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As Hester hurried towards the garden with Miss Cooper in tow, she thought that she should perhaps have prepared a note with safe topics for Percy Eavesgrave and herself to talk about. Topics that would enable her to get a sense of what he wished for in life – without being too prodding. Because of course, she could ask him questions of what he wanted, they would just be noisy and perhaps impolite when asked of someone who hardly knew you.
Percy Eavesgrave was waiting outside the boot room, impeccably dressed in a burgundy jacket, white pantaloons, and thin city shoes. A tall black hat was resting on his blonde curls. She looked down at her dark green coat and brown, woolen skirt, the tips of her sturdy boots peeking out from underneath. They had clearly not dressed for the same walk. She immediately abandoned her idea of going on a walk in the forest and instead decided to take him on a small stroll in the park. If they stayed on the higher part of it and did not approach the lake, his shoes would not be soaked.
“The weather is fine,” Hester stated, and they both looked towards the sky. It was gray, but not raining. But the weather was always a safe topic, Hester had been told. She desperately wished that she had prepared better and not simply agreed when Sophia had suggested that she go on a walk with Percy Eavesgrave on the first day of the house party.
“If you like October, I suppose,” Percy Eavesgrave drawled beside her as they started to walk.
“And you don’t?” Hester queried. She had never thought to prefer one month over another. All months came with both good and less pleasant occurrences in terms of weather and events. The winter did not provide as much opportunity to go birdwatching, but then she had able time to read and write. And the entire family would usually meet for at least a couple of weeks for Christmas, if not longer. The quiet that followed after all of her nieces and nephews had left was actually pleasant for a while. Then the preparations for the Season began. And the Season itself. Although she did not particularly enjoy the Season, she enjoyed all of her siblings and Sophia being in the city and within easy reach. It was much better than having them stay for an extended period in the same house. Then summer came and they would usually head back into the country, which meant that she could enjoy several months of good weather and birdwatching. Autumn was always tricky, but usually in September and October, she would be able to go birdwatching as well on fine days, and on the ones that she could not, she could write on her thesis. No, there was no month or season that she preferred over another.
“Nothing much happens in October, does there?” Percy Eavesgrave asked. He paused just long enough for Hester to consider, whether it had been a rhetorical question or not. “Many people are away from the city; the weather is poorly... I wish I had the funds to travel.”
This was news to Hester. She had never heard him speak of traveling before. Nor his funds. Although she was curious to learn more about his income – did his brother provide for him, or did he have an income of his own somehow? She knew that it was not a safe topic to discuss though. Since her father had approved of him being invited, she had to assume that he had a way of earning money on his own. Hence, they would have to stick to the topic of traveling, which was quite fine by Hester.
“Where would you travel then?” she asked.
They had reached a part of the garden, where they were not as visible from the house, and Hester felt her shoulders relax a bit. Courting in public was straining, she was already learning.
“France, Italy,” Percy Eavesgrave said with his usual drawl and shrugged at the same time as if it did not matter to him. Hester had to wonder which hidden depths Sophia knew about that she did not.
Hester had never felt any desire to travel. The world was confusing enough as it was without adding elements such as foreign languages, different cultures, and customs. Although it would be fascinating to visit the places in Southern Europe, perhaps even Africa, that birds migrated to.
“What would you do there?” she asked.
Percy Eavesgrave sent her a smile that Hester felt should tell her a lot, but since she was much better with words than expressions, she was not certain how to interpret it. Perhaps he sensed that she did not understand, perhaps he had been meaning to elaborate all along.
“Sleep in, eat good food, drink excellent wine, bathe in the ocean...” he started waxing.
Hester noticed how the path had become wetter here and had them turn right onto a path that led to the inner courtyard. They would be visible from many of the windows of the estate, but it would be drier there and Percy Eavesgrave would not risk ruining his shoes.
“My brother-in-law Edmund Winterbottom stayed in Italy for almost a year before marrying my sister Lucy. He lived on a large estate and learned about agriculture, draining systems in particular,” Hester blurted because she had no response to the hedonistic life that he seemed to want to live.
“Yes, well, I do not need to know about drainage systems, do I, Lady Hester? Since I do not have fields to drain,” Percy Eavesgrave said drily. He was annoyed with what she had said, although she was not certain why.
“No, I would suppose not,” Hester only said, her mind racing with why Sophia thought them compatible. Why had Percy Eavesgrave even agreed to come? He had never seemed interested in her beyond polite curiosity. Perhaps he did simply want her dowry.
