Improper

by Darcy Burke

  Lord and Lady Edgemont greeted them in their grand staircase hall.

  “So many lovely young ladies having their first Season,” Lady Edgemont exclaimed after meeting Miss Wingate. “You shall have a hard time choosing a wife, Lord Overton!”

  He smiled blandly before offering his arm to Lady Pickering so they could climb the stairs to the ballroom. Or what was likely, in a house this size, a drawing room and another chamber opened up together to create something approaching the breadth of an actual ballroom.

  “How did Lady Edgemont know I am in search of a wife?” he whispered to Lady Pickering.

  “Because you are.” She sent him a scolding look. “Why else would you be back in Society after your…respite?”

  The word respite made his activities seem positively benign. “It’s obvious I am looking for a countess?” He’d hoped to conduct his search without the pressure of Society watching his every move. But Lady Pickering was right—his return to Society after nearly two years of skirting the edges would be noted. And questioned. And endlessly remarked and speculated upon. He groaned inwardly.

  “It is the logical conclusion. Particularly since you have recently inherited the earldom.” Lady Pickering pressed her lips together. “On second thought, perhaps people won’t make that assumption. Logic isn’t found in the greatest abundance in the ton.”

  Tobias grinned as they reached the drawing room. There were already a few dozen people in attendance, and the musicians were warming up.

  Lady Pickering looked back at Miss Wingate and Miss Lancaster and inclined her head toward the wall where a tall window looked over Charles Street below. A line of carriages moved slowly beside the pavement.

  “Now, Miss Wingate, do remember everything we discussed. You must accept every invitation to dance until your card is full.”

  Miss Wingate nodded.

  “Are you feeling nervous?” Lady Pickering asked.

  “Only about some of the dances.”

  Apparently, her mother had taught her to dance, but with no occasion to practice or become proficient, the lessons had faded from Miss Wingate’s memory. Resultingly, she’d spent yesterday afternoon and a good portion of today with a dancing master.

  Lady Pickering gently patted her arm. “You’ll do fine. Now, let us make the rounds and do your best to remember everyone’s name.”

  Tobias again escorted Lady Pickering as they circulated the room, introducing Miss Wingate—and Miss Lancaster as her companion—to everyone they encountered. The higher the rank, the longer they stayed to converse. By the time they’d nearly reached the door again, Miss Wingate had received four invitations to dance. Then the music started, and Mr. Mansfield came to lead her onto the floor.

  Tobias pivoted to excuse himself. He needed to extend his own invitations to dance.

  “Just a moment,” Lady Pickering said. She edged closer to him, lowering her voice to a bare whisper. “Are you aware that your ward was seen walking in Hyde Park yesterday morning?”

  Evidently that was bad, given Lady Pickering’s disdainful expression. Her dark brows were pitched low over her eyes, which flashed with mild irritation.

  He looked toward Miss Lancaster, who stood far enough away that she couldn’t hear what they said. In addition, she’d fixed her attention on the dancefloor. “Er, no. I didn’t even realize she’d gone for a walk at all.”

  “This must not happen. Ladies do not walk in Hyde Park before the afternoon. Do you know what sort of nastiness happens in Hyde Park in the morning?”

  Tobias looked at her blankly. “I often ride on Rotten Row in the morning.”

  “Precisely. You are a man. And an obtuse one at that. You must instruct Miss Wingate, and more importantly, her companion, that they are not to do that.”

  “I’m certain it was an oversight.” Except Miss Lancaster should have known better, shouldn’t she? But then Tobias didn’t know her that well. He’d relied entirely on Lucien’s recommendation.

  “Good. You’ll need to keep a much closer eye on your household, particularly if you want to achieve your own goals. Regarding that matter, who are you considering?”

  “Ah, Miss Goodfellow perhaps?” He still didn’t know who she was.

  “Then why aren’t you dancing with her?”

  Tobias glanced about, which was absurd since he didn’t even know who he was looking for. “She’s here?”

  Lady Pickering sighed. “Have you even met her?”

  “Probably.”

  “Can you pick her out?”

  “No.”

