“She lives at Amberwell with Kitty and you?” her mother asked.
He waited while the butler, who had reentered the room with a round crystal bowl holding his posy of flowers, set it in the middle of a chest of drawers close to the window, stood back a moment, adjusted it more to his liking, and then withdrew.
“She does,” Lucas said. “Though for several years after my father’s passing I was obliged to live at Greystone Court with my grandparents. I was the only remaining heir of the direct line, and it was important to my grandfather that I be trained for the ducalrole I will hold one day—though I fervently hope it will not be very soon. I am dearly fond of both grandparents.”
“You are a duke’s heir?” Lady Stephanie asked.
“The Duke of Wilby is my grandfather,” he told her. “My father, his only son, is deceased.”
“Kitty informed me yesterday,” Lady Stratton said, “that the duke and duchess are expected at Arden House within the next week or so.”
“My grandfather feels he really ought to put in an appearance at the House of Lords after not having done so last year or the year before,” he told her. “My grandmother is eager to renew her acquaintance with people she has not seen in just as long a while. I might have pointed out to them both when I saw them at Easter that at their age they have surely earned a rest from obligations they have fulfilled quite diligently all their adult lives, but I knew I would be wasting my breath. I hesitate to say that my grandfather is the most stubborn person I know, for that might well be my grandmother. They are a formidable pair.”
She laughed. “I believe I met them a long time ago,” she said. “Though for many years I spent no more than a week or two in London each spring. My children were growing up and I preferred to remain with them in the country.”
“They were fortunate children, then, ma’am,” he said.
“We were,” Lady Stephanie agreed, beaming at him. “I am the youngest.”
He thought of his sister and brother-in-law, who brought their children to town with them for a month or so each spring and took them to a wide variety of places, partly for their entertainment, even more for their education. There could not be many places in the world so full of history and art and culture in all its variety of forms as London. And even science.
He was very aware of the silent Lady Philippa Ware. He did not believe she was particularly shy. Nor did he believe that she simply lacked conversation. Jenny had told him that before his arrival yesterday they had talked for a long time without stopping and that, before she joined Jenny, Lady Philippa had been chatting at her ease with Gerald. Besides, she was alady.Ladies were taught to make polite conversation even if theyhadspent all their lives in the country.
“Lady Philippa,” he said, turning his attention to her. “I have my curricle outside your door. I wonder if you would like to come with me for a drive in Hyde Park?”
He knew from the way she looked back at him that it was something she most definitely wouldnotlike. She opened her mouth to say so—he was sure of it.
“We have been enjoying a quiet afternoon after a busy morning and before what we expect to be a busy evening,” her mother said. “My brother- and sister-in-law have invited Pippa and me to join them and a few other family members in their box at the theater tonight. But a short drive in the park and some fresh air would surely be just the thing for Pippa. It is kind of you to have come to invite her, Lord Roath.”
“It is my pleasure, ma’am,” he assured her. “But if Lady Philippa would prefer to remain at home to rest, I can—”
“No,” she said, getting to her feet. “Thank you, Lord Roath. That would be delightful. If you will give me ten minutes, I will go and change into something more appropriate.”
Left alone with her mother and sister, Lucas smiled. “I believe I heard you say yesterday,” he said, addressing the dowager, “that you are expecting the earl, your eldest son, to arrive here soon?”
“He is in Wales with his wife,” she told him. “They went for her brother’s wedding after Easter. Idris is our neighbor. His parents,Sir Ifor and Lady Rhys, own the estate adjoining Ravenswood. Gwyneth lived there too, of course, until she married Devlin just before Christmas. Yes, they will be here any day now.”
“I can hardly wait,” Stephanie said. “Dev has always been my favorite brother, though I would never say that in the hearing of any of the others, for one is not supposed to have favorites. And I do love them all dearly. I am terribly worried about Nicholas, for he is with his regiment somewhere in northern Europe and there is sure to be war again now that Napoleon Bonaparte has escaped from Elba. I wassothankful last year when it really seemed that the wars were over and Devlin and Ben came home. Now I am cross because someone was careless and allowed Bonaparte to escape. From anisland.”
Lucas spoke with her while he waited. At the same time, though, he wondered why he was doing this. Surely the best thing he could have done was remove himself completely and permanently from Lady Philippa Ware’s life. He was just not sure it would be possible, however. She had come to London to make her debut in society at last. He had come because his grandfather had told him he must and duty decreed that he obey. Almost daily for the next few months they were going to be moving in the same circles and attending many of the same social functions. He could not simply do what might seem the honorable thing and go home to Amberwell while she enjoyed her Season here and found an eligible husband.
For honor also dictated that he remain here and find a bride. Not only find her butmarryher.
Sometimes life was just... complicated.
Chapter Seven
By the time Philippa reentered the library dressed smartly for a drive in the park, she was so angry, she had a hard time holding a smile on her face for her mother’s sake. Mama hadno idea, and after four years it was far too late to tell her now. Stephanie, of course, was delighted. She was probably dreaming of being a bridesmaid again.
“I am ready,” Philippa said unnecessarily as both her mother and the Marquess of Roath rose to their feet. How dared he come here to force her into this? And how dared he be so tall and handsome and such a...perfectphysical specimen.
How dared he!
Her mother came to stand at the top of the steps outside the front doors while they descended and crossed the pavement to his curricle. Philippa had no real choice then but to set her gloved hand in his in order to ascend to the high seat. It was not a very wide seat, she noticed, an impression that was confirmed when he took his place beside her and gathered the ribbons in his hands.
Mama was smiling warmly at them. She was pleased. As why should she not be? They had been in London for just a very short while, they had attended only one really quite modest entertainment, yet here was her daughter already being singled out for attention by possibly the most eligible bachelor in town, or even all England, the heir to a dukedom, a handsome, distinguished, personable young man.Seeminglypersonable, except when he was crushing the hopes and dreams of young girls with vicious insults. He had come calling today, without an invitation, no doubt confident of being received with eager, open arms. He had come, flowers in hand, to make himself agreeable to all three ladies. And he had succeeded all too easily with two of them. He had behaved charmingly, even with Steph, whom many men would have ignored as totally without importance since she was still officially a child. He had wooed her mother and younger sister before getting to the main point of his visit and inviting Philippa to go driving in Hyde Park with him.
Where they were almost certain to be seen together by at leastsomeone.Probably by a whole lot of someones actually. It was quite insufferable.
