The Obsessions of Lord Godfrey - Stephanie Laurens Page 0,65
the table, with Mr. Hinckley at its head and Ellie at its foot. Godfrey claimed the chair on her right, while Masterton, not to be outdone, took the chair on her left.
Maggie sat on Godfrey’s other side, with Harry beside her, and as befitted an invited guest, Jeffers sat on Mr. Hinckley’s right, opposite Harry.
The meal began with a warming soup and continued through four substantial courses. Having finished describing the house to Jeffers, Harry asked Jeffers’s opinion of York.
Although it transpired that Jeffers had moved from Doncaster to York only three months before, nevertheless, he had stories to tell that confirmed he’d spent those months exploring the city.
Deftly, he asked Godfrey about various similarities with London, and between them, they kept the conversation rolling effortlessly and the company well entertained.
Ellie noted that Masterton listened, but said nothing; then again, he customarily volunteered little about his private life or personal views. While at the Hall, he tended to talk primarily of Hall matters; today, with that topic very much in abeyance, he made no attempt to introduce it into the conversation, for which Ellie was grateful. Jeffers didn’t need to know her family’s business.
When they adjourned to the drawing room for tea and cakes, she was quietly pleased by how well the day had gone; Jeffers had more than repaid their invitation by making her father laugh countless times and engaging with Harry and Godfrey as well. She was impressed that Jeffers had made no especial effort to attract and hold Maggie’s attention or hers; personable and handsome he might be, yet he was transparently not on the hunt for female company.
Was he married? She realized they hadn’t asked. Jeffers had mentioned a partner, but through all his tales, he hadn’t mentioned a wife, although there’d been no reason for him to do so; none of his tales had impinged on his private life.
The tea trolley arrived, and she poured, and Godfrey and Maggie helped distribute the cups and hand around the platter of petits fours. Ably assisted by Harry’s and Maggie’s insatiable curiosity, Godfrey and Jeffers between them steered the conversation on in pleasant and relaxed vein.
Eventually, with the tea and cakes consumed and the cups and saucers set aside, Ellie was congratulating herself on having overseen an unrelievedly pleasant afternoon when, with her father, Jeffers, Harry, and Maggie absorbed in a discussion of the theatres in York, Masterton leaned toward Godfrey and said, “As you’re up and about socializing, Cavanaugh, I assume you’ve completed your assessment of the Albertinelli. So what’s your verdict?”
Ellie leapt in. “As you know, Michael, Papa holds strong views on the observance of the Sabbath. In addition, Mr. Cavanaugh has explained that assessments such as his take time to complete, and in this case, as it is the National Gallery involved, he wishes to be especially thorough.”
Masterton searched Godfrey’s face. From the corner of her eye, she saw that Godfrey had adopted his charming—and utterly uninformative—mask.
“Miss Hinckley is correct,” Godfrey quietly stated. “While it might seem odd to the uninitiated, it does take time to cross every t and dot every i.”
Masterton looked like he wished to argue, but in the face of Godfrey’s unruffled assertion, he was forced to back down. “I see.”
At that moment, Jeffers straightened and said to her father, “I most sincerely thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Hinckley.” Smiling, he inclined his head to Ellie. “Miss Hinckley. I’ve truly enjoyed my day at the Hall, but I should be on my way before the light starts to fade.”
Jeffers rose, as did Godfrey and Harry and, rather more reluctantly, Masterton. The men shook hands, then Jeffers bowed over Ellie’s and thanked her prettily before nodding to Maggie and, at the last, turning to exchange a more specific farewell with his host.
Watching Jeffers take his leave of Mr. Hinckley, Godfrey could not fault the man’s manners, demeanor, or behavior. On the subject of Jeffers, his instincts remained entirely quiescent; he felt confident Jeffers posed no threat to the Hinckleys, even though Godfrey was perfectly certain that Jeffers was nowhere near as harmless as he seemed.
Regardless, Godfrey’s well-honed talent informed him that Jeffers hadn’t lied, not once. He might be concealing things, but nothing of what he’d revealed had been false.
Harry had rung for Jeffers’s horse to be saddled and brought to the door. Kemp appeared to say the horse was waiting, and with final good wishes all around, Jeffers departed.
The family, Godfrey, and Masterton resettled, but the conversation soon flagged.