Caleb coughed into his napkin at the audacity of Lord A and Caleb hoped it didn’t put Lady Lucinda in a poor mood for the afternoon games, which he would eagerly attend.
“And I’ll be happy to explain my expectations as well, Lord A,” Lady Lucinda returned with a tight smile.
“Yes, of course,” Lord A patronized.
Thirteen
Lucinda stormedfrom the sitting room once her time was up with Lord A. He was a pompous ass. A prig with an over-inflated ego, who dared condescend to her of how he expected her to behave and what was expected in a marriage and that by simply following his dictate, they’d get on well and in no time, she’d be in love with him.
Oh, if her father would only let her send another lord from Forester Hall, Lucinda would be happy to help Lord A pack.
No sooner had she turned the corner than she ran into the solid form of a gentleman, her nose being saved from injury as it barely missed his shoulder. She was further saved from falling back from the impact by a strong, warm hand steadying her waist and Lucinda knew that she’d encountered Mr. Copeland.
Tipping her head, she stared up into his green, humor-filled eyes.
“Is all well, Lady Lucinda?”
“No,” she grumbled and cast a glance to the sitting room. “I fear I’ve developed a headache that will keep me from luncheon,” she admitted. She had developed pain at the base of her skull, but the discomfort wasn’t bad enough to keep her from the others. However, she feared that if she must be forced to encounter Lord A so soon after their meeting, she might just develop a debilitating condition.
“I say, Lady Lucinda, you must have a care not to allow liberties such as the ones Mr. Copeland has taken.”
She stiffened immediately at Lord A’s tone as Mr. Copeland stepped away from her person and took his hands away from her waist.
With a deep breath she turned. “Do not misinterpret what you’ve seen, Lord A. I ran into Mr. Copeland as I was not looking. He was simply steadying my person. Or would you rather he allowed me to fall on my arse instead?” She shouldn’t have yelled that last part, but Lord A had made her quite irate.
His eyes widened. “I daresay, such language is not necessary, nor appropriate coming from a Lady.”
Of course, that is all he’d care about.
“I don’t really give a da…,” she cut off the word and then nodded to Mr. Copeland. “If you’ll excuse me.” Without a backward glance she mounted the stairs to retire to her chamber where she might scream her frustration at her leisure.
* * *
Caleb chuckledat Lady Lucinda’s outburst and the shocked outrage of Lord A.
“I believe I shall have a word with Her Grace.” With that Lord A turned on his heel and marched away.
Caleb had no idea what transpired during the meeting between Lady Lucinda and Lord A, but it had not gone well at all. He’d nearly barked out laughter when she asked if Lord A would have preferred that she fall on herarse. Oh, he liked her. Far more than he should.
The luncheon that followed was somewhat subdued and even his aunts with their constant chattering did not lighten the mood. Further, as they’d done at breakfast, the lords glared at Caleb as if he’d offended them somehow. Not that their opinions bothered him in the least.
By the time the group was ushered into the sitting room for the afternoon entertainments, he was in an even better mood, at realizing these lords considered him competition for Lady Lucinda’s hand. They had to realize how ridiculous the possibility. She was the daughter of a duke and His Grace was not going to settle on a mister with nothing to offer but himself.
Lady Lucinda was seated beside her grandmother and there were ten additional chairs. He settled into the one furthest away so that her court could be closest. Lord B was the one that claimed the seat next to her. As for his aunts, they took seats next to Caleb and he much preferred their nearness to the others, with the exception of Lord I, who took a seat to Caleb’s left, as he had no desire to grovel before Lady Lucinda either.
However, his interest was piqued when Lord A approached Lady Lucinda.
“I trust that you have calmed since our earlier encounter,” he condescended.
Caleb had to wonder if Lord A was incapable of learning from past mistakes.
“I had,” she answered coolly.
“Then I can assume an apology will be issued for such behavior.”
Bloody hell, the gentleman was a loathsome, pompous prig. Did he think her a child and not a woman of two and twenty?
Lady Lucinda tilted her head and studied Lord A. “Yes, you are correct. An apology should be issued.”
