Page 15 of The Viscount’s Forgery (Bluestocking Book Club #4)

T he tears in Eugenia’s eyes made it difficult for her to see clearly.

“I am astonished that he would think to speak to you in such a manner!” Lady Isobella said, one arm around Eugenia’s shoulders. “I have heard nothing but good things as regards Lord Suffolk’s character and never once has anyone mentioned his sharp way of speaking!”

Eugenia pressed her handkerchief to her cheeks, a little exasperated with herself for responding with such upset.

She ought not to have let herself respond in such a way.

She should have gathered herself and shown him that such ill words did not affect her in the least, but instead she had done quite the opposite.

She had gasped aloud at his remark about her being a bluestocking and, when he had turned sharply, had done the very same, albeit in the opposite direction.

The tears had come quickly thereafter, and she was struggling now to keep them back.

“You have every right to be upset,” Lady Isobella told her. “That was nothing more than insulting.”

“It was.” Eugenia took in a breath and then let it out slowly before drawing in another.

Setting her shoulders, she pressed her handkerchief to her eyes again, relieved when no more tears fell from her eyes.

Her gaze lifted and, much to her astonishment, she saw Lord Suffolk standing only a short distance away.

He made no attempt to approach her but only stood, looking at her.

To her surprise, his face appeared to be rather pale, with no determined look upon his face as she might have expected.

Was he going to come closer to her? Would he say something more?

If it was to be an insult, then Eugenia certainly did not want to hear it!

As she watched, Lord Suffolk lowered his head and pushed one hand through his hair, only for Lord Bothwell to approach him.

Lady Isobella was still saying something to her but Eugenia barely paid any attention, her gaze fixed on Lord Bothwell and Lord Suffolk.

Lord Bothwell said something, but Lord Suffolk turned away, walking hastily away from his friend and, to Eugenia’s eyes, intending to leave the picnic entirely.

“He is gone,” she murmured aloud, as Lady Isobella lifted her gaze to look in the same direction. “Lord Suffolk. He was there again, looking over at us but now, he has departed.”

Lady Isobella snorted. “Mayhap he had another insult he wanted to throw in our direction,” she said, as Eugenia frowned.

“I am, as I have said, truly astonished at his manner towards you. Indeed, I would never have suggested speaking with him and offering your aid had I known that he would respond so.”

“It is not your fault in any way,” Eugenia said, putting her handkerchief away. “I think… ” Considering, she tipped her head one way, watching Lord Bothwell as he gazed after his friend. “I think I shall go and speak with Lord Bothwell.”

Lady Isobella’s eyes widened in surprise, but she said nothing, only taking Eugenia’s arm and falling into step with her. Her heart beating a little faster, Eugenia schooled her features into an outward expression of calm, trying to smile as she approached Lord Bothwell.

“Good afternoon,” she said as he turned to face her, a look of confusion quickly melting away. “I hope you are enjoying the picnic thus far, Lord Bothwell. Is Lord Suffolk returning to join us?”

Lord Bothwell blinked, then looked away. “I – I could not say, Miss Sherwood,” he said, darting a glance back towards her. “He is a little upset, I fear.”

“Upset?”

The gentleman nodded slowly, looking back over his shoulder. “Yes, although he did not explain why. He said only that it was all his own fault and then walked away, so I am afraid I could not tell you with any certainty whether or not he will return. My suspicion is, he will not.”

With a look towards Lady Isobella, Eugenia spread out her hands. “It is not your fault, Lord Bothwell. Please, do come and enjoy the rest of the picnic. I am sure that there will be some present who are very eager indeed for your company.”

This made Lord Bothwell smile, and without another word, he made his way from their company and strode back in the direction of her sister. Eugenia watched him carefully, then looked again at Lady Isobella. “Might it be that Lord Suffolk regrets speaking to me in the way he did?”

“It may well be,” Lady Isobella agreed, “but you must be careful, Eugenia. It seems to me that he thinks poorly of bluestockings, given how he spoke to you. So many gentlemen keep their opinions to themselves and say very little, whereas in this instance, what he felt in his heart has come out of his mouth.”

Eugenia’s lips twisted as she considered her friend’s advice.

There was every reason to accept that, she supposed, but something within her wanted to deny it.

