He should have thought of that. So much rested upon what Lady Amelia told him tonight that he’d failed to think of Pratt. “I will take care of that right now.” Striding out of the room, he quickly spoke to his waiting butler before returning to the drawing room where he found his mother fanning herself. Once again, he was grateful to Harewood for being so accommodating. Though the truth be told, he’d rescued Harewood from more than one untenable situation in the past. Now, it was second nature for them to help each other.
“There you are, Andrew. You really must teach Felton that he shouldn’t compliment an old woman so dashingly.” She blushed, bringing color to her far too pale face.
He strode up and crossed his arms as he faced Harewood. “You must not compliment my mother so dashingly.”
His mother laughed before hitting him on the forearm with her fan. “Truly Andrew?”
The sight of a carriage pulling up had him dropping his arms.Shehad arrived. “I believe our first guests are here.”
His mother moved quickly across the floor. “Oh my, so early? Whatever will we talk about?”
Harewood followed her. “Lady Sommerset, I do believe it is the Lady Amelia and her sister. She is an artist, so perhaps we could show her some of your family’s paintings until your other guests arrive.”
His mother halted. “What a wonderful idea.” She looked over her shoulder at him. “You must show her the Rueben.” She turned back to Harewood. “It was Lord Sommerset’s favorite.”
Andrew followed them to the door, his chest tightening at what he might learn tonight. If he was lucky, there were no other forgeries in his Town collection and he could sell them, except for his father’s favorite, which he highly doubted was an original. And if there were more forgeries, would he accept Lady Amelia’s improper proposal? More to the point, would he have a choice?
He was saved from thinking further upon that by the opening of the door and the entrance of Lady Amelia and Lady Beaumont. As Pratt took their cloaks, he strode forward to make the introductions. “Lady Amelia, Lady Beaumont, may I present my mother, Lady Sommerset.”
As his mother expressed her pleasure, he took in the sight of the sisters. They reminded him of himself and Harewood. While Lady Amelia’s pale peach dress seemed to give her skin and hair a warm glow, Lady Beaumont’s dark grey accentuated her paleness, leaving her chestnut hair to fade away. He didn’t know much about the oldest Mabry sister beyond the fact that she was a widow and served as a chaperone to her younger sisters when needed.
He motioned to his friend. “And I believe you know my good friend Lord Harewood?”
“Indeed we do.” Lady Beaumont nodded. “We are neighbors in Bedford.”
He was aware of that because as young men, he and Harewood had stayed far from the home of the four Mabry sisters, too focused on enjoying their youth, though Harewood’s parents were quite social with theirs. “I do recall something to that fact.”
“I’m surprised you remember.” Harewood gave him a telling look. “You haven’t been to visit my parents there in years.”
“I promise to remedy that this winter.”
“Do you?” Harewood looked askance at him. “I will be sure to inform them that you will.”
His mother stepped to the side of him, and grasped his arm, though she focused on the Mabry sisters. “I hope you will excuse me as I must check on preparations as I did not expect you so soon.”
Lady Amelia threw him a questioning glance.
He laid his hand gently over his mother’s. “I’m afraid that was my oversight. I will take the ladies into the study to see Father’s favorite painting as you suggested. Lady Amelia is a talented artist and recently exhibited at the London Art Academy.”
His mother’s eyes rounded. “Oh my. How I wish that Lord Sommerset could have met you. He just adored art almost as much as my son.”
Though his father did collect art for about a year, it was nothing more than a passing fancy, but he didn’t correct his mother.
Lady Amelia stepped forward. “I’m sure I would have enjoyed meeting your husband as well, Lady Sommerset. I’m already charmed by you.” The smile she gave his mother surprised him as she seemed to genuinely care about his mother’s feelings, despite having just met her. It could be Lady Amelia would refrain from her usual frivolousness this evening. If so, it would be far more interesting than he’d anticipated.
His mother blushed for the second time that hour. “You are too kind.” She looked at him. “You do have such wonderful friends. Now I must see to my last-minute preparations.” As she hurried off, showing far more energy than he’d seen in a fortnight, he breathed easier.
“I don’t imagine there is much time before your other guests arrive. Should we proceed?” At Lady Amelia’s words, his stomach tensed. “Yes, please.” He forced himself to offer his arm, leaving Harewood to escort Lady Beaumont.
The walk to the study was too short yet seemed to take forever. Disengaging his arm from his companion, he pulled a key from his waistcoat and unlocked the door.
Lady Amelia’s eyebrows rose, but she didn’t ask the obvious question. Instead, she preceded him into the room.
“I have taken the liberty of having all the paintings I’m interested in selling brought in here so as to make it easier for you to view them.” He glanced at the myriad paintings secretly pulled from walls throughout their London home so his mother wouldn’t notice. While dinner commenced, Pratt would have the important ones rehung. If she discovered what had transpired, he would simply explain that they needed a good dusting.
Lady Amelia strolled to the left side of the room to halt in front of a large painting called the Feast of Venus by Peter Paul Rubens that usually hung in his father’s bedroom.
He couldn’t seem to make his legs move to join her, remaining where he was to watch her reaction.
