Chapter 1
The Marquess of Greystone was not happy.
“I must admit, at the turn of the year, I would not have guessed four of my school chums would marry before summer,” he said, making light of the companionship he’d taken for granted. Stifling a yawn, he crossed one leg over the other and reclined into his favorite chair. “And without warning… First Westerley, then you, then Spencer—even Manningham-Tissinton got himself a shackle. Not well done, Chaswick. I thought you were my friends”
“Your time will come, Greys. And I only hope you end up in a marriage as idyllic as mine.” Chase, the Baron of Chaswick, murmured before puckering his lips around one of his ubiquitous cigars. “But for now, I need to find prospective suitors for at least one of my sisters.”
Having married Lady Bethany Fitzwilliam under duress the first week of the Season, Greys’ longtime friend was now launching his two recently of-age half-sisters into society.
His twoillegitimatehalf-sisters.
Greys himself faced a seemingly similar chore involving his ward—his niece—but marrying her off oughtn’t to be nearly as challenging as Chase’s predicament. Lady Posy was proving slightly difficult, but at least her parents had been married to one another. Greys didn’t envy Chaswick’s task of trying to marry off the daughters of his father’s mistress.
“And how is that endeavor coming along?” Greys eyed his friend. Chaswick’s sisters were more than good-looking enough. Miss Collette Jones, the eldest, was a quiet blonde, and her younger sister, Miss Diana, an enigmatic girl who, although something of a hellion, was also quite striking, with her burnished brown hair and pale blue eyes.
Both girls were educated and refined, and yet Greys doubted those traits were going to be enough to entice any respectable gentleman into marrying one of them.
Greys had only become aware of their existence a few years prior when he’d run into Chaswick escorting them to Gunter’s one afternoon. Their father had kept their existence, and the existence of their mother, who happened to be his mistress, a secret until his death. That wasn’t the sort of history an upstanding gentleman readily embraced.
Chase rolled his shoulders. “Collette has adamantly declared herself uninterested in marrying and is only going to attend the Season’s events to provide companionship for Diana.”
Greys frowned. “Will she remain a companion to your wife once the season is over, then?”
“Not at all. Miss Primm is willing to take her on at her ladies' seminary to teach language beginning this autumn. Collette has an amazing grasp of Latin and French.”
“So you only need land a husband for one of them?”
“Diana initially informed me that she would prefer to be a dancing girl, but as I’ve put my foot down to that ridiculousness, she’s willing to marry so long as her husband is ‘handsome and brave’.” Chaswick was looking appropriately pained. “She cares not that he be titled; in fact, I believe she’d prefer he not be. Which reminds me to ask, do you know much about Captain Sterling Edgeworth?”
Greys searched his mind but came up mostly empty.
Give him a mathematical problem to solve or a scientific theory to discuss. He far preferred to discuss either of those topics than the suitability of other bachelors. Although dash it all, with his niece in town for the season, he supposed he ought to take more of an interest.
“I only know that he is the Earl of Rosewood’s youngest brother. Impressive military record. No indiscretions that I’ve heard of, or anything else that would disqualify him as a suitable match. Has the Captain expressed an interest in courting Miss Diana?” Greys would be surprised if he had.
The trouble was, if Edgewoodwashonorable, proper, and all that would qualify him as a good match, it was not likely he’d have noble intentions toward a young woman born on the wrong side of the blanket.
“Unfortunately, no. Diana is trying to catch his eye but hasn’t met with any success.”
“Pity that,” Greys offered.
“I hate for her to join the ranks of the wallflowers.”
Greys smoothed out the lace at his wrist. “One of those gents will eventually chance theTon’s disapproval. No doubt other pups will come forward after that.”
“My thoughts precisely,” Chaswick eyed Greys, and then cocked a brow. “One gent.”
… Good God.Greys frowned. “Surely you aren’t suggestingIshould be that gent. I’m far too old for her.” And far too… everything.
“And yet the woman you are contemplating for your Marchioness is two years younger than Diana.” Chase pointed out. “Unless you’ve changed your mind about Lady Isabella?”
“No.” Greys shook his head. Even at the tender age of seven and ten, Lady Isabella had been deemed the best choice by both himself and his aunt. She was born of an impeccable line and raised to marry a nobleman, and furthermore, Greys had already discussed the possibility of a match with her father, the Earl of Huntly.
“I’m not asking you to court Diana. Simply single her out a time or two. Row her across the lake at a few garden parties and then take her driving through Hyde Park one afternoon. That ought to be enough.”
“I might as well declare our betrothal,” Greys quipped sarcastically.
“Don’t be absurd.” Chase waved away Greys’ excuse. “A trip around the lake and then down Rotten Row will do wonders for her reputation. Then, after you’ve performed those two little acts of kindness, you may quietly step away with no one the wiser.” Chase flicked the ash at the tip of his cigar onto the ornate dish which had been designated for just that purpose. “Consider it practice,” Chaswick laughed.
