“I understand from your granduncle’s solicitors that they are searching for two possible heirs now. We’ll see what they turn up. In the meanwhile, you seem to be enjoying Mr. Knight’s company. Tell me a little more about your day with him.”
She stared down at her hands. “There is not much else to tell. He was attentive to me, but only because Hawthorne is such an evil little clot and will not leave me alone.”
Lord Berwick frowned. “Was Mr. Knight too attentive? Did he also make a nuisance of himself?”
“Not at all.” She glanced up at him. “He was perfectly charming and delightful, and no more attentive to me than to any of the other ladies. Well, of course he had to pay closer attention to me, because I am the one in danger, and did you not appoint him to protect me? He takes his duty quite seriously.”
“Berry, do be careful. This man knows his way around women. I did not think he would ever dare try anything with you.”
She looked up, startled. “He wouldn’t. And he won’t ever. You are right to trust his honor. He is one of the finest men I have ever met. I will always be safe with him. I only wish others understood how good a man he truly is.”
“You think he is good?”
“Isn’t he? You chose him as your successor because of his fine qualities. Will you deny that he is honorable? Trustworthy. Loyal. And smart, too. What is wrong with my agreeing with your opinion of him?”
“Oh, my dear. The difference is that you are in danger of falling in love with him. But you must temper that feeling at once. Nothing can come of it but disgrace for you. I like the man and respect his abilities. However, I will never agree to your marrying him. He came to St. Brigid’s as a child wandering the streets. Who is his family? We do not know his background.”
“Nor does he, but he’s made something of himself despite all his disadvantages,” Berry pointed out.
“He runs gaming hells.”
“And yet you trust him with my welfare.”
“It is not the same thing. One is a business matter. The other is a matter of the heart.”
She sank back against the fine leather seat bench, feeling the weight of Society’s rules upon her shoulders. “You needn’t worry. He hasn’t asked me to marry him, nor will he ever. And I am not ignorant of the impediments to a union with him. He has taken pains to point them out to me.”
Lord Berwick gasped. “You’ve already had this conversation with him? Tell me, my dear child, are you in love with him?”
They arrived at the Claremont Inn just in time for her to avoid answering the question.
Lord Berwick was obviously concerned, and Berry knew their conversation would resume the moment they climbed into the carriage for the ride home.
How was she to avoid it? Perhaps she could pretend exhaustion and sleep on the entire ride home.
Since she had hours to come up with a plan during dinner, she set the matter aside and strode forward to greet Lord Folger and the other guests who had arrived before them.
Lord Berwick expressed his regrets and told everyone about his wife’s unfortunate accident, a much-discussed topic of conversation as they sat down to dine.
Berry adored Lord Berwick, but she was relieved to find him placed at one end of the table while she was seated at the opposite end. An earl sat to her right and a viscount sat to her left. Both men were bachelors, and Lord Folger must have arranged the seating by design.
It was a thoughtful gesture, but both men were as dull as turnips.
Since Lord Berwick was studying her from the opposite end of the table, she made certain to toss back her head and laugh at their remarks that they considered witty but were mostly inane and occasionally crude, because they were both outrageously flirting with her. These men clearly assumed that a wealthy spinster in her late twenties must have taken a beau or two to her bed by now, and therefore saucy language was permitted.
But Berry hadn’t any experience with men. In fact, she did not understand most of their lewd jests. She would ask Miranda to explain what they meant when she next saw her.
Miranda was the experienced one among them. She had been married once and widowed quite young, so was she not the logical one to ask about matters of intimacy? Berry dared not ask Gideon for fear he would march out in a fury, seek out those crude lords, and punch them in their faces.
Lord Folger’s dinner party finally came to an end as the hour approached midnight.
Berry had eaten to the point of bursting and imbibed far too much champagne. This was another reason she wished to gohome and climb under the covers, for she was sated, bloated, and tired.
Lord Berwick attempted to resume their earlier conversation as soon as they climbed into his carriage and the horses began their sprint toward Duchess Square.
The Claremont Inn was not all that far from Gideon’s Musket Club. In fact, they were riding past it as Lord Berwick began to question her about Gideon’s intentions toward her.
She glanced out the window and noticed the carriages lined up by the door of his club. The ladies looked so elegant.
