“You really think your father brought you here to meet the duke's son?” Lettie seemed torn between excitement and concern for Elizabeth.
“Yes, I do,” Elizabeth answered with a sigh. It was a difficult situation for her. As the daughter of the Earl of Southwick she has always known she would have to marry well. She would also admit that marrying a gentleman of good standing was important to her as well, but she had also hoped to find love. “I do believe that Father has decided I should marry Lord Holgrave.”
“Decided?” Lettie looked dumbfounded. “You have not even met the man. How on Earth are you supposed to marry him? And would he decide this alone? Without consulting either the man or his father first?”
The same thought had crossed Elizabeth's mind as well. It was disconcerting, to say the least, that her father was planning for her to spend the rest of her life with a man she had never met. For Lettie's sake, Elizabeth put on a brave face and said, “I suppose we will simply have to see how things happen. It is entirely possible that I will meet Lord Holgrave and I will be pleasantly surprised. It’s also possible that there has been an alliance I am unaware of. Possibly the whole thing will be in my best interest.”
Lettie was wide-eyed. “And what if you are not pleasantly surprised? What if it all turns out to be a big mess?”
Elizabeth took a moment to smooth her skirts but finally said, “I am quite confident that I could go to Father with my concerns if I have any. If I were to tell him that I was completely against the marriage and felt that I would be miserable with Lord Holgrave, I believe he would allow me to decline Lord Holgrave's suit.”
“In the meantime, though, you must entertain Lord Holgrave's attentions.” Lettie sat down on the edge of the bed.
“It is my third Season, after all, I cannot be too choosy about a husband at this point.”
Her comment sounded coy but there was more than an ounce of truth to it. In previous Seasons, she had been quite picksome regarding her suitors. They had not been awful—well, not most of them at least. It was just that none of them had caught her eye or made her feel anything more than appreciative of their attentions.
She wanted more than to just be told that she was beautiful or dressed beautifully. Elizabeth longed to be appreciated and needed, and not just for her father's influence. She wanted to be loved and cherished.
Lettie let out a dramatic groan. “I do not care what Season this is. I am much more concerned with your happiness. I care not for what the gossips say.”
Just then there was a sharp rap on the door and a moment later a woman came into the room, her dark hair shot with gray.
“Good afternoon, Aunt Judith,” Elizabeth said quietly and sat down primly in one of the chairs by the window.
Aunt Judith smiled softly and looked over to her daughter. “Lettie, I think you should go rest in your room for a little while. Your brother should be arriving sometime this afternoon and I know he will be happy to see you. I would hate for you to be too overly tired to see him.”
Lettie shook her head. “Mother, I think...”
“Leticia, please do as I ask,” her voice brooked no argument.
“Yes, Mother,” Lettie said looking taken aback and a little hurt but she soon left the room closing the door softly behind her.
Aunt Judith turned to Elizabeth. “Elizabeth, dear, how are you feeling after our long journey from London?”
“Oh, perfectly fine. Thank you.”
“I just wanted to talk to you about the reason we are at this house party,” Aunt Judith began.
“Oh, I am perfectly aware of why we are here.” Elizabeth glanced out the window. “Father is set to have me marry Lord Holgrave.”
Aunt Judith looked surprised but did not deny what Elizabeth had said. She was silent for a moment more and then said, “Your father would like you to meet Lord Holgrave and see if you think you two would make a favorable match.”
Elizabeth must have looked skeptical because Aunt Judith patted her hand. “Lord Southwick is one of your father's oldest friends and he believes that you and Lord Holgrave would get on well.”
She appreciated her aunt's comfort but Elizabeth was still faced with the fact that if she did not approve of Lord Holgrave she could end up disappointing her father. Even more, she clearly did not want to embarrass her father or insult one of his oldest friends.
Elizabeth let out a long breath and simply nodded, saying, “I will endeavour to make the best decision for all.”
Chapter Seven
Elizabeth looked down at the garden, she could hear the low murmur of voices and the occasional ripple of laughter. She had looked forward to the house party when her father had suggested it back in London. Now there was the added burden of meeting Lord Holgrave that made it more complicated and much less enjoyable.
“Is she gone?” A voice asked quietly.
Startled from her thoughts Elizabeth looked around, only to see Lettie peeking around the door.
“Yes,” Elizabeth chuckled. “Come in.”
“So have they married you off yet?”
Elizabeth shook her head no and smiled. “No, I am just to meet him. No one is pushing to post the Banns quite yet. At least that’s what your mother said.”
“Well,” Lettie said with a relieved laugh. “Thank Heaven above for that.”
“Shall we go down to the garden now?” Elizabeth asked.
They walked down the hall towards the stairs. The Castborough house was beautifully furnished without flaunting what Elizabeth knew must be immense wealth.
To reach the garden they needed to travel through the drawing room. At the end of the hall, doors were held open revealing the largest drawing room Elizabeth had ever seen. The wide doorway sat across from the foot of a beautifully ornate curving staircase.
