shift the focus of the conversation, decided to direct his attention to Mr. Stockton.
Clearing his throat, he met the man’s gaze. “I understand you own a fleet of merchant ships, Mr. Stockton.”
Mr. Stockton nodded. “That is correct.”
“Has the war affected your business dealings?” Niles inquired.
The man’s face grew solemn as he considered the question. “I’m afraid the war has forced me to adapt my methods significantly.”
“In what way?” Niles pressed.
Mr. Stockton opened his mouth to answer but hesitated, his gaze flicking towards his wife.
Lady Isabella gave him a warning glance.
He let out a soft sigh. “I suspect my wife would rather we refrain from discussing business tonight. Perhaps we could continue this conversation later, over a glass of port.”
“I would appreciate that.”
The footmen moved with practiced precision, stepping forward to clear away the soup bowls and replacing them with plates for the next course. As Niles reached for his glass, he noticed Elsbeth watching him from across the table. Their eyes met and he winked at her.
Her eyes widened slightly before she quickly averted her gaze, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. She picked up her fork and focused on the plate before her, refusing to look his way again.
Why had he done such a thing? Flirting with Elsbeth was entirely inappropriate. And yet, he couldn’t seem to help himself. There was something captivating about her, something that drew him in despite his better judgment.
As beautiful and intriguing as she was, there could be no future for them. He was certain of that.
Niles tore his gaze away from Elsbeth and focused on his plate, determined to push his thoughts aside. But the question lingered in the back of his mind: why had he agreed to help her in the first place?
Table of Contents
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- Page 14 (Reading here)
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