She sat up in the chair. Of course! That meant she didn’t need to give Leighhall any attention, either, and he would keep her secret. Then when Fen came back, they could discuss what to do with the arrogant Leighhall. Feeling better, she tucked in a strand of loose hair and smiled at herself in the mirror. She hoped whatever had taken Fen to his estate wasn’t too serious and he could return in a day or two. Though she should probably find out from Rose where, exactly, was Denton Hall. If it were a three-days’ journey, that would mean she’d be on her way back to Silver Meadows by time he returned,ifhe returned. Did Lady Enderly know that her son—
A knock on the door halted her thoughts before Lady Sommerset stepped in. “Shall we?”
She rose. “Yes.” The idea to tell Lady Sommerset about Lord Leighhall flitted through her mind, but not now. She would wait until they were in private. She wouldn’t let Lord Leighhall ruin the final week at her first house party. Especially now that she’d found the man to marry.
Chapter Sixteen
Felton raced acrossthe field, one final rock wall the only obstacle between Nyx and his morning meal. They cleared the wall easily and bore down on the stables of Denton Hall. Slowing his horse the last part of the way, he noticed a coach parked beside the stables. It didn’t take long to recognize his parents’ crest. If it were his mother, the day would go from poor to hell. She should be tending her guests.
Bringing Nyx to a halt, he jumped down and handed the reins to a groom. “Be sure to walk him and rub him down before allowing him his oats.”
As the man walked his horse away, he strode into the house, his anger already building. His mother’s house party be damned. That she couldn’t understand Rose would not marry before attending Belinda’s school didn’t mean he had to be an accomplice in her efforts. He’d been gone four days. She could muddle her way through the last three. Striding through the rarely used dining room into the parlor, he found it empty.
His butler approached. “The Marquess of Enderly is in the library, my lord.”
He gave the man a nod, then strode across the entry to the library, where he found his father sipping tea and reading the newspaper. He halted in the doorway. “She sent you.”
His father set the paper on the small table before him. “Of course she did. You expected no less.”
Some of his anger dissipated. “Was it because she couldn’t leave her guests or because she thought you would do better at convincing me to return?”
“Both.” His father gestured to the chair across from him.
The table, usually for chess, held a tray of tea and his favorite breakfast food. Taking the chair his father indicated, he ignored the tea and grabbed up a cake. “I see she even sent Cook’s rout cakes.”
“She wants you to return.”
He waved off the request. “I know that, but why? Why is my presence so important?” He held his hand up. “No, I know. Her numbers are off now.” As if numbers were the most important part of a gathering. It wasn’t the numbers—it was the people. People like Dory who made a house party successful.
His father grinned. “I always said you were intelligent.” He took another sip of tea.
“You can tell her I won’t be returning. We all know, even she knows, that Rose isn’t going to garner a proposal in the next three days. The entire party has been for naught.”
“Yes, but she still hopes.” His father lowered his brows. “You didn’t place a bet at White’s on Rose not receiving a proposal, did you?”
“No, but I believe Sommerset did, not that many bet against him, which is disappointing. That is why I agree with you. I think Rose should have at least a year at the Belinda School for Curious Ladies.”
His father eyed him shrewdly. “You do? I thought you were skeptical of the school.”
He shrugged, not willing to admit his change of opinion had a lot to do with a student from there. “I was, but I’ve made further inquiries and discussed it with Rose. I believe it would be good for her chances to marry.”
“That could well be the case. One of the students, Lady Dorothea, has a number of men partnering her in the games your mother devised. Just last night, Lord Leighhall insisted on—”
“Leighhall?” The man was an arrogant dandy who thought all women should be his playthings. “The man is a horse’s ass.”
His father chuckled. “Yes, it appears Lady Dorothea feels the same, yet he’s one of four men vying for her attentions and your mother says she needs you to make the other ladies feel special too.”
There was only one lady he wished to make feel special, but he was not the man for her. Dory deserved someone who didn’t have to search for the small pieces of his life that made him happy.
“Why did you leave so abruptly? Did something happen? Because I know there was nothing here that required your attention.”
His father’s question caught him by surprise. Yes, something had happened. He’d lost control of his baser instincts and had almost sabotaged his own goal. If he had stayed, he wouldn’t have been able to remain detached and in control. “I grew bored.”
“Felton, you’re always bored. There was something else that sent you running like a rabbit set upon by the hounds.”
He didn’t like the analogy. “That’s an apt image since Mother is constantly sending women after me.”
His father picked up his cup and took a sip before letting out a sigh. “I know it’s difficult for you to understand. She so wished you to marry a Mabry, but when they all found husbands, she despaired. She just wants you to be happy.”