It was not as if she had been very dear friends with Lord Suffolk and certainly not that there had been any interest between them but yet, despite that, Eugenia’s heart still ached terribly.

To have received such an insult from someone she had trusted, someone she had thought well of, had been an injury she had not anticipated, and mayhap that was why it pained her so greatly.

“I will be careful,” she promised, as Lady Isobella continued to gaze at her with concern.

“At least now I know that he does not want my help, so I need not think of his paintings again.”

“That is true, I suppose,” Lady Isobella said, in a quiet, gentle tone which spoke of concern to Eugenia’s heart. “Will you be able to put it out of your mind so easily?”

“I must,” Eugenia said, with a lift of her chin and a toss of her head.

“From now on, there is nothing more to think of or speak of when it comes to Lord Suffolk. The matter is at an end and I can move on to something else entirely now.” She offered her friend a small, wry smile.

“Mayhap I shall have to concentrate on finding myself a suitable match after all.”

This made Lady Isobella laugh, slipping her arm through Eugenia’s, obviously aware of Eugenia’s light-hearted manner.

“I am sure you would be able to find yourself a suitable match if you set your mind to it,” she agreed, walking back towards the picnic.

“But I do not think that, as yet, you are particularly focused on such a thing.”

“I have not been,” Eugenia agreed, catching sight of Lord Bothwell and Polly speaking together.

“My sister’s happiness – or unhappiness, as it may be – must be decided first, but that does not mean I cannot consider, does it?

It does not mean that I cannot walk about London and take note of which gentlemen might be worth pursuing a connection with, does it? ”

“Indeed not,” Lady Isobella said, with a warm smile. “I am sure there will be many gentlemen worthy of your consideration, Eugenia.”

As her friend continued to chatter, Eugenia found her thoughts returning to Lord Suffolk, even though she very much wished they would not.

She did not want to think of him, did not want to let her thoughts settle upon him any longer, but try as she might, she could not remove his face from her mind’s eye.

Over and over, she saw his pale face turned towards her, his green eyes gazing back at her as they stood at a distance.

What had been on his mind at that moment?

Had he wanted to apologize? Would he do so?

And why, Eugenia wondered, was she permitting her thoughts to linger on him for so long?

“There you are.”

Eugenia looked up from her book as Polly came into the room, her head held high.

“Yes, I am here,” she answered her sister, wondering why it was that Polly had chosen to descend upon her now.

These last two weeks, Eugenia had seen very little of her, though that was not particularly unusual.

Polly had never been close with Eugenia, had made it more than apparent that she never wished to be, and thus, her sudden appearance and interest in Eugenia made her a little concerned.

“You have been speaking to Lord Suffolk.” Polly did not ask this, but instead made it a forceful statement, her chin lifting, her arms folding over her chest. “You have been speaking of me.”

“I – I have been speaking to Lord Suffolk, yes,” Eugenia agreed, putting the book to one side and hoping she had remembered to put a mark to where she had been reading. “He is closely acquainted with Lord Bothwell, from what I remember?”

“I know you have also been speaking with him on many an occasion,” Polly said, her arms still tight around her chest. “I want to know if you have been speaking of me.”

“To Lord Suffolk?” Eugenia asked, as Polly nodded, her eyes narrowing a fraction. “Why yes, I have been.”

Polly let out a long, slow breath and closed her eyes, her chest lifting and falling, sending Eugenia into a state of nervousness. She had meant only good in speaking to Lord Suffolk as she had done, but whether Polly would believe that, she did not know.

“Lord Bothwell spoke to me yesterday afternoon,” Polly said, opening her eyes and, to Eugenia’s surprise, a tear falling to her cheek. “He said that you spoke of my feelings and my affection for him to Lord Suffolk, in the hope that he would share that with Lord Bothwell.”

Eugenia, seeing that there was no way for her to refute this, only nodded, her fingers twisting together in her lap.

“You did not tell me that you were going to do such a thing.”

“No, I did not,” Eugenia answered. “I did not think to do so.”

“For fear that I would be angry with you, no doubt.” Polly’s hands fell to her sides as she let out a long breath. “I have been angry with you on many prior occasions, have I not?”

Eugenia did not answer this, wondering if there was a trap in the question.

