“My dear young lady,” he said, picking up his knife and fork. “I am not given to flattery. And I am pleased to welcome you and your sister into my home.”
“Thank you,” she said while Lady Stephanie beamed.
Lucas’s stomach was feeling a bit queasy,notbecause of the one cake he had eaten—actually, it had been more icing than cake—but because it was as clear as day to him where his grandfather’s thoughts were trending. It must be equally clear to everyone else at the table too—including Lady Philippa Ware herself. Fortunately Lady Patterson had the presence of mind to suggest to her husband just audibly enough for everyone else to hear that it was high time they took their leave with Roger after enjoying a thoroughly agreeable morning in good company.
It was the signal for everyone else to get to their feet too. There was one other awkward moment when Gerald informed Lady Philippa and her sister that it would be his pleasure to escort them home if they did not mind walking as he had only his horse with him at Arden House.
“Or you can come with us,” Charlotte said to them rather unrealistically. “Provided you do not mind being rather squashed in the carriage, that is, and having one or more of the children talking your ear off.”
“Luc will escort them,” His Grace announced. “Our carriage is probably still standing outside the door.”
For the moment that seemed to be the end of the matter.
“No,” Lady Philippa said quite firmly after glancing at her sister. “That will be quite unnecessary, though we are very grateful for the offer, Your Grace. We will enjoy walking back to Grosvenor Square. It is not far, and we have each other for company.”
“Perfect,” Gerald said. “I have two arms.”
Aunt Kitty went to see everyone on their way, leaving Lucas and Jenny alone in the breakfast parlor with their grandparents.
“Poor Grandmama,” Jenny said. “You look exceedingly weary. I suppose the last thing you expected was to find a children’s tea party in progress in your breakfast parlor.”
“It was a delightful welcome to London,” Grandmama said.
“Lucas,” the duke said sharply. “Gerald is also my grandson, and he is every bit as dear to me as you are. But the fact remains that you are my heir and he is not. If you are not very careful, he is going to snatch that young lady right from under your nose. I believe Her Grace and I have arrived in the nick of time.”
—
It was customary for young ladies to wear white evening gowns to social events during their first Season. It would be wise, the Dowager Countess of Stratton had advised her daughter, not to flout that unwritten rule entirely despite the fact that many ladies her age were already matrons. Her modiste had agreed with her ladyship, but she had suggested that Lady Philippa could look distinctive and quite ravishing if she incorporated some silver or gold into a few of her evening gowns and chose pale pastel shades for others—andif she avoided frills and flounces on her dresses and ribbons in her hair, all much favored by young girls. She said the wordgirlsrather disparagingly.
Tonight, for her first grand ball at Lord and Lady Abingdon’s mansion, Philippa was wearing a silver net tunic over a white muslin gown with silver jewelry that would sparkle under the chandeliers. Her long gloves and dancing slippers were also silver. She looked both delicate and beautiful, her maid had just told her after taking a step back to look critically at the elaborate hairstyle shehad created with its high topknot and cascading curls and wavy tendrils over her neck and temples.
“She looksgorgeous, Madeline,” Stephanie said. “Everyone else will fade into bland insignificance in contrast, Pippa.”
Philippa laughed. “I do hope that is not true,” she said. “I would feel wretchedly conspicuous and would not have a friend in London.”
“Butthatis not so,” Stephanie told her. “Lady Jenny Arden likes you exceedingly well. And you have told me of other ladies your age who are amiable and will surely become your friends or close acquaintances at the very least as the Season progresses.”
Philippa’s maid was tidying up and preparing to leave her dressing room.
“Are you nervous?” Stephanie asked. “I would be a mass of quivering jelly if I were in your shoes.”
“It would be foolish to pretend I am not,” Philippa admitted. “It would not take much to cause me to tear off all this finery and climb into my bed with a book to read beneath the covers. But Mama would be disappointed. So would Dev and Gwyneth when they get here. So would you, I daresay. And I would beextremelydisappointed with myself. It is a relief to know that at least I will not be a total wallflower tonight.”
When Sir Gerald Emmett had escorted them home from Arden House yesterday, he had waited for Stephanie to go inside first, and then had asked Philippa if she would reserve the opening set for him at tonight’s ball. It had been a bit like having one’s dearest dream come true. That all-important first set at one’s very first grand ball with half thetonlooking on was something she no longer needed to face with stomach-churning anxiety. She had a partner, a distinguished, good-looking, personable gentleman. A man she knew and with whom she felt comfortable. A titled gentleman too.
Stephanie made her lips vibrate as she blew out through them with a sound of scorn that was peculiar to her. “You, a wallflower!” she exclaimed. “How absurd you can be sometimes, Pippa. Sir Gerald Emmett admires you greatly and would fall in love with you with just the slightest encouragement—or maybe even without. I do like him too. He actually talked to me yesterday when we were in Hyde Park as though I were a real person.”
“I do not know what else you would be but real,” Philippa said with a smile.
But her sister was not to be deterred. “And there is the Marquess of Roath too,” she said, picking up Philippa’s white and silver fan and twirling it absently in her hands. “I think he does a bit more than just admire you, Pippa. He looks at you quite intently sometimes when you are not looking at him, and his eyes...smolder.Well, that is perhaps a bit of an exaggeration, but he definitelylikesyou, as I so disastrously said aloud in the hearing of his sister when we had tea with her. I could havedied.Anyway, he isgorgeous, just as you are. He would be gorgeous even without the red hair, but with it... Though it is not really red, is it? It is not gingery as red hair very often is. It is more like... burnished copper. But even apart from his looks, he is going to be adukeone day. And the present duke is a very old man. He looks as if he must be at least ninety. I like him, though, even if hedoesfrown a great deal. I believe he likes to be thought of as ferocious.”
“You like him because he liked Papa?” Philippa asked with a smile. They had all loved Papa, but she knew that Stephanie had adored him perhaps more than any of them.
“Do youlikethe Marquess of Roath?” Stephanie asked. “Or Sir Gerald Emmett? I mean, enough to be courted by either one of them? How can you fear being a wallflower, Pippa, when even before your first ball you have two such eligible and handsomegentleman dangling after you—or willing to dangle if you would just hint that you are interested. Are you in love with either of them?”
Philippa forced herself to laugh.And his eyes... smolder.The very idea! “Too many questions, Steph,” she said. “I am about to attend my first ball and my head is already buzzing. I hope to make some new acquaintances tonight. I hope to dance at least a few sets so I will not feel too terribly awkward and embarrassed. I have no intention of falling in love with anyone just yet. Perhaps not at all this Season. I—”
But she was saved from having to flounder onward when a tap on her door preceded the appearance of her mother, who was looking very striking and elegant in a shimmering gown of emerald satin. Her dark hair gleamed.
