The Trouble With Honor (The Cabot Sisters #1)

George had seemed rather disconcerted by it. He had taken her hand and held it tightly in his, looking at her with concern and affection. Honor had never seen him so uncertain. “Will you be all right?” she’d asked him.

“Me?” He’d said it as if she somehow had it wrong, that she should be the one who was disconcerted. “Yes!” he’d said, flustered. “But I...” He’d groaned, closed his eyes a moment then opened them, looking at her intently. “Honor, heed me. This cannot happen again. That is to say, we can’t—”

She’d smiled, kissed him before he could tell her it was impossible again. “Calm yourself, Easton,” she’d said quietly.

He’d pressed his lips together and nodded. And then he’d gathered her in his arms one last time, held her tightly as he kissed the top of her head, her neck, her cheek, before letting her go. “You astound me,” he’d said. “In so many ways, you astound me.”

She didn’t know why.

“I will fix things, Honor,” he’d said to her, her hands clasped tightly in his. “I won’t allow them to force you into a marriage you don’t want.”

She appreciated the sentiment, but it wasn’t possible for him to stop a marriage. Unless he—

She swallowed down that impossible, fantastical thought and carried on.

At Beckington House, Honor managed to slip upstairs to her rooms, unnoticed except by Hardy, who scarcely noticed her at all, as he seemed a bit distracted. Later, when Grace came knocking on her door, Honor understood why he’d seemed so.

“Where have you been?” Grace asked, glancing down the hall before shutting Honor’s door.

“Walking,” Honor said with a shrug she hoped didn’t look too suspicious. She removed her bonnet and set it aside.

Grace shook her head and studied the palm of her hand for a moment.

“What is it?” Honor asked.

“I’ve had a letter from Cousin Beatrice. She is in Bath and writes that she would welcome my visit at any time.”

Honor patted Grace’s hand. “We hardly have time for a trip to Bath, what with all the weddings on the horizon,” she said, gesturing to herself.

“I don’t mean you are to go, Honor. I mean to go alone.”

Grace sounded the same as she always did, but she looked different somehow, Honor thought. Resolved. When she realized it, a shot of panic jolted Honor. “No,” she said instantly. “Grace, you can’t desert me!”

“I’m not deserting you,” Grace said, and took Honor’s hand between both of hers. “Come now, we are agreed that we must do something. First, I owe you an apology for laying the blame for our predicament at your door. I was so very frustrated that afternoon, but God knows I am aware how hard you’ve tried, Honor. I am going to Bath because Lord Amherst is there. He’s shown a particular fondness for me. You know he has. I mean to secure an offer—”

“Are you mad?” Honor demanded, yanking her hand free from Grace. “You scarcely know him! You have no affection for him.”

“Frankly, I am quite sane and apparently the only practical one in this room! It is true, I have no deep affection for him, but I do rather enjoy his company. What else is required? He’s not a vicar, he’s a titled man of means. At the very least, I shan’t be forced to live in some cottage in the country.”

Honor couldn’t abide it. “It’s not what you want!”

Grace laughed sourly. “Pray, what do I want, Honor? Please tell me what it is, for God knows I can’t name it. I haven’t given the slightest thought to what I really want.” She shook her head as if she found that mystifying.

Honor groaned with misery and laid her head on Grace’s shoulder. “When are you leaving?”

“At week’s end.”

“So soon!”

“Lady Chatham is to Bath to take the waters, and I...I invited myself along. I’ve waited long enough,” Grace said firmly. “Now then, what have you done to your hair?”

Honor sat up with a start. She put her hand to it. “A pin fell from it while I was walking,” she said, and stood up, moving away from Grace to her vanity, before her sister could examine her hair more closely. She quickly pulled it down and picked up her brush.

Grace stood and moved to the door. “I’ll send Hannah around to help you repair it. You’ve not much time, you know. We’re to meet the charming Mr. Cleburne in an hour.”

When she was alone, Honor folded her arms on the vanity and lowered her forehead to them. She closed her eyes, thinking back to the moments she’d had this afternoon with Easton. It made her a little queasy to imagine Mr. Cleburne in a similar situation. It made her positively ill to imagine it all without Grace.