An Ideal Companion by Anne Ashley

Author:Anne Ashley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-09-21T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

All Ruth’s reservations about meeting her late employer’s closest friend vanished the instant she set foot inside the fashionable town residence, and none other than the Dowager Lady Constance Styne herself came forward to greet her personally, with a genuine warmth that instantly put her at ease.

The dinner which followed, consisting of numerous side dishes, was the most sumptuous Ruth had ever tasted in her life. So, to show her appreciation, she was only too happy, after the delicious meal was over, to accept the kindly hostess’s invitation to take a turn on the fine instrument in the corner of the drawing room.

Although she would never have boasted about her abilities, she had been complimented enough times during her adult life to be sure that she was considered most accomplished on the pianoforte. She performed her chosen piece with confidence, and a skill borne of natural ability, rather than hours spent practising scales. The fulsome applause that greeted the end of her recital was very pleasing to hear. What she found most gratifying of all, however, was the look of combined surprise and pride she chanced to glimpse on Hugo’s face as she surrendered her place at the instrument to another female guest.

‘That was utterly charming, my dear!’ the Dowager enthused, the first to come forward to compliment her personally. ‘But I knew well enough how gifted you were. Beatrice frequently praised your abilities in her letters to me.’ Her smile could not have been more kindly. ‘No doubt you made my dear friend’s last years so very happy. Did she, I wonder, come to look upon you as the daughter she’d never been blessed to have?’

Ruth was instantly conscience-stricken and had no intention of repaying the lady’s kindness towards her thus far with a mouthful of lies. ‘I wish I could confirm the truth of that, ma’am. Sadly, I cannot. I do not know what Lady Beatrice was like when young, but during the time I spent with her she maintained an air of detachment, betraying little emotion, at least nothing that could be interpreted as deep, genuine affection towards me.’

‘No,’ the Dowager responded gravely. ‘I’d hoped it might have been otherwise, of course, but I cannot say I’m unduly surprised to hear you say that. And I appreciate your honesty.’ She took a moment to look about her before guiding Ruth across to a door leading to a small ante-room. ‘I think my guests are quite capable of entertaining themselves for a short while. There’s something I should like you to see.’

Before following her into the room, Ruth instinctively glanced across in Hugo’s direction once more to discover him on the point of disengaging himself from a small group of gentlemen. Evidently he had already guessed their hostess’s objective and was determined the opportunity shouldn’t be wasted. He wasn’t to know it, of course, but Ruth had no intention of doing so! That said, she couldn’t deny she was fast coming to rely on his support and sincerely hoped his aim was to join them.

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