by Ella Quinn
“Let me just say that he is a little too interested in me without knowing me at all. I do not believe he wishes for a love match, and I will not marry without one.” Her father still looked concerned, prompting her to say, “Not when I have the examples of you and Mama and Huntley and Caro.”
Fortunately, Papa’s brow cleared. “Naturally, you want a gentleman whom you can love and have him love you.”
She was glad he understood. Many fathers did not. It was taking her a while to find the right gentleman, but she was sure all would be settled this Season. Gentlemen could be a bit difficult when it came to love. After all, Huntley did not think about marrying for love until he had found Caro. It had been the same for his close friend Wivenly.
Two hours later, Dorie and her family entered the ballroom. She immediately searched for her friends. Yet the person she found first was Lord Exeter speaking with Lords Merton and Kenilworth, Henrietta’s and Augusta’s brothers-in-law. That was good. They were both Whigs. Although, Merton had originally been a Tory. Perhaps that was even better. He could tell Lord Exeter why he changed parties.
Eventually, she located her friends across the room, but they were too far away for her to go by herself. “Caro, will you take me to Adeline Wivenly?”
“Of course.” She turned to her husband. “Huntley, do you wish to join us? I think I see Wivenly and Eugénie.”
“Indeed.” He grinned. “I haven’t seen Will in at least two days.”
Dorie wanted to roll her eyes. Before their marriages, the two of them were together constantly.
On her way across the ballroom they were stopped by people they knew and took time to chat.
Lips pressed together, Lady Letitia approached Dorie and drew her aside. “I cannot believe you introduced me to Lord Exeter.”
Dorie felt her eyes widening. What in the name of all that was holy had happened? “I do not understand.”
“Do you not know that his mother eloped with another man not three months after his father died?”
Well, blast it all. Even if it was mostly true, that rumor did not need to start. She had to do something to scotch it. “I understood that she married here by special license.”
“Three months after her husband died,” Letitia whispered fiercely. “And she left his two sisters with only a governess to care for them. My mama says there is bad blood in his mother’s family. When she heard what Lady Exeter had done, Mama recalled that one of Lady Exeter’s sisters had been involved in a scandal of some sort.”
If only Dorie could remember who Lord Exeter’s mother’s family was. But she only knew his father’s side of the family. “Surely you are not accusing Lord Exeter of having bad blood? His other two sisters are perfectly respectable.”
Letitia raised her chin. “If there is nothing wrong with the younger two, why did neither of the elder sisters take them in? I am telling you. There is something going on that one cannot like. I must stand up with him, but that is all.”
Letitia turned on her heel, and Dorie could do nothing but stare after her. Henrietta had been right. His mother’s behavior was presenting a problem.
“Smile. People are looking. Come stroll with me.” Caro had a polite expression on her lips, but her eyes showed her concern. “What happened?”
“I introduced Lady Letitia to Lord Exeter today, thinking they could make a match, but her mother told her…” Dorie and her sister-in-law were almost at the other end of the room when she finished the story. “Something must be done to end that sort of gossip.”
“I agree. Do you have any ideas?” Caro asked.
“Other than the old scandal—I can ask Mama about that—the major difficulty seems to be that neither of his other sisters took in the girls. One of them is in Paris, and the other just had a baby. He could say that he did not want the girls to leave England, and”—Dorie shook her head—“what is a good excuse for Lady Knutsford not taking them?”
Caro laughed as if they were having an amusing conversation. “You must tell him and ask that very question. I assume he has spoken to his sister since he has returned.”
“One would suppose he has.” The only question was whether to do it before or during their waltz.
The music started and Lord Gray appeared for his dance. He bowed. “My lady.”
That answered that question. All her sets were taken. She curtseyed. “My lord.”
She would have to tell Lord Exeter during the dance or during supper. Drat it all. Dorie wished she had never introduced him to the woman. For now she should concentrate on Lord Gray. He was on her list of gentlemen.
“Fine weather we have been having,” he said as they came together in the dance.
“It has been very nice.” She hoped he did not always favor sandalwood. She did not like the scent.
“Have you read the new Keats poem?” For the merest second, Lord Gray’s gaze drifted to Letitia dancing with Lord Lytton and he scowled.
If that was the direction he was headed, Dorie wished him good luck and hoped the lady liked sandalwood. “I have not. Did you like it?”
“Passably well.” The dance separated them and she was pleased that her next partner wore no objectionable scent.
Unfortunately, now that she had scratched Lord Gray off her list she was down to Fotheringale and Ailesbury.
* * * *
Alex attempted to ferret out as much information from the females Lady Dorie had introduced to him about her as he could. However, the exercise was turning out to be amazingly difficult. Miss Stern frequently changed the subject without providing much information at all. From her he learned nothing other than that Lady Dorie was involved in a few charities that Lady Merton and Lady Kenilworth, and the Duchess of Rothwell sponsored. Miss Stern did attempt to convince him to support the charities, and he promised to look into them. Before he could begin to question Lady Adeline, she managed to steer him into talking about his travels. Dancing with Lady Letitia was akin to standing up with an iceberg, or what he had read about them. Her smile was frozen on her face. Thank God the set had been a country dance and not a waltz. And to think he had been under the impression that young ladies chattered about everything. It wasn’t until his set with Miss Featherton that Alex felt as if he had made any progress at all.
