To Bewitch A Beast

II. Agatha Blair

The Everards welcomed Lady Frances Highmore and her family over dinner three days later. And the morning after, she remained the topic over breakfast.

"I like her nose," Ysabella said with a smile.

Benedict knew his sisters were just starting. He could not trust Ysabella's suspiciously forced smile, nor Emma's overly done act of nonchalance, but he wanted to hear what they had to say about the woman.

"Her lips are—"

"—too thin," Emma finished Ysabella's statement in her most well-mannered tone. "Not that I don't like them, of course, Benedict," she hastily added.

"Her hair is almost white," Ysabella continued carefully, lips curled into her most behaved smile.

"She ought to eat more, I'm afraid," Emma provided further, her voice growing confident when Benedict made no comment as he ate.

"She is rather nice. Very soft-spoken—perfectly graceful," Ysabella added, and from the corner of his eye, he saw her assessing his reaction. "But that doesn't mean she is nice. We don't know her enough, and there is always room for doubt—Ow!"

Benedict swallowed and wiped his mouth with a napkin to hide his amusement as Ysabella glared across the table at Emma. "You kicked me. Why did you kick me?" she hissed.

His sisters' gaze flew to the corner of the breakfast room when they heard the soft clearing of a throat. They promptly straightened in their seats and resumed with their meals.

The governess, of course, he thought, sensing the woman's calm presence in one corner.

Letting Ysabella's comment slide, he asked, "Where are Mother and Margaret?"

"They went out to shop for gifts to bring to the Highmores. She is planning to call on Lady Highmore this afternoon so they can get to know each other more," Emma replied.

Benedict's jaw tightened. He had been afraid of this.

"Mother is going to do everything to make sure the Highmores would say yes. She must think you are not doing enough," Ysabella told Benedict with a chuckle.

"Are you regretting telling us about your courtship too soon?" Emma asked.

Benedict sighed, shaking his head, because his sister was completely right.

"Please excuse me, I will need a few moments to prepare before our lessons," Agatha spoke from her customary corner, ambling out of the dining room while Ysabella and Emma groaned in response.

Benedict's gaze followed the governess' stiff posture as she exited the room.

"Benedict, may I ask you a question?" Ysabella asked, drawing his attention back to the table.

He cocked an eyebrow. The twins asking permission to pose a question ought to be taken with caution. "Need you ask for permission?"

His sister eyed him dryly. "I'm trying to practice proper decorum, so yes, of course, I should ask."

He gave Ysabella a slight bow. "Of course, you may, my lady," he said, matching his sister's sarcastic tone.

"Thank you, kind sir," she said, suppressing a giggle. This was perhaps one thing he missed whenever he was away in Devonshire—their devious laughter. "I would like to ask if a governess can marry a lord?" And this was perhaps one of the many reasons he enjoyed staying away in Devonshire—they always had something wicked in mind.

He could almost see the machineries running in his sisters' heads. "That would depend," he suspiciously replied. When they leaned closer, waiting for a more elaborate answer, Benedict explained, "The law does not prohibit marriage between two unmarried individuals. However, society standards dictate our behaviors."