“That seems to be a favorite thing among the ladies.”
“It is,” Daphne replied. “Lady Cathryn is an accomplished musician. I’ve never heard anyone play as well as she does.”
He arched a brow. “I play as well.”
“When did you start? I believe I was about seven when I began,” Lady Cathryn inquired.
“I really don’t remember a time when I didn’t play.”
“Lady Cathryn’s playing at a musicale we’ve been invited to. Perhaps you’d like to join us, Charles,” Daphne asked with a twinkle in her eye.
Recalling today’s events, he wasn’t sure if that wouldn’t be a disaster as well. He took a sip of tea before answering his sister-in-law.
“Let’s see what Arthur has to say since I wasn’t included in the invitation.”
Lady Cathryn placed her teacup on a table beside her. “I’m sure they wouldn’t mind, and I’d love for you to come hear me play.”
There was something about Lady Cathryn that had his body reacting in ways that it normally wouldn’t. She intrigued him. Not only was she beautiful but she had the most amazing lavender eyes he’d ever seen, and her voice was soft and soothing. She wasn’t pushy, vying for his complete attention, but rather let him speak when he wanted and took an interest in what he had to say. On top of all that, his cock was hard and caused him to try and sit without anyone noticing.
“If you want to come along with us, I can inquire with our hostess and see if she would mind one more guest. I don’t think she will since you’re Arthur’s brother,” Daphne said.
“Daphne’s right. I’m sure they’ll be delighted to have you.”
He scrubbed his beard with a hand and looked at each of the two women. “If you don’t think it’s rude to ask to bring an extra person, go ahead and ask.”
“Wonderful!” Lady Cathryn said.
Daphne looked at him for a moment. “I’ll double check with Arthur first, but I’m sure he’ll agree.”
“Thank you.” He looked about the room. “Where is Sam?” He’d learned quickly that the parrot was always nearby.
“I had him removed because he was saying too many naughty words,” Daphne replied with a grin.
Charles grinned as well. “They must have been really bad if you banished him.”
“Trust me, he was.”
Picking up a plate, Lady Cathryn addressed him. “Would you like some cake or sandwiches, Lord Charles?”
He needed to get out of here and go to his rooms. She was a distraction he didn’t know how to deal with. Looking at Daphne out of the corner of his eye, he knew he had better accept her offer.
“Yes, a piece of seed cake would be nice,” he replied.
As Daphne poured him another cup of tea, Lady Cathryn added a slice of seed cake to his plate, along with two sandwiches.
“Here you go, Lord Charles. Your sister-in-law has an excellent baker. The seed cake is delicious.”
He took a bite. She was right; it was delicious. There was so much out there calling his name. His entire life had been one of being alone, eating whatever he cooked or made. He’d never been exposed to delectable treats like this seed cake. The cake was just the tip of the iceberg, and he wanted to try it all. He then picked up a cucumber sandwich which was quite dainty and only took him one bite. The second one was made with eggs, and after eating it, he couldn’t decide which was better. The egg or the cucumber.
Hearing the clock on the mantel chime, he knew he’d overstayed his intended time. He needed to go to his rooms and look for his notebook. He had a lot to write about today. Maybe writing his encounter and feelings about Lady Cathryn would help him understand better, though he doubted it. No one had taught him about the fairer sex. This was uncharted territory to him.
Finishing his tea quickly, he stood to his full height. “Ladies, this has been enjoyable. It was a pleasure to meet you, LadyCathryn,” he said, adding, “If you’ll excuse me, I need to find my valet to see if a package has arrived.”
“It was nice meeting you as well,” Lady Cathryn replied with a smile.
He walked across the room as quickly as he thought acceptable. The moment he was out of range of the closed doors, he quickly went up the stairs and to his suite of rooms. Shutting the doors behind him, he went to look for Frazier who was putting away freshly cleaned clothes.
“Did my package come?” he asked anxiously, referring to a supply of notebooks, pens, and pencils.
