Hugh chuckled.
“You, my dear, are the furthest thing from the worst daughter, believe me.”
“How would you know? You have no sisters or daughters.”
Hugh smiled in response, not bothering to answer with words. He didn’t have time for complications. And certainly not with this particular woman. Their history was complicated enough. He couldn’t add to it by rekindling any old feelings.
The innocent young woman smiled up at him with the greatest faith as though he were jesting with her as a family friend rather than the hardened agent of the Crown that he truly was. Hugh’s gut clenched. He supposed one day he might be able to be the noble gentleman she thought him. But today was not that day. After he danced with her, he would have to find the one he had come to the ball to speak with. He wanted to leave this crowded room full of sweet, innocent young people who still looked at the world through the protected lenses that people like him provided.
It was one more reason he was furious that he had to give up his work. All this innocence needed to be protected. Sweet young ladies like Lady Ellen didn’t need to know that evil villains existed anywhere but between the pages of their favorite gothic novels.
What had his father and brother been thinking? He should never have been Viscount Richmond. Or Viscount of Richmond, he supposed. It was not a courtesy title. He had to bear all the responsibility for the large viscountcy.
And aside from the foolishness of taking the skiff out without sufficient help on a day that the weather could be sketchy, the true Viscount of Richmond, Hugh’s father, had been a very responsible custodian of his own little empire. Hugh had inherited a great deal of wealth and property that he had absolutely no desire to take over. His brother was supposed to do it.
The only thing that made it remotely palatable for Hugh was the fact that as the spare who was never supposed to inherit, he had actually been given at least a modicum of training in the running of the estate, so he wasn’t likely to run it completely into the ground in his first six months while he mourned all his losses, both his family members and the role he had loved.
He needed to find Gilbert Northcott. Perhaps if he were able to enlist his old friend into the role he hated to leave he would be able to let it go a little easier. Knowing his last mission was in capable hands would allow him to sleep a little easier at night, even if he still mourned. But as it stood now, he worried for the state and safety of the great nation he had sworn to serve. He couldn’t concentrate on the viscountcy until he knew it was secure.
He bowed over the lady’s hand and was about to take his leave of her when Ellen’s small hand tightened on his.
“I’m sorry to bother you with this personal matter, Lord Richmond, but could I count on you to let me know what you learn from your courier?”
Hugh blinked at the chit. He hadn’t thought that far ahead. He had never had such ties before. But there was nothing for it but to agree.
“Of course,” he answered almost instantly. “How about I call around to take you for a drive in a couple of days? I should surely have news by then.”
“Oh, how delightful that would be. It would feel almost homey. Thank you, Hugh, or rather, my lord.” The girl blushed and stammered and suddenly looked just exactly like the young schoolgirl he remembered from his days of visiting her brother on school holidays. He had to admit, he was surprised she was being so pleasant to him. If he had thought it through, he would have expected her to be much cooler toward him, considering their last encounter.
Again he chose to ignore the pulse of something that he felt from viewing her in this light. He wasn’t ready to have feelings. Especially those particular feelings. He had turned those off years ago and had no room for any feelings other than his anger and grief.
“I will call on you, then, as soon as I have any information for you. I’ll bid you goodnight.” The heat of her stare seemed to burn between his shoulder blades as he walked away, but he didn’t dare look back to see whether or not her eyes upon him was just his imagination.
Hugh made a mental note to remember to send Johnny, his most trusted courier and one that Jeffrey would recognize, to check on the situation at Hanley House, but for now he pushed the matter to the back of his mind. He didn’t have enough space in his thoughts to concern himself with it while he was also dealing with the matter of his worries for the Crown.
Chapter Three
It was a gloriously sunny day despite the cooler temperatures of late September. After having slept much later than usual, Ellen was now sitting at herescritoirecontemplating the previous night, the cause of her sluggishness that morning. She had enjoyed her first official ball quite immensely, and she had felt like a success. Surely it wasn’t terribly conceited of her to think so. She hadn’t been the most popular girl at the ball, but she also hadn’t spent any time on the sidelines. For that, she was deeply grateful. It was Ellen’s strong opinion that either circumstance would be dreadful in the extreme.
But while it had been a highly enjoyable night, Ellen was determined to find her match that Season and get on with life. She knew some young ladies wanted to just play at courtships for their first Season and then get serious about marriage during their second or third Season. Ellen wasn’t one of those.
It wasn’t as though she were in competition with her sisters, but Theodora had married within weeks of her debut and was now well ensconced in her life with her husband and baby. And Ellen’s younger sister, Amelia, would be hoping to make her debut in a couple years. Ellen loved both her sisters immensely, but she didn’t think she would wish to share a Season with either of them. Then perhaps itwouldfeel like a competition, and she had no interest in experiencing that. No, Ellen needed to be serious about matters. She wasn’t in Town to make merry. She too wanted to be well settled into her new life before Amelia made her debut.
And so, she was sitting at her letter writing desk, quill in hand, tapping her finger against her chin, deep in thought over the night before. She didn’t think it especiallygaucheto make a list of anyone she had met the night before who might be considered an eligibleparti. This was the point of her being there, and how else was she to consider her options if not to write it all down?
Mr. Browne
Mr. Gilbert Northcott
Lord Richmond
Ellen tapped her chin again. Perhaps not Lord Richmond. As the new Viscount of Richmond, Ellen was quite sure Hugh was far too preoccupied to consider matrimony at this time. And she couldn’t wait around for him, no matter the delicious shivers that were produced when he had chuckled over something she had said. The way his face had lightened when he’d laughed had made her feel as though she had accomplished something great. Clearly the poor man had experienced far too little laughter in recent times.
Besides the fact that he was obviously not yet in a position to pursue matrimony, there was also that old matter between them. No, she drew a line through his name on her list. He was not a potential for her.
Turning her mind away from Hugh, Ellen thought about the other gentlemen on her list. She didn’t know much about Mr. Browne. Not even his first name, which was rather short-sighted of her and just went to show how distracted she had been early in the evening. He had seemed quite pleasant and had shown marked interest in her, listening attentively when she’d spoken rather than looking around the room as some others had done. She would do well to find out a little more about his circumstances and get to know him a little better.
Then there was Mr. Gilbert Northcott. As the second son of the Earl of Everleigh, he wasn’t a peer and wasn’t likely to ever be one. Although Hugh’s situation just went to show that anything could happen. But there were rumors that Mr. Northcott did have property of his own with sufficient living that he was an eligible bachelor. Ellen didn’t much care about titles. She had already been a lady all her life. She wouldn’t miss it terribly if she were to marry an honorable instead.
