‘Lady Somerton.’ Colonel Dempster bent over her hand. ‘I have seen you from afar, but we’ve never formally met.’
‘You’ve heard of me? Do we have a mutual acquaintance?’ Isabel enquired.
‘My sister, Georgiana—sorry, Lady Kendall—has a place close to the Somerton estates in Lincolnshire.’ He paused. ‘She told me the bad news about your husband. I knew him. My commiserations, ma’am.’
This man was Georgiana Kendall’s brother? Surely the fates could not be so perverse.
Isabel took a deep breath and forced a smile. ‘Thank you. What a small world, Colonel, but you are obviously not acquainted with Captain Alder’s news?’
Dempster turned an enquiring eye on his old friend.
‘Captain Alder is the new Lord Somerton,’ Isabel said.
Harry Dempster stared at her and then at Sebastian. ‘You dark horse. I didn’t know you were kin of the Somertons.’
‘I didn’t know myself until recently,’ Sebastian said. He glanced at Isabel. ‘Still not sure I completely believe it.’
Lady Langmead looked the new Lord Somerton up and down, no doubt taking in the shabby coat with its fraying cuffs and the unbarbered hair that skimmed the top of a badly knotted stock. It would be all through the fashionable salons by tomorrow, Isabel thought.
‘I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure, sir,’ Lady Langmead said, holding out her hand.
‘Lord Somerton,’ Isabel said, pointedly addressing Sebastian first, ‘may I introduce Lady Langmead?’
Sebastian bowed awkwardly.
Elizabeth Langmead’s lip curled slightly, but she did at least do him the courtesy of returning a curtsey.
Harry Dempster spread his arms in an expansive gesture.
‘But this is incredible news! Congratulations, Alder. You deserve good fortune, if anyone does. Lady Somerton, where did you find him?’
‘Among the wounded of Waterloo, Colonel,’ she replied.
Harry turned back to look at Sebastian, his face grave.
‘You were there? Was it as bad as they say?’
‘Worse,’ Sebastian replied, and a look passed between them, the deep understanding of two men who have fought together on the field of battle.
‘I’m glad to be out of it.’ As if only just recalling the presence of the two women, Harry straightened. ‘Alder and I served in Spain together.’
‘Another time best forgotten.’
The hard edge to Sebastian’s voice made Isabel turn to look at him. She knew so little about this man, beyond the neatly written report on his antecedents provided to her by Bragge.Served in the Army of the Peninsula 1807 – 1809, it had read.
‘Are you in London for long?’ Sebastian addressed Harry.
‘No, damn it. Father has summoned me home and I’m off in the morning, but I shall make it my business to escape to Lincolnshire as soon as I can. My sister is much better company than the old man. Are you going up to Brantstone soon?’
‘As soon as Lord Somerton is well enough to travel, Colonel,’ Isabel responded before Sebastian could reply. She shot the new Lord Somerton a sharp glance. ‘He is barely out of his sick bed.’
‘Well, perhaps I could call on you. Tonight—?’ Harry began but was cut short by his companion.
‘Tonight you are engaged to escort me to the Duchess of Rutland’s soiree, and we must be on our way,’ Lady Langmead said, her lips curling into a petulant pout.
‘I am indeed. Then it will have to be Lincolnshire as soon as I can escape the pater. I shall look forward to catching up with you there, Alder... Sorry, Somerton.’
‘And I.’