The dance had been the second waltz of the evening, and he’d not liked seeing Lady Dorie dancing with Fotheringale. They were entirely too friendly, prompting his frustration to show. “What does a lady want from a gentleman?”
Miss Featherton raised one dark brow. “That, sir, depends upon the lady. Some, such as Lady Letitia, wish for a compatible marriage with a gentleman of excellent family, wealth, and title.”
That was as it should be. But he had all that. Or so he thought. How had Lady Dorie found him lacking?
Miss Featherton gave him a knowing look, as if she could see what he was thinking. When had young ladies become so frightening? “Other ladies, such as my friends and their sisters, want a gentleman who will love them.”
Alex had to stop his jaw from dropping. “Does family, wealth, and title play no part?”
She shrugged one shoulder lightly as he navigated a turn. “A gentleman must, naturally, have sufficient wealth to support a family.”
That was all? He knew for a fact that Miss Featherton’s sister had done extremely well on the Marriage Mart, and had married the heir of a duke. Yet she seemed so sure of herself. Come to think of it, Miss Stern’s sister had married Merton. Surely he couldn’t have fallen in love. Or had he? Alex would have to approach the subject with some of his married male friends. But carefully. He did not wish to look like a fool.
At the end of the set when she curtseyed, she glanced slyly at Lady Dorie. “I wish you good luck, my lord.”
How the devil did she know?
His next dance was with an unobjectionable young lady by the name of
Miss Chatham to whom he had also been introduced earlier. She was in her first Season and enjoying it immensely. It was a relief to speak to someone who only made polite conversation.
When they came together in the dance he asked, “How do you like Town?”
“It has been a great deal of fun.” Miss Chatham blushed. “Please do not repeat what I am about to say, but I find many of the people here extremely silly.”
She wasn’t the only one. “I would never betray a confidence. Is this your first time here?”
“Oh, no. I came when my elder sister came out. I was still in the schoolroom.” She talked about seeing the sights, reminding Alex he needed to ask his sisters how their excursion went.
By the time he took Miss Chatham back to her mother, it was time to find Lady Dorie for the supper dance. She was standing with her friends near her mother and some other matrons.
“My lady.” He held out his hand, and as he wished she placed her small, perfectly formed fingers in his palm.
“My lord.” She stepped up to him and whispered, “There is a problem about which I must make you aware.”
Bloody hell-hounds! Now what? Didn’t he have enough with which to deal?
CHAPTER NINE
Alex schooled his countenance into a polite mask. “Can it wait until supper?”
A line appeared between Lady Dorie’s well-arched brows. “I suppose the matter will wait until then.”
He led her to the dance floor. “I would greatly prefer that we do.”
“Very well. If you wish.” She had acquiesced but looked none too happy about it.
“I do.” He had paid his penance this evening by standing up with other ladies, and all he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and delight in the dance.
She gave him a tentative smile. “Have you been enjoying the ball? Before he married, my brother did not hold them in great affection. But he liked to dance.”
His palm warmed when he placed it on her waist. He’d had no idea it was so small. “For the most part. I do like to dance.” The music started and he felt as if he was dancing with a feather. He had never met a lady who responded so gracefully to him. “You must like to dance as well.”
“I do.” A lovely rose colored her cheeks. “It is one of my joys.”
“Like early morning rides?” he teased.
The corners of her lips dipped down a bit. “Yes, but even though I am generally an early riser I have to get up even earlier in Town if I do not wish to be caught riding ventre à terre.”
“I’ll never tell anyone.” And he’d rise as early as he must to continue riding with her. “I like a good gallop myself and early morning is the only time it is safe to ride at more than a sedate trot.”
“Do you wish you were in the country?” She sounded like she missed her home.
“I have not thought about it.” Raising their arms, they made a turn. “I think that I shall be happy when I must be in Town and equally happy when I am in the country. I have a great deal to learn about managing my holdings, but I must also take my place in the Lords and learn about running the country.”
“Your father did you no favors by not allowing you to take your place as it were,” Lady Dorie said thoughtfully.
“If I had it to do over again, I would insist I learn what was required to control the marquisate. But there is no point in wishing for things that I cannot change. I would rather focus on the things I can do in the future.”
She studied him as if what he’d said had struck her as profound. “That is an excellent way of looking at things.”
“It is the only way I know how to look at them.” He grinned. “The other option is to drink too much brandy and ignore the realities.”
She raised a brow. “Too many gentlemen take that road. Their families suffer for it in the end.” When they finished the next turn, she said. “Do you think the Catholic question will be resolved this year?”
