“Like any worthy Hell Born Babe, I have more than enough.”
CHAPTER 3
Arm in arm with Penelope, Alice held her parasol at her side, admiring the sprawling expanse of Lady Westley’s palatial gardens.
Amid the winding pathways, trimmed hedges, and flowery bushes, she drew in a breath of fresh air. The countryside idyllic home was a valuable escape from the bustling, smoke-choked bosom of London.
Here, surrounded by towering oaks, she appreciated the myriad dragonflies with their mosaic wings and chirping birds, over the clattering carriage wheels and raucous road mongers of the London Street.
“What a lovely place,” Penelope sighed, her gloved hand brushing down her middle. “It is unfortunate we do not see such open spaces in the Square.”
Though listening, Alice’s eyes were on the lords passing by, most of them matching the floral ambiance with colorful jackets and waistcoats, some even adorned in orange and pink cravats. Truthfully, she was looking for any sign of Rutledge, though she knew there was a slim chance he would be present.
The nodcock is probably still in the bed of one of the women he sauntered past me with.
“Girls,” Aunt Agatha chirped, her fan fluttering while she inched her way with her green gown. “Keep an eye on dear Eliza, will you? Make sure she does not fall in with the wrong ones, yes.”
“Who does she think are the wrong ones?” Penelope whispered. “These are all vetted members of the ton, aren’t they? Are scapegraces and blackguards about to come over the wall and through the shrubbery?”
Alice didn’t reply but she would tell Penelope what she thought her aunt meant when they had a moment of privacy.
Holding back a grimace—or was it a sigh of relief—at realizing Rutledge was not there, she trained her attention to the flocks of ladies around them.
She knew what her aunt meant; make sure Eliza found the girls that came from thecrème-de-la-crèmeof the ton, daughters of Dukes or Marquesses; who her aunt considered good company. What her auntmeantwas that she had to make sure such a girl was a wallflower or a spinster, where Eliza would enjoy the company and take the shine.
As unassuming as her aunt was, Agatha was cutthroat when it came to her daughter and making sure Eliza climbed the social ladder.
Alice’s mind flittered to Duke Valhaven, his haunting grey eyes—and she held back a shiver.
Put him out of your mind. You will never cross paths again.
“I’ll take care of what Aunt asked us to do,” Alice assured Penelope. “Do you want something to drink? The buffet gazebo is over there.”
“I would like a glass of lemonade,” Penelope said as she nodded to a seat under an elm. “I’ll be over there.”
While her sister went off to sit, Alice went to the gazebo, its wide lattice barriers light and cheerful. Some ladies and gentlemen were mingling there first so Alice waited her turn.
In between times, she made sure to keep an eye on Penelope, but it seemed she was doing just fine. Her sister had the same coloring their mother had; her hair golden with a tint of red to it, pale skin, and bright blue eyes she had inherited from their father.
I need to fix this situation for her. It is what mother and father mandated me to do.
Upon reaching the refreshment table, she was promptly asked for her order. “Two glasses of lemonade, please,” she requested with a polite smile.
Turning to leave with cups in hand, she very nearly collided with a gentleman standing close behind her. She gasped in horror, the drinks almost sloshing over the rims. “Heavens! I am so sorry. Did—did I spill some on you?”
Blue-grey eyes gleamed under coiffed russet hair. “Never fear, my lady, you have not doused me with lemonade,” a youthful voice chimed back.
Relieved, she examined his bronze waistcoat and blue cravat to make sure. “I am glad. Will you please excuse me, my lord?”
“No,” he said, and she was at a loss of what he meant, when he added, “Please, let me carry those for you. Any half-decent gentleman would not allow a lady to carry these on her own. Please.”
Her cheeks pinked. “Are… are you sure?”
“Benedict Landon, Marquess of Brampton, at your service,” he replied, while gently prying the glasses from her, “Please, lead the way.”
As she headed to the seat where Penelope had indicated, she found that her aunt and Eliza had joined them and realized her grave mistake of taking only two cups.
Her aunt perked up at seeing the lord behind her, her stern expression suddenly as bright and sweet as a summer’s day. “We were wondering where you had gone off to, dear.”
