“No,” Penelope laughed. “It is encouraged but I refuse to settle for anything but love and independence.”
“How can we keep Cousin Henry from making us marry?” Chloe asked.
“He already promised that he would not force us into a courtship,” Judith reminded her.
“Yes, but, what if he changes his mind?” Jael asked.
There was little they could do if His Grace decided to marry them off, but Penelope didn’t want to inform them of that fact or it would send them into a panic. Instead, she would encourage the freedom they longed for and give them the confidence to pursue it, even if His Grace objected.
“It really is unfair,” Damaris said after a moment.
“What is?” Penelope asked.
“Our cousin is a duke, yet he has not wed. He is not even courting anyone and if anyone has a duty, requirement to wed, it is him.”
“That is true,” Penelope agreed. “I am certain he will get around to it.” Though, for some reason, she did not like the idea of him courting anyone. Why was that?
“I have an excellent idea.” Judith brightened and grinned. “We shall find someone for him to court and while he is falling in love, he will forget about us courting anyone.”
Penelope wanted to warn them that Eldridge would likely first balk at matchmaking and then be displeased with them for even attempting to do so but held her tongue. Men for generations have managed the lives of women by agreeing to courtships and marriages, sometimes even arranging them without once asking a woman if that was what she wanted. It would be fun to watch a man be forced to endure the same manipulations.
“How would we even go about doing so?” Chloe asked.
“Tea!” Penelope announced. “Each day you will host a small tea for ladies and misses of a similar age in your home. You will come to know them and begin to form your opinions. This will also leave the opportunity for His Grace to encounter them in his home.”
“Who do we invite?” Judith asked. “What if they decline our invitation.”
“We will decide this afternoon as we also prepare a list of those to be invited to the ball.”
“Do you know the names of everyone in Society?” Jael asked in awe.
“I know many, but we will rely on Debrett’s to narrow down both lists.”
“They could still decline,” Damaris worried.
In turn, Penelope laughed. “Nobody declines an invitation to have tea in the home of a duke, especially if he is an eligible bachelor.”
This was also an excellent idea and Penelope wished she would have thought of it sooner. Not so much the matchmaking for Eldridge, but the sisters could use practice entertaining at home.
Chapter 10
For the second day in a row, Henry left his library to hear conversations coming from the parlor, then frowned when he realized that his cousins were not alone. Several other females were with them, or so it seemed.
Bloody hell! Was this their plan? To bring women into his home and hope that he fell in love.
He had overheard their whispered conversation as he neared the breakfast room this morning about how he needed to find a wife and that they should help him. Henry had not been concerned, until now. How much of this was Lady Penelope’s doing?
After a deep breath, Henry stepped across the entry to find not only his cousins but Lady Penelope and five other misses of the ton.
They all looked at him expectantly. His cousins grinned and their guests, except for Lady Penelope, blushed and fluttered eyelashes.
“Lady Penelope, a word, please.”
She excused herself and Henry patiently waited for her to join him in the entry then escorted her to the library where he slammed the door after their entry.
“What are those misses doing in my home?” He already knew, or could guess, but wanted her explanation.
“Your cousins are learning to entertain,” she answered innocently. “I chose ladies and misses who were of a similar age and are from respectable families, with whom they could form friendships.”
