The lady in question appeared surprised at his disclosure, and her mother even more so.
“She did not,” the countess said, eyeing her offspring.
Lady Purity made her own defense. “Because I had not decided, my lord, although your initial greeting to us at last night’s ball certainly pressed your case.”
“I agree,” Lady Diamond said. “This young man needs help if he is to succeed in London’s society. You are fortunate to have met my daughter at Lord and Lady Fenwick’s home.”
“Very fortunate,” Matthew agreed. They were going to keep their first interaction a secret. And keeping it gave them an intimate connection he hoped to exploit.
“However, I fear by the time I get to a ball or a dinner party, then it is too late. I make the errors beforehand while dressing and as soon as I open my mouth once I get to the assembly. What I need is prior tutoring.”
The two ladies exchanged glances again.
“I suppose I can give you a few tips,” Lady Purity allowed. “But you ought to take notes and—”
“Read them over in the evening and the morning,” Matthew said.
She raised an eyebrow. “Lesson one, my lord. It is considered extremely rude to interrupt. Don’t appear eager to hear your own voice or to show off your own knowledge. Listening is a particularly welcome and gracious skill.”
Matthew felt duly chastised. He should not have interrupted, particularly a lady. While he’d made the other errors on purpose at the ball, that one was purely due to eagerness.
“And you are correct,” Lady Purity concluded. “You ought to write everything down. Mother, shall we call for tea and get his lordship some paper and a pencil?”
“If you two don’t mind,” Lady Diamond said, “I do not wish nor do I need to take part in etiquette lessons, not from someone I’ve raised since she was in leading strings.”
She rose, and Matthew jumped to his feet.
“The baron hassomemanners,” the countess said, as if he couldn’t hear her. “I’ll send in tea, and I’m sure you can scrounge up writing implements in the library or perhaps in that chest of drawers.”
She gestured to the other end of the room.
For Matthew’s part, he was shocked she was going to leave them by themselves. That was not how he understood the quality folk to behave. Apparently, Lady Purity was also concerned.
“Will you send in Alice to sit with us?” she asked.
Her mother stopped by the open door. “What for?”
“Mother!”
Lady Diamond sighed. “I shall ask Lord Foxford what I asked Hollidge.” She turned her piercing green eyes upon him. “Are you here to ruin my daughter?”
Chapter Six
Matthew almost took a step back but managed to hold his ground. Never had a mother asked him anything like that. Her frankness nearly spoiled the fun of trying. Besides, he had two choices, lie to the woman whom he hoped would become his mother-in-law or tell the truth.
“I am not heretodayto do so, although Lady Purity is exceedingly tempting.”
Some other day, in another place, yes, he might try to ruin her.He could make no promises to the contrary, and he hoped she didn’t ask him to.
Lady Diamond frowned, and then she nodded.
“I see.” She turned to her daughter. “I will send Mary in with tea and a few sheets of paper. And I shall find Alice to sit with you. Good day, Lord Foxford.”
She was gone before either of them could say anything.
“I have never met anyone like Lady Diamond,” Matthew said. “And who is Hollidge?”
“A long-time friend of the family who married my older sister.”
