Page 52 of Bluebell’s Fate

Grandmother Hamilton clapped her hands lightly, putting an end to the awkward interlude. “Well then, is dinner ready?”

Mrs. Payne nodded. “It is. Please follow me.” She took her husband’s arm and motioned for her guests to follow her into the dining room. Nathaniel and Bell followed after, and Ian helped Grandmother Hamilton inside.

There were place cards on the table. Nathaniel and Bell were placed together at the foot of the small table. The slight from his mother was palpable in the air.

“Since we are a small gathering, I thought it best we dine informally this evening,” his mother explained as Nathaniel fumed inside.

Chapter Thirty-three

The audacity of Mrs. Payne to slight them both in such a way was entirely inexcusable. Bell had not foreseen the necessity of taking upon herself a heroine until the awful introduction she’d suffered. But she’d had a moment to compose herself, and she put on her best impersonation of her mother, Lady Gardner. There was nothing for it but to call her mother-in-law out.

Bell straightened her spine as she’d seen her mother do time after time arguing with other matrons. “Ah, and the informality of the meal is the reason you have quite formally put us at the foot of the table?” Bell challenged loudly enough for the entire party to hear. She didn’t know what had come over her. As soon as she’d stepped foot in the house, she could feel Nathaniel’s hesitance and discomfort with the situation. She’d known his relationship with his parents was lacking, but she’d never imagined something like this. This was a planned event to either embarrass Bell or test her mettle. What Nathaniel’s parents didn’t know was that—uncomfortable or not—Bell knew how to pretend she was braver than she was. Mrs. Payne held Bell’s eyes, and Bell glared even more contemptuously at her mother-in-law.

Godmother put a hand on Bell’s arm. “I’m certain Amelia wasn’t thinking when she made the place settings.”

Bell faced her godmother. She could read in her eyes that she believed no such thing, but Bell nodded as if she were pacified. She wasn’t. She hadn’t waited all these weeks for an invitation only to be bested by a sour woman. “That would explain it. Although, I hope her thoughtlessness is not a common occurrence.”

Mr. Cutler sat on the other side of Bell and wisely changed the topic, “I missed seeing you in town, Lady Bluebell.”

What was it with this man? She’d never even heard of him, and yet, he seemed bent on making references to his wanting to know her. “Odd, why would you be missing me? If you don’t recall, Mr. Cutler, we have just met.”

“Yes, but word of your beauty precedes you, my lady.” He reached out to touch her arm, but she pulled back.

Bell’s beauty may very well have been spoken of in the upper circles, but that also meant that her dowry had been bandied about, most likely by her own mother. Ian Cutler was no more than a fortune hunter, or a social climber. Either option was common enough: both were reasons she’d hated the idea of going to town for the season. Wasn’t one of the blessings of her unanticipated marriage that she didn’t have to deal with men like this? “And how has the season been for you, Mr. Cutler?”

He smiled and flicked his eyes to Nathaniel who was in conversation with his grandmother. “It has been quite successful,” he spoke a little louder than necessary. “I have been courting Miss Stone.”

Nathaniel choked on his drink and began a fit of coughing.

“Congratulations.” Bell looked at Nathaniel in concern.

The elder Mr. Payne smiled. “And why shouldn’t you? Eliza Stone has always been a favorite.”

Mr. Cutler chuckled. “Yes, she has.” He turned to Nathaniel, swirling the contents of his glass before him. “You don’t mind, do you, cousin?”

Something was not right. Nathaniel was shaking his head, his face a little pale. Bell couldn’t quite decide if Nathaniel was answering Mr. Cutler’s question or shaking himself free of some pestering memory. Bell placed a hand on his knee beneath the table, and he stopped. “Of course not. How is Eliza?” His voice came out strangled.

Bell looked around the table. It seemed that this courtship was news to everyone here, and no one knew how to react.

Mr. Cutler winked at Nathaniel. “Oh, you know…” He took a long sip of his drink. “She’s quite the catch.” He locked eyes with Bell. “Even Nathaniel thought so.”

Bell’s stomach was sinking by the second. How had she thought she felt well enough to come to dinner? If she was reading between the lines of what Mr. Cutler was alluding to, Nathaniel had been involved with Miss Stone. She removed her hand from Nathaniel’s leg and took a bite of her carrots so she wouldn’t be called upon to speak; she didn’t have it in her. Had Nathaniel been in love with this Miss Stone? Was Bell responsible for ruining both of their futures together? Her head started swimming, and she could feel her hands start to tingle. Did she dare ask those questions? Could she live not knowing the answers?

“And how is your mother, Ian? It’s been a while since I’ve heard from her,” Godmother said.

The mood in the room, if it was possible, got even more uncomfortable.

“I’m sure she is fine,” Mr. Cutler answered quickly, with a quick glance at Nathaniel’s parents.

“Hmm.” Godmother gave a skeptical tilt to her head. “When I was with her last, she was in need of a great many things.”

Mr. Cutler laughed, and the hollow sound made Bell want to cover her ears. “What some people believe they need is relative, you know that Grandmother.”

“I do,” she narrowed her eyes at him. “And I believe adequate food for the winter would constitute a need.”

Mrs. Payne snapped her head up from her plate, and Bell read real concern in the woman’s eyes for the first time. “My sister is struggling that much?” The elder Mr. Payne put a hand atop of his wife’s and looked daggers at Ian.

Godmother nodded.