The man beside her snickered, covering the sound with a gloved hand. “And yet it would be an apt statement.”

Elinor shook her head. “Not really. She embroiders as well as she sings.”

“But no one else is harmed by the act,” he pointed out. “At this moment, I am being harmed. Please save me.”

“How?” Elinor asked with real honesty. “My siblings have abandoned me, and my mother is watching.” She indicated her mother, who, sure enough, was fixated on them.

Hugh stunned her by bowing politely in that direction. “Lovely woman. She looks just like you, especially when she scowls.”

Elinor jabbed him in the side with an elbow. “I’ll not save anything of yours if you don’t behave.”

He was instantly contrite. “Of course, Miss Asheley. Whatever you say, Miss Asheley. May I ask you to please show me the way to the guest rooms? I fear I am missing one of my cufflinks there, and I have no recollection of the way.”

Of all the ridiculous excuses, that was what he would go with?

She gave him a dubious look, but he stunned her by raising his arm to show, true to his word, he lacked a cufflink.

Oh. Convenient, indeed.

She nodded politely, only slightly ashamed. “Of course. Come with me.” She nodded at her mother, who warily nodded back.

Turning out of the room, Elinor let her face relax entirely, Hugh only a half-step behind her. “Oh, lord,” Elinor groaned as they moved away from the room. “She’s so much worse than she used to be.”

“I believe it,” he replied easily. “I don’t mean to disparage any woman, but…”

“It’s an abomination,” Elinor overrode. “I know.” He seemed surprised that she’d said anything, and Elinor shrugged. “This way, you did not disparage her. I did.”

Hugh laughed once and clasped his hands behind his back. “So you did. Thank you for saving me.”

She only nodded, fidgeting with her gloves. “Now, which room are you staying in? We can take the long route to avoid more of Letitia’s singing.”

“Considering she informed me she was singing to land a husband,” Hugh mused, his tone rife with humor, “that sounds most agreeable.”

“She said that?” Elinor bleated, pausing to gape at him.

Hugh nodded. “She did, and she made sure that I, Mr. John, Mr. Davis, and Mr. Rigby could hear. Though I think only the large and perspiring man in the back seemed remotely interested.”

Elinor laughed merrily, covering her face. “That would be Rupert, and he’s the son of my father’s cousin. Letitia doesn’t mind, so long as she gets a husband.” She moved to the stairs and, rather than ascend them, sat down with a sigh. “I love my family. I do. But occasionally, I forget just what a strange lot we are, and somehow, having guests witness the melee makes everything worse.”

“Believe me, I comprehend the feeling,” Hugh admitted, coming over to lean near her. “I’m a Sterling, remember? We could populate our own county, if we chose. And not every branch has the sanity of Tony or Francis.”