  She exhaled with exasperation. “Come with me.”

  He held up his hand. “Wait just a moment and then you may introduce us. Or reintroduce us.” He shook his head. “If you have other recommendations, I’d be interested to hear them. Just no young ladies in their first Season.”

  “Why?”

  “I prefer someone with a bit more experience.”

  Lady Pickering’s brows climbed.

  “Not that kind of experience, though a widow would be acceptable.”

  “I see. You want a woman who already knows who she is and what she wants.”

  “That would be wonderful, actually.”

  “I will keep that in mind. And I do have suggestions. I’ll introduce you to one or two of them tonight if they are here.” She gave him a sharp stare that made him want to fidget, and he never fidgeted. “Why are you in a rush to marry suddenly?”

  He shrugged, not intending to tell her, or anyone else, the true reason. “I just am.”

  “There is more to it than that, but I won’t demand an answer.” She narrowed her eyes. “Yet.”

  Pausing to tell Miss Lancaster they were going to mingle, Lady Pickering led him to the refreshment area and introduced him to Miss Goodfellow. If Tobias had met her before, he didn’t remember. He also didn’t remember her mother, who stood alongside her. Both were attractive women, taller than average, with bright cobalt eyes.

  Tobias asked Miss Goodfellow to dance the next set, and she agreed. In the meantime, he noted the arrival of Lucien’s brother, Constantine, the Earl of Aldington, and their younger sister, Lady Cassandra.

  “If you’ll excuse me for a moment, Lady Pickering, Mrs. Goodfellow, Miss Goodfellow. I’d like to speak with a friend briefly.”

  Miss Goodfellow curtsied, and Tobias bowed in response. He quickly made his way toward Aldington.

  “Good evening, Overton,” Lucien’s brother said with a warmth that was not reflected in his hazel eyes. There’d always been something off about Aldington, as if he were eternally uncomfortable.

  “Good evening, Aldington, Lady Cassandra.” He bowed to the young lady and felt sorry for Lucien because he seemed bothered by the prospect of his sister marrying. And she would marry—she was far too beautiful and charming to last long. Plus, she was the daughter of a duke and in possession of a large dowry. That alone made her a sought-after bride.

  Lady Cassandra rose from her curtsey, her sherry-colored eyes sparkling. “How lovely to see you, Overton. I’d almost forgotten you aren’t Deane anymore.”

  “I will still answer to that.” In fact, he rather preferred it to Overton, which in his mind was his father, not him. “You must meet my ward, Miss Wingate, when she is finished with the set. It is her first Season too and she is new to London. Indeed, it’s the first time she’s left Shropshire. She’s in the ivory gown with the ribbons.”

  “Green and gold ones or pink?” Lady Cassandra asked.

  Tobias squinted. “Oh, I suppose there is another ivory gown with ribbons. The green and gold ones. I should have just said dark red hair.” She was the only woman in the room with such vibrantly colored locks.

  “I look forward to meeting her.”

  Turning his attention to Aldington, Tobias clapped him on the shoulder. “We must catch up. Perhaps later we can have a drink—” He abruptly cut himself off before saying at the Phoenix Club because Aldington was not a member. It wasn’t that Lucien wouldn
’t have invited him, but Aldington had made it clear that he would never accept. As a result, they hadn’t bothered.

  Aldington seemed to know what he meant, for his eyes narrowed very slightly.

  “At White’s,” Tobias said. He was still a member there, even if he hadn’t entered the building in nigh on two years.

  “You’d come to White’s?” Aldington asked dubiously.

  “Certainly! I’ll see you there later.” He bowed to Lady Cassandra before returning to Miss Goodfellow.

  After greeting her and her mother once more, he asked if Miss Goodfellow would like to take a turn about the room. The current set was nearing its finish, and there would be a short break before the next.

  “That would be amenable,” she said with a slight nod. She had an intense gaze, but her demeanor was…measured. Yes, that was the best word to describe her.

  Her mother smiled approvingly as Tobias offered Miss Goodfellow his arm.

  Tobias looked at her askance as they began their circuit of the room. “You are quite tall.”