Lettie was excited and happily led the way through the drawing room. There were several settees and a few small tables with chairs where small groups of people were sitting, talking quietly. There were several glass paned doors that opened to the garden. They walked out onto a stone path that bordered a well-manicured lawn with stone pathways on either side. Tall hedges enclosed the outer edges of the garden while shorter hedges were placed along some of the pathways serving to separate some smaller areas of the garden beyond the expansive lawn.
“How about we go this way?” Lettie pointed toward a path closest to them. “We can promenade around the lawn and see who has arrived. Certainly we will find someone to talk to.”
“That sounds perfectly reasonable,” Elizabeth answered falling into step beside her.
A few minutes later they were about to cross the lawn after saying hello to several people when Elizabeth heard someone calling her name.
“Elizabeth!” A red-haired girl came rushing towards them. “I did not know that you would be here.”
“Beatrice, hello.” Beatrice was a nice but often times loud girl that Elizabeth had known for several years. “It was quite a last-minute decision. I only learned of the house party from my father a few days ago.”
“I am so glad you are here. We will have to catch up.” Beatrice said then added, “I need to get back into the house now, though. My mother will be looking for me before too long.”
Elizabeth nodded. “Of course, I will—” She tried to respond but Beatrice had rushed off before she could get the words all out.
Lettie laughed as she shook her head. “It is a wonder that we do not get dizzy when Beatrice is around. She always seems to be moving so fast.”
“That, she is,” Elizabeth agreed. She thought for a moment and then added. “Everyone loves her, though, and she has always been such a great friend.”
“Oh yes, it is amazing how lovely Beatrice is considering that her mother seems somewhat cold, if I may comment on that.”
Elizabeth could not help but grimace. “It is certainly not my place to judge, but on more than one occasion I have seen Lady Taltham admonish Beatrice for being too boisterous and unladylike. I be
lieve she is a bit wary of her mother, but that may be an overstatement on my part.”
Lettie turned to watched Beatrice go from one group to another greeting each person with a warm smile and a few words of conversation.
Beatrice had almost reached the house when a blonde man strode into the garden. He stopped in front of Beatrice and gave her a dazzling smile when she greeted him with her usual enthusiasm. The man said something next that made Beatrice swat at him with her fan. He ducked comically and then laughed along with Beatrice.
“Who is that?” Elizabeth heard herself ask quietly.
“I do not recognize him. He has not been to any ball or party I have been to this Season.” Lettie looked back at Elizabeth and her eyes widened. “Perhaps I should ask some questions and see what I can find out.”
Elizabeth shook her head, more to shake the tingly feeling that has started when she saw the man first enter the garden. His hair was nearly golden in the late spring sun in the dark blue jacket just made it seem even more so. His shoulders were broad while his waist was trim, leading her to believe that he was an active man not just a fop who blazed his days away. She automatically thought perhaps he was a horseman or one of the few that still fenced for sports. Either way, she was quite grateful to have an opportunity to look at such a handsome man.
Unable to keep her eyes off him Elizabeth watched him leave Beatrice and then cross the garden to speak with a group of people near one of the hedges across from where she and Lettie stood. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Lettie glance back and forth between the man and Elizabeth.
Elizabeth was dying to know the man's name and soon after got her question answered.
“Repington!” someone called out from the gate that presumably led to the stables.
Repington called back, “Lambert, are you ready to see the new horses?”
Lambert, the man at the gate waved him over. “More than ready, I have been waiting for you.”
Elizabeth suddenly felt like she knew how Lambert felt. Never had a man affected her so and he had only walked across the garden to greet some people. She had not even been one of them.
“Repington?” Lettie whispered over her shoulder. “That must be the duke's son. It has to be!”
Elizabeth slowly turned to face her friend. “That is the man my father wants to introduce me to?”
Lettie smiled. “I think so.”
“Perhaps this will be more enjoyable than I had originally thought,” Elizabeth said watching the golden-haired man disappear out the gate.
Chapter Eight
“Which dress will you wear?”
Elizabeth turned from the wardrobe to look at Lettie. She was not sure how long she had been standing there. Her mind had been on the man in the garden. Presumably, Philip Repington, the Marquess of Holgrave and the eldest son of the Duke of Castborough. Possibly her future husband.
There was something about him that appealed to her. She had never felt like this before. This was her third Season and she had met so many men in that time at various balls and parties. Many of them were quite good looking and very charming, yet, not one of them had caught her eye quite like Philip Repington. Feeling ridiculous she had tried telling herself that she had not met him yet. Elizabeth knew that she must not get ahead of herself.
“Elizabeth? Are you well?”
Elizabeth realized she still had not replied to Lettie's question.
“Oh, yes.” Elizabeth reached into the wardrobe to select a light-yellow dress. She turned back to Lettie with the dress in her hand. “I think I will wear this one.”
“That is one of my favorites. Lord Holgrave will surely appreciate your choice.”
Elizabeth shrugged trying to act nonchalant. She held the dress up in front of her and looked in the mirror. “I do not know if Lord Holgrave will appreciate it or not. Having never met him before I have no idea of what he would or would not appreciate. Nor do I care, really.”
“Oh stop,” Lettie said sounding a little exasperated. “I saw you in the garden this afternoon. You seemed quite curious about him then. Or am I completely wrong?”