Alex had heard some talk of bringing yet another bill to give relief to the Catholics, but he did not know much about it. “I hope so. I would like to see all religions treated fairly.” He gave her a rueful smile. “It is one of the items on my very long list of things to do.”
She seemed to think about that before saying, “I am certain my father would be happy to sponsor you.”
That would have his father rolling over in his grave. Still, Alex didn’t think he could support the monarchy like his father had. He had discovered he had a more liberal frame of thought. He didn’t even know if any of his father’s friends knew he was back. Then again, if he married Lady Dorie like he wished to do, she would not make a good Tory. “I will thank him if he does.”
She granted him another smile, one that reached her eyes. He could easily start craving her smiles.
He needed to continue the conversation, and the only thing he could think of was his sisters. “I spoke with your mother today about the course of study my sisters’ governess provided me. She gave me to understand you would not approve. Can you tell me what she told you she was teaching them?”
Lady Dorie sighed. “You must insist that she give the girls time for drawing, music, and sewing. Your mother taught them, but they must practice. Before you returned, I supervised those aspects of their education.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to ask her to continue in that role. As his wife, that is what she would do. But a little voice in his head kept reminding him that she wasn’t his yet. Perhaps he would be better served asking her mother. Still …“I should look into hiring music and drawing instructors.”
“That might be a good idea.” She lifted her brows. “Or you could hire another governess. One who has all the accomplishments one needs for girls that age.”
He nodded, but where the hell was he going to find a governess? Unless he imposed on Lady Huntingdon again. “You have given me much to consider.”
The music came to an end, and he escorted her back to her friends and family. They would most likely go to supper together. “I suppose you might as well tell me now what I did not wish to hear before.”
Lady Dorie grimaced. “I was told earlier that there is a rumor that something is wrong with Penelope and Phillida.”
Alex’s muscles tensed, and he was clenching his jaw. Nothing was wrong with his sisters, other than being sad that their mother left them. “What exactly?”
“That was not mentioned. What was said was it was strange that neither of your other sisters would take them.” Lady Dorie huffed out a disgusted breath. “Your mother’s behavior also came up as well as an old scandal concerning someone in her family.”
He tried to tamp down his rising rage, but his teeth clenched when he said, “Like mother, like daughter?”
“Unfortunately, yes.” She removed her fingers from his jacket sleeve and tucked her hand in the crook of his arm. He liked the way that felt. “My sister-in-law knows. We will discuss what to do at supper.”
That was probably a much better idea than him killing someone, which was Alex’s first choice. He let himself be led by her and decided to speak with her father soon. “Thank you for your help.”
“You are very welcome.” Dorie gave him a reassuring smile. “I like your sisters and do not wish them to suffer any more than they already have.” When Dorie had mentioned that the problem concerned Lord Exeter’s sisters, his nostrils flared in anger, and his arm became as hard as steel. This was not going to be an easy conversation. She wondered if he would even take the advice that would be given. Caro had been in charge of rallying the troops, as it were. As much as Dorie liked dancing, she had wished that she had been able to take that role. When they reached her family and friends, she found the group had expanded to include the Henrietta’s sister and brother-in-law, the Marquis and Marchioness of Merton; Augusta’s sisters and their husbands, the Marquis and Marchioness of Kenilworth and the Duke and Duchess of
Rothwell; Adeline’s brother and sister-in-law, Viscount and Viscountess Wivenly; Georgie’s brother and sister-in-law, Kit and Lady Mary Featherton; and Dorie’s brother as well as her parents. Where they were going to find a table to fit all of them, she did not know. Then there was the problem of trying to keep everyone from overhearing them.
“Come.” Caro motioned to Dorie. “Huntley and Kit have made an acceptable arrangement.”
She and Lord Exeter followed them down to the supper room. Behind several potted plants, and too far away from the plants for anyone to overhear—as long as no one was shouting, which was not guaranteed—were several round tables bunched together. Well, that was much better than one long table. At least several people could be heard without raising their voices.
“We thought it better to keep the conversation to immediate friends and family,” Caro said, causing Huntley to suddenly start coughing.
That did make sense. She and her family had befriended Exeter and she had asked for her friends’ help in finding a wife for him. Therefore, Dorie’s friends had to be told, and their brothers and sisters were acting as chaperones, so they had to be told as well. At least two of the gentlemen were friendly with him. And none of them would even consider the idea that their opinions were not required.
She was about to introduce Lord Exeter to the others, when the gentlemen greeted him like a long-lost friend and began presenting him to their wives. She had had no idea he was so well connected.
“Did you know he knew everyone?” Henrietta asked in a hushed voice.
“I had absolutely no idea at all.” Dorie was still amazed.
“It is better that he does,” Georgie commented. “It will make things easier for him.”
“Yes.” Dorie drew the word out. It had just occurred to her that he might not be as helpless as she had thought. Then again, what man asked another man to help him with his sisters or how to manage an estate? He still required a wife, especially if he wanted to be taken seriously in the Lords.
“Ladies, we should find our seats while the gentlemen see what is available,” Caro said.