  “So I’m told.” There was no inflection to the statement, but Tobias understood her meaning.

  “My apologies. That was not only unoriginal; it was a ridiculous thing to say.”

  The edge of her mouth curved up. “You’re fairly tall, though not the tallest man I’ve met.”

  He laughed. “Touché. Tell me, what do you like to read?”

  Her gait slowed momentarily, and she looked at him as if he’d sprouted another ear. “Newspapers. Pamphlets about matters of the day.”

  “Indeed?” Tobias’s eye caught his ward on the dance floor just as the set came to an end. Her partner bowed to her, then took her hand. His gaze lingered on Miss Wingate’s chest before he led her from the floor. Tobias felt the urge to go and knock him down. How dare the scoundrel look at his ward like that?

  “Is something amiss?” Miss Goodfellow asked.

  Tobias blinked and refocused on the woman at his side. “What? No. I have a ward, and I’m afraid I’m new to this guardian business. My father didn’t give me much notice on that front.”

  “Your father recently passed away, is that right?”

  He nodded. “In December.”

  “Yet here you are, mingling in Society so soon after. I’d be shunned if I did that.” Her jaw tightened, and he felt the ripple of tension that passed through her.

  “It’s not fair, is it?” he asked, thinking she’d probably fit right in at the Phoenix Club. It’s too bad she wasn’t eligible. They did not invite young unmarried ladies. They did, however, invite spinsters. Not many, but a few. When exactly did a woman pass from marriageable to spinster? More importantly, why?

  He surveyed Miss Goodfellow and judged her to be approaching her middle twenties, if not already there. She was likely seen, at least by some, as on the shelf, meaning she was past the point where most men would take an interest in her. Tobias understood her quiet outrage and, frankly, shared it. There shouldn’t be an expiration on a woman’s marriageability. There certainly wasn’t one on his.

  “Fair is subjective, isn’t it?” She cast him an enigmatic glance.

  “I suppose it is. However, I think I can state, without argument, that when it comes to expectations of men and women in Society, they are not held to an equal standard.”

  “On that we agree, my lord.”

  They’d reached the opposite corner of the room. He turned and started back the way they’d come. In doing so, he had a clear view of his ward speaking with Lady Cassandra. Lady Pickering and Miss Lancaster stood nearby. Likely Lady Pickering had taken care of the introduction then.

  “Lord Overton?”

  Tobias pulled his attention from Miss Wingate. “Yes?”

  “Have you reentered Society so soon after your father’s death because you’ve decided to take a wife?”

  Bollocks. She’d cut right to the heart of his intent. Logic may not be rampant amongst the ton, but he’d selected a lady with a keen intelligence. He looked forward to discussing the “matters of the day” with her when they danced.

  “I am an earl and must marry at some point,” he said diplomatically. “And who knows, perhaps my countess is in this very ballroom.” He gave her a broad smile before darting another look toward Miss Wingate. Her arm was linked with Lady Cassandra’s. They looked thick as thieves already. He wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. Lady Cassandra was, after all, Lucien’s sister. She was also Aldington’s, so her behavior could go either way. She could be the best possible influence on Miss Wingate, or she could be a problem.

  Now they were leaving the ballroom together. Suddenly, Tobias wondered at the wisdom of them meeting.

  Alas, the music began. He’d have to play guardian after.

  Fiona had only collided with one dancer but had stepped on Mr. Mansfield’s feet at least twice. As he escorted her from the dance floor, she noted her guardian was strolling the perimeter of the room with a tall, rather pretty woman with dark hair. Was he looking for a countess? She hoped so. Perhaps he’d focus on that instead of trying to marry her off.

  Mr. Mansfield delivered her to Lady Pickering and Prudence. He took Fiona’s hand and bowed over it. “Thank you so much for the dance. I shall look forward to next time.” He smiled at her, keeping his mouth closed. She’d caught sight of his somewhat crooked teeth during the dance.

  “Thank you.” She dipped into a brief curtsey before he turned and departed.

