He took a deep breath, then sat in the chair Lady Guinevere had brought forward at a right angle to where his mother sat on the bright pink settee. He slowly uncurled his fingers and stretched them out on his knee to loosen his tension. He repeated the action, but it didn’t help.
“You know what happened three years ago,” he said tightly.
“Yes, you wished to marry Bella; however, she chose another to wed,” Lady Malmsby said.
Ann looked, wide-eyed, from one to the other.
“You make it sound so simple. It was anything but simple,” Aidan said tiredly, struggling to get himself in hand.
“Only because you choose to make it so. Both of you choose to make it so. It is a bumble broth, to be sure. You should sit down and talk to her.”
“Not in bloody hell,” he snapped. He placed his head in his hands as he lowered his head, his elbows resting on his knees. “My apologies, Mother, Ann.”
“Seriously, you should talk to her. What you think happened is not what happened. And it did not just happen to you, it happened to Bella as well.”
“No, I do not wish to talk about history, not with you or her. That was three years ago. My life has moved on.”
“But Aidan—” began his mother.
“No!” he said explosively, sitting up straight. “No,” he repeated in a calmer voice. “Please, no.”
Lady Malmsby leaned back and looked at him. “All right, I won’t. Not today at least.”
“Never,” Aidan ground out.
Lady Malmsby frowned, ready to argue, but took a breath instead when Ann laid a hand on her arm. She looked at her granddaughter, then turned back to Aidan. “All right,” she said, her lips pursed. “So, what brings you here today? We did not expect to see you until the ball.”
“Art, of course,” he said, his voice now modulated. He glanced over at his niece and nodded slightly, grateful for her intrusion. He didn’t want to argue with his mother. He also did not want to talk about Isabella Blessingame.
“Peter Hampton has approached me to sell his painting that is currently on display in the Royal Academy Exhibition.”
“And you’re wondering if I’d like to add one of his pieces to my collection,” she said.
“You had mentioned at one time you liked his style.”
“I do. He does romanticism with an edge. I like it, but what I haven’t liked since his debut is his lifestyle. I think he will burn out too fast. However, if it will help get it sold, you can bruit it about that I am considering it. I always consider. That may cause someone to jump on it ahead of me.”
“Grandmother, you are devious,” said Ann.
“It is part of my charm,” Lady Malmsby replied.
Aidan doubled over with laughter. “Truer words have never been said,” he finally got out as he wiped his eyes. He rose to his feet. “Thank you for that touch of comedic relief. I needed that today. Thank you. With that, I take my leave of you. I shall see you the night of the ball.”
“You are not attending Lady Amblethorpe’s musicale”
“Not this time.”
“Aidan, based on the feelings you displayed earlier, I feel I must warn you that Lady Blessingame will be at the ball. You cannot avoid her the entire time she is in London. I trust you will have time before then to marshal your thoughts and not embarrass yourself—or her—with antipathy.”
He compressed his lips tightly, but knew she spoke wisely. He nodded curtly. “I can assure you I shall have myself in hand. The question is, will she?”
* * *
Jimmy,the footman Bella recognized from earlier, directed her to the parlor where the family gathered before meals. It was a lovely, high-ceilinged room done in soft blue and white with tastefully refined touches of gold. A perfect decor to relax in prior to a meal.
There was already someone in the room when she walked in. A giant to Gwinnie’s giantess. This must be her brother, Lord Lakehurst. He was even taller than his twin, Gwinnie. A smooth-shaven, dauntingly large man with broad shoulders and wavy dark red hair that blazed with fiery highlights in the chandelier candlelight. She could imagine him as a medieval warrior, wearing a kilt and brandishing a claymore.
But he was formally dressed in black evening attire, which made Bella feel underdressed for dinner, not that she had many choices in the wardrobe she’d judged to bring with her to London. She hadn’t expected to be socializing, let alone staying at the home of a duke.