“I beg your pardon, Lady Hester.” Percy Eavesgrave then sighed and drew her to a halt. They had reached the center of the courtyard and Hester was aware that if anyone was looking out the window at this moment, they would be able to see them. Luckily, Miss Cooper was standing close by, and all proprieties would be kept up. “I was too curt with you just now. It’s just...” He looked over her shoulder into the distance for a moment. “It is not easy being the second son.”
Hester opened her mouth, knowing that such honesty was rare and that whatever words she offered him should be heartfelt.
“Yes, I believe my brother Archie feels the same at times,” she confided in him cautiously.
Was this what Sophia had talked about when she mentioned hidden depths? Hester had certainly never expected Percy Eavesgrave to be one to wish to care for an entire estate.
“I could imagine that he does,” Percy Eavesgrave laughed with a sigh and started walking again, offering her his arm as he did so. Hester cautiously took it. “It is not that I envy my brother. The responsibility is enormous; I can see it in him already. He is already looking several years older than me.” The last was said with an easy grin in her direction.
Hester only frowned at his statement as she tried to picture Lord Lambourn’s face and discern whether it was actually true. She would have to look closely at dinner tonight, although not too close to make the earl uncomfortable.
“Why haven’t you pursued a career then? My brother Gregory is a doctor and I honestly think that he is much happier with his choice than Archie is with the estate our father has signed over to him,” she stated and only afterward thought that it was perhaps rather personal details to be sharing about her brothers. One thing was to share personal details about yourself, an entirely different matter was sharing them about someone else, she had learned.
“I have never been as good at anything as my brother has,” Percy Eavesgrave answered honestly. They reached the path that led to the rest of the garden, and Hester would have led them out of the courtyard, but Percy Eavesgrave gently, but firmly, directed her to take another lap of the courtyard. Perhaps he too had sensed the muddy conditions of the other paths and did not wish to ruin his shoes. Hester briefly looked down at them; they seemed intact. “Our grandfather has always known that Lambourn would make an excellent earl when the time came.”
Hester frowned but did not comment. Why did he keep turning her questions around to talk about his brother?
“But you could still pursue a career,” she stated again. “You are not too old to do so.”
“Why, thank you, Lady Hester,” Percy Eavesgrave drawled and from his tone of voice, Hester recognized that he was not actually grateful.
“Did I offend you, my lord? If so, I beg your pardon,” she quickly stated.
Percy Eavesgrave huffed shortly with laughter, then shrugged as if letting the topic go. Hester raked her brain for another topic that was safe to discuss. Traffic was always a great option as well, even though it had been several hours since Percy Eavesgrave had arrived.
“How was the state of the roads? I am not sure that I asked you when you arrived.”
“The state of the roads is fine, thank you. My brother has a very comfortable traveling coach.”
“I suppose it must be necessary for an earl when he wants to visit his estate,” Hester stated.
“You have never visited, have you, Lady Hester?” Percy Eavesgrave asked.
Hester shook her head. Sophia had invited her a couple of times before she married Addinggrove, but Hester had declined since she could not face several weeks with Lord Flint Eavesgrave as he had been at the time. She would constantly have to watch what she said in order not to offend him, which she knew would leave her so drained that she would be a poor guest to both Sophia and her grandparents.
“It’s a shame. There are quite a few old woods around the estate. I should think that they would make for excellent birdwatching.”
“Was that where you went birdwatching, my lord?” she asked.
“Ha!” Percy Eavesgrave exclaimed again. “No, I was a lazy child. I only watched birds from my bedroom window.”
“Oh, me too!” Hester exclaimed. “There is a large chestnut tree just below the nursery window. In the summer, there are plenty of birds. In fact, I showed the tree to your nephew only a couple of hours ago. He even chose my old bed, although I am not certain that it has anything to do with the tree...” She let her voice trail off as she realized she was babbling.
Percy Eavesgrave gave her an easy smile. He reminded her an awfully lot of Archie and Hester thought of what she would have told Archie if he had confided his insecurities in her. Which he never had. Hester briefly hoped that he had someone in his life that he could confide them in. Gregory perhaps?
“I’m sorry I offended you with the not-too-old comment, but I meant it: You still have plenty of time to create a career for yourself. And I believe that it would be good for you,” she added.
Percy Eavesgrave drew her to a stop again. They were close to the library windows and Hester wanted to make certain that no one was in the room and could see them, but also knew that it would be impolite to look away.
“Thank you, I appreciate your thoughts,” he stated and gently brushed the backside of his fingers down her cheek.
Hester was uncertain how to react to this. She did not particularly like people touching her, but also did not want to upset Percy Eavesgrave by stepping away from him. Yet she had the distinct feeling that there was nothing behind his gesture. She frowned and quickly turned around to lead him out of the courtyard and end their walk. She was certainly no closer to finding him a suitable candidate for a husband, despite what Sophia believed.