“I have blamed you for things that were not your doing, I have held you accountable instead of standing in the place of responsibility,” Polly continued, as Eugenia’s fingers pressed even more tightly together, her lip catching on the edge of her teeth.

“And yet, for whatever reason, you have decided to show kindness to me. You have been considerate, wanting to see me restored to Lord Bothwell and, in doing so, choosing to speak to Lord Suffolk on my behalf.” She swallowed hard, another tear falling.

“Eugenia, I do not deserve such goodness from you.”

In that moment, Eugenia’s heart lost all concern, her eyes rounding as she took in her sister’s sorrowful expression. Polly was not about to be angry with her, then.

“I am sorry,” Polly continued, her voice dropping to a whisper, tears in her eyes. “I should never have blamed you for the ending of my engagement. I can see now that it was my own doing, but it was easier to throw it all upon you rather than hold it on my own shoulders.”

“Polly,” Eugenia said, getting to her feet and coming near to her sister, “I do not want you to think that I hold anything against you. I have seen the pain you have been suffering through it all.”

“And all the same, I shall take responsibility,” Polly said, a little hoarsely.

“Eugenia, I have been cruel to you. I have sought to put myself first and mocked you for your love of reading. I am sure I threatened to share your bluestocking ways with our parents, but I did not ever intend to shout that at them in the way I did.”

Recalling the moment that Polly had told their parents that Eugenia was a bluestocking – under Lord Bothwell’s roof, if she remembered correctly – Eugenia looked away.

“I was upset,” Polly whispered, fresh tears coming down her cheeks.

“I was confused and broken, and in that moment, I said something I did not mean and should never have said aloud.” She reached out one hand, and without hesitation, Eugenia took it, astonished at this change in her sister.

“I am so very grateful that you spoke to Lord Suffolk in the way you did. Lord Bothwell told me of it, and he has said how much he values my heart being faithful to him, even in amongst these difficulties.”

Eugenia’s heart rose with a fresh hope. “Does that mean, then, that you will be – ”

“I cannot say,” Polly interrupted, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. “He says he needs a little more time, but given the conversations we have had so far, I think I have a good deal more hope than before.”

Eugenia squeezed her hand. “That is wonderful, Polly!”

“I am sure it is thanks to you,” Polly said, releasing Eugenia hand but reaching to embrace her instead.

“I am truly sorry, Eugenia. I want not only to be a better sister but a kinder soul. That means, I need to be a good deal more careful in all that I say. And,” she finished, pulling back and looking into Eugenia’s eyes, “I do not hold anything against you. If you are a bluestocking, then I think that is wonderful, truly.”

Tears came into Eugenia’s eyes as she looked at her sister, seeing her in a new light. “Thank you, Polly.”

“And might I permit the thought that you may have a connection with Lord Suffolk?”

This made Eugenia’s heart quicken, her eyes rounding as she quickly shook her head. “No, my dear sister. There is nothing there, I can assure you.”

“No?” Polly’s eyes held hers steadily. “Lord Bothwell seemed to think that there was an interest there on Lord Suffolk’s part.”

“That would surprise me a great deal,” Eugenia answered, with a light smile, ignoring the sudden rush of excitement that ran through her veins, not understanding why she would feel such a way. “Given how he spoke to me recently, I am quite sure I can say no, there is not.”

Polly stepped back, her lips pulling flat.

“Well, mayhap he too spoke out of turn, in a manner that he regrets, just as I have done,” she suggested, as Eugenia looked down at her hands.

“All the same, I do hope that you will be able to make a good match very soon, Eugenia. I think you deserve a happy future with a gentleman who will adore you for all that you are.”

“Thank you, Polly.”

Surprised at the ache in her throat, Eugenia returned to her seat, hoping her sister would not see her threatening tears.

Polly smiled and then quit the room, leaving Eugenia in silence, and with so many thoughts, it was difficult for her to comprehend even one.

Her heart, however, remained lifted high and happy, glad to have a new connection with her sister, one that she had always hoped for.

Everything that Polly said, Eugenia believed to be genuine, for she had never heard her sister speak in such a way before, had never seen her sorrowful and apologetic.

As for Lord Suffolk, however, Eugenia was quite uncertain about it all.

Would he apologise as Polly had done? Or was their acquaintance now completely at an end?