To Bewitch A Beast

III. A Trip to Madam Vernice

Lady Frances Highmore and her family were welcomed by the Everards the very next evening. And the morning after, she was the topic over breakfast.

"I like her nose. It is straight," Ysabella said with a smile. Benedict knew his sisters were just starting. Although he could not trust Ysabella's seemingly suspicious and forced smile, and Emma's overly done act of nonchalance, he decided to hear what they had to say about his future wife. And so he waited as Ysabella continued, "Her lips are-"

"-too thin," Emma finished in her most well-mannered tone. "I did not say I do not 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 am afraid," Emma provided further, her voice growing confident when Benedict did not utter a word and simply continued eating.

"But, of course, she is rather nice. Very soft-spoken-perfectly proper," Ysabella added and from the corner of his eye he saw her gauging his reaction. "But that can never mean she is nice. We do not know her enough and there is always room for doubt-ouch!"

Benedict swallowed his food to hide his amusement as Ysabella glared across the table at Emma.

"You kicked me. Why did you kick me?" Ysabella hissed at Emma.

Emma threw Ysabella a meaningful look.

A cough came from the corner of the dining room and the two young ladies straightened in their seats and continued eating.

Agatha, of course, he thought, sensing the governess' calm presence in one corner.

He decided to let Ysabella's comment slip and asked, "Where are mother and Margaret?"

"They went out to call on Lady Highmore-the mother, of course. Mother wanted to discuss the wedding," Emma answered.

"And why was not I informed of this beforehand?"

His younger sisters lifted their shoulders in a shrug. He had held off the announcement of his engagement with Frances Highmore for this very reason. His mother was not even sparing him a moment to doubt his decision. In fact, he was inclined to believe Lady Alice Everard was almost afraid he would, thus the hasty wedding meetings.

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

Benedict stared at the governess' stiff posture as she exited the room. Her auburn hair which was tightly and neatly tied at her nape barely moved and he had always wondered how the woman managed to tame hers when his sisters could barely keep their manes in proper order.

As Benedict's thoughts started to wander away from the governess and back to his forthcoming wedding which was most definitely still a surprise to his entire family-even to him-Ysabella turned to him and asked, "Benedict, may I ask you a question?"

He cocked an eyebrow. The twins asking permission to ask a question ought to be treaded carefully. "Need you ask for permission?"

His sister eyed him dryly. "I am trying to practice proper decorum, so yes, of course, I ought to ask."

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

"Thank you, kind sir," Ysabella said, fighting a giggle. "I would like to ask if a governess can marry a lord?"

Benedict frowned. He could almost see the imaginary machineries running over his sisters' heads. Still, he decided to humor them and said, "That would depend." When his sisters leaned closer, waiting for a more elaborate answer, Benedict sighed and tried to explain. "The law does not prohibit marriage between an unmarried man and a woman. But society has standards most of us follow."