“Shake, Walter,” the earl directed as he, too, entered the garden.
The dog raised a large paw, and Henry bent to take it, shaking it slowly.
Iris sank into a curtsy, and releasing Walter’s paw, Henry bowed at her side when Lord and Lady Raine reached them.
She’d had a lovely time in the park with Dimity and felt as if they were becoming friends. Was this a social call? Didn’t people usually send an invite if they wanted to do that?
“My wife wants to invite you to accompany us today, Lady Challoner,” Lord Raine said.
He had a lovely smile. They were a very handsome couple, Iris thought.
“My other daughter is with one of my brothers. You never know whose child you will end up with in this family. Today we have Miss Ella.”
“She’s Iris, as I have already told you, Gabe. We rode the velocipede together. After that, you do not stand on formality,” Dimity said.
“Forgive me,” he said gravely. “My wife wished for you to accompany us today, Iris.”
“Hello again,” Ella said to Henry.
“Hello,” Henry said in his quiet voice.
“Do you want to come with us today, Henry? We are going to a fair to celebrate the Duchess of Yardly’s birthday. She’s very old,” Ella said. “But nice.”
“I’m not sure nice fits the Duchess of Yardly, Ella.”
The little girl squinted up at the earl. “She doesn’t like adults, only children and animals.”
“Well, there you have it then,” Dimity said.
The little girl wiggled in her father’s arms and wanted to be put down. Her father obliged, and she then ran to her big cousin.
“This is Patrice. She is my cousin,” Ella said.
“The celebrations are being held at Lord and Lady Caruthers’s estate about two hours away, so if you’d like to get ready, you can come with us. The children can then become further acquainted.”
“I really don’t think—”
“She will stand here and talk at you until you agree,” the earl said, cutting Iris off. “It’s best to just give in and comply with her wishes. It’s what the rest of the family does.”
The countess smiled. “Indeed, that’s exactly what happens. Patrice, don’t eat the dirt.”
The girl did indeed have a handful and was just about to put it in her mouth.
“It will be fun. Your son can make new friends, as can you, Iris” the earl said. “You’ve only recently arrived, and I’m sure it would benefit both you and Henry to attend the celebrations.”
“My lord, I really don’t think—”
“He is Gabriel if you find him too imposing, and if not, Gabe,” Dimity added.
“I’m the head of our family, my love. It is important to seem imposing, surely?”
The earl gave his wife a look that was full of love. It made Iris’s throat tight with longing. She wasn’t sure her husband had ever liked her, or his son, for that matter.
“So what do you say, Iris? Will you come along? We will need to leave soon to reach the duchess’s party in time,” Dimity said.
“I don’t know the Duchess of Yardly well,” Iris said, hoping this would put the woman off. “I’ve, of course, met her a few times, but still, she did not directly invite me, so I wouldn’t feel right—”
“Just as well, really. You don’t know her as intimately as we do,” the earl said. “Woman’s terrifying. She’s infiltrated my household and there seems little I can do about it.”