  “Well done,” Lady Pickering said. “I want to introduce you to someone who will be a good ally for you this Season.” She led Fiona and Prudence to a beautiful young woman and a rather stoic gentleman. “Lord Aldington, Lady Cassandra, may I present Miss Fiona Wingate? She is Lord Overton’s ward. And this is her companion, Miss Lancaster.” She looked to Fiona. “Lord Aldington is the heir to the Duke of Evesham, and Lady Cassandra is his sister.”

  Lord Aldington was dressed very conservatively in all black with a dark blue waistcoat. His tawny hair was styled neatly, if not terribly fashionably, and his hazel eyes regarded her with interest, if not warmth. Conversely, Lady Cassandra wore a stunning coral ballgown with embroidery on the sleeves and seed pearls sewn into the bodice. Her dark hair was artfully arranged with more pearls, and she wore a beautiful coral necklace. She was like a bright flower waving in the sun. Fiona had thought her own gown was lovely and that her curled and styled hair looked nice, but Lady Cassandra commanded attention. She also possessed an air that said she didn’t particularly care about getting it.

  Fiona instantly liked her.

  Lady Cassandra held out her hand. Uncertain, Fiona glanced toward Lady Pickering, who inclined her head. Fiona took the young lady’s hand, and Lady Cassandra gave her a warm squeeze. “I’m delighted to meet you. Navigating the Season together will be such fun.” Her eyes danced with enthusiasm, and Fiona couldn’t help but smile.

  Letting go of Fiona, Lady Cassandra gestured for her to come stand next to her. She looked toward her brother. “Con, aren’t you going to say something?”

  He arched a tawny brow at her. “May I?”

  “No, no, you don’t get to say that.” Lady Cassandra rolled her eyes. “I am not monopolizing the conversation. However, I intend to, so say something now.”

  Aldington gave Fiona a slight bow. “I’m pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Wingate. You are quite fortunate to have Lady Pickering sponsoring you.” He sent an approving look toward Lady Pickering.

  “I think so,” Fiona said. “Who is your sponsor, Lady Cassandra?” It occurred to Fiona that it was probably her mother. She oughtn’t assume other young ladies were like her and no longer had mothers.

  “My aunt. She’s here somewhere.” Lady Cassandra glanced briefly about the room, but without any apparent intent of finding her. “She rarely stands still.”

  “Like you,” her brother murmured.

  Fiona couldn’t tell if Aldington was being kind or not. Without any siblings of her own, such relationships were
foreign to her. But Lady Cassandra’s answering laugh said she wasn’t offended by what he’d said. “Just so, Brother. Now, if you’ll excuse us, I must visit the retiring room, and Miss Wingate is going to accompany me.”

  “Fiona, when is your next dance?” Lady Pickering asked.

  “Not this set but the next.” She had plenty of time to visit the retiring room, and she wanted to ask Lady Cassandra a thousand questions.

  “Go along with them, Miss Lancaster,” Lady Pickering said with a gentle smile.

  Lady Cassandra looped her arm through Fiona’s and led her from the ballroom. “How was your dance with Mansfield?”

  “Fine, I think. I did step on his feet a few times. I have not had much experience dancing.”

  “You’re new to London then?” She directed Fiona up the stairs.

  Fiona glanced back to make sure Prudence was following. Of course, she was. “I just arrived from Shropshire the other day.”

  “And you’re already out? My goodness, Overton didn’t give you much time to prepare.”

  “It’s quite all right. I’ve spent my entire life in a small town without much family. I am eager to be out.”

  Lady Cassandra flashed her a smile as they reached the landing of the next floor. “Then this will be an exciting Season! It’s my first one too. I presume the goal is for you to wed before it ends.” She waved her hand. “It must be. There is no other reason to have a Season. If you don’t want to marry, you may as well be Miss Lancaster.” She turned toward Prudence. “My apologies, I meant no offense. Indeed, I envy you in many ways.”

  “I have no complaints about my current station,” Prudence said pleasantly.

  Lady Cassandra led them into a room arranged with chaises and chairs, as well as several mirrors. There was lemonade, pitchers of water, and a maid to presumably provide assistance.