Elizabeth let out a long sigh. “No, you are not wrong. I have to admit that I am somewhat surprised by him.”
“How do you mean?” Lettie said down at the vanity began pulling pins from her hair.
“I have heard many things about Lord Holgrave so while I expected him to be well acquainted with most of the guests here, I was surprised that he seemed so warm and welcoming. I honestly had expected him to be more sardonic and lazy. The fact he was greeting guests at all was a surprise.”
Lettie frowned. “I have to agree with you. I would have thought the same. I have heard that Lord Holgrave is quite wild at times.”
“A rake. Or possibly a rogue.” Elizabeth suggested. “What is the difference between the two, anyway?”
Lettie smiled. “I am not sure. I would say they are more than similar. I do not think Lord Holgrave qualifies as a rake or a rogue, but very nearly from what Joseph has said.”
“Now I am to trust your brother's assessment of Lord Holgrave’s behaviour?” Elizabeth teased.
“Why, of course,” Lettie said with mock seriousness. “Joseph is a model of good behaviour, of course.”
“Oh, indeed,” Elizabeth got out before they both began to laugh. “Perhaps we should make our own determination.”
Lettie's face grew serious. “Joseph has changed much since that summer he pushed you into the stream.”
“I know,” Elizabeth reassured her friend. “I do trust Joseph's judgment, although I hope he is wrong about Lord Holgrave.”
“As do I,” Lettie agreed.
The two friends began to get ready for dinner. An hour later, Elizabeth and Lettie were following Aunt Judith down the stairs.
“Your father has been quite adamant about you meeting Lord Holgrave.” Aunt Judith said spotting Elizabeth's father at the foot of the stairs. “And I must tell you he is counting on your meeting going well. Very well, in fact.”
Elizabeth smiled and nodded. “I am hoping it goes well, too.”
Her father smiled at her as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
“You look beautiful, just like your mother.” Only his voice showed the heavy emotion he was clearly feeling.
She nodded and swallowed trying to keep herself calm. Her mother had died when Elizabeth was young and her father rarely spoke of her, he had been so affected by the loss.
Not wanting to be introduced to the Duke of Castborough and Lord Holgrave with tears in her eyes, Elizabeth blew out a breath and gathered herself.
“We should go thank our hosts,” her father finally said.
“This is it,” Lettie whispered from behind her.
When they entered the drawing room the Duke of Castborough was standing with Lord Holgrave near the windows to the garden. Her father paused in the doorway and the duke nodded at her father and then moved across the room. At first, Elizabeth thought he was moving to meet them but he stopped next to another blonde man. They exchanged a few words before turning to smile at them.
“Lord Southwick, I am so glad you could make it,” The duke said in a loud voice.
“Thank you so much for inviting us.” Father turned to the others. “Let me introduce Lady Judith Stewart and her daughter, Leticia.”
“Your grace,” Aunt Judith said as she dropped to a curtsey. Leticia followed her mother’s lead.
“Lady Judith, Leticia, welcome to Castborough.”
“Thank you, your grace.” Lettie smiled.
“If you will excuse us, I see that the Duchess of Castborough has arrived and we must greet her,” Aunt Judith said.
“Yes, of course,” the duke replied.
Elizabeth's father waited a moment and raised his chin with a smile of pride. “And this is my daughter, Lady Elizabeth Comerford.”
“Lady Elizabeth, it is a joy to meet you.” The Duke of Castborough stepped aside. “Allow me to introduce you to m
y eldest son, Philip Repington, the Marquess of Holgrave.”
The duke's son gave her a lazy smile. This was Philip? Elizabeth hoped her smile had not faltered but she was slightly confused.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Holgrave,” Elizabeth found herself saying.
“Good evening, Lady Elizabeth.” His gaze traveled down her dress and then back up to her face again. He raised an eyebrow and quickly covered a smirk. “I hope to speak with you more during dinner.”
This was not the man from the garden although there were many similarities between he and the man she had seen earlier. Lord Holgrave was exactly what she had expected upon her arrival. He was good-looking in a foppish, dandy sort of way, with an almost mocking and certainly cynical demeanor.
Knowing that her father was in favor of their match Elizabeth simply smiled and said, “Thank you. I look forward to it.”
It seemed as though the introductions were finished and Elizabeth was hoping to go find Lettie when to her complete dismay the man from the garden walked up to them.
“Lord Southwick, this is my son, Lord James Repington.” The duke smiled broadly. “James, this is Lord Southwick and his daughter, Lady Elizabeth.”
“Welcome to Castborough,” James said to Lord Southwick. His eyes landed on Elizabeth before moving on to Philip and then back to Elizabeth. A look of disappointment plain on his face. “I hope you enjoy your stay. If you will excuse me I have some guests to greet.”
Elizabeth nodded slowly feeling somewhat hurt by his reaction. She was not sure why his dismissal of her had been so acutely painful. It was hard enough to find that Philip was not the man she had seen in the garden or that the man was Philip’s brother. His reaction seemed like rubbing salt in the wound.
Chapter Nine
“Your mother has offered a lovely dinner tonight.”
A Brother's Duty Page 3
