Clara sat next to her and embraced her with one arm. “That does seem unfair.” Emilia was lovely, and if given that Season, would have dozens of admirers hoping to win her hand. Clara had fond memories of her own first Season. She had not been looking for a husband, but she had loved all the planning and then all the social activities and balls. She had enjoyed the few stolen kisses that came her way too.
“Now I am here in town and have to sit everything out while all my friends go to balls,” Emilia complained. “It is one thing to remain in mourning down in the country and miss out. It is another to all but hear all the fun through the windows while I sit in this house, wearing black.”
“Perhaps we can convince Grandmother to allow you to attend a few smaller events. A garden party or two. And you can receive friends here. If you are allowed to meet with Stratton, why not other young men?”
Emilia’s eyes lit with hope. “Do you think she will agree? Perhaps she will allow me to have a new dress or two made, not that I want more black dresses, but at least I will be going out to the shops then.”
“I will try to convince her to permit something other than black for you at least. It has been past six months now. Other colors, simple and subdued to be sure, can be permitted for a girl, it seems to me.”
Emilia threw her arms around Clara and kissed her cheek. “If you can obtain even that small reprieve, I will be so grateful.”
“You write to your friends and let them know you are here and can both pay calls and receive. As for Stratton—you are not obligated to marry anyone if you do not want to. I hope you know that.”
The joy left Emilia as quickly as it had emerged. “I have never been good at defying Grandmother. She frightens me even more than the duke does.”
Of course she did. The dowager intimidated grown men. If not for Stratton’s resistance, Emilia would be affianced already.
“Perhaps Stratton will never visit us here either,” Emilia said wistfully.
Clara doubted that. Grandmother would not be put off now, no matter what stratagems the duke attempted. Unless he flatly refused to continue this peacemaking dance.
It would be best for all of them if he decided to do that.
* * *
“Are you going to tell me where we are going?” Langford asked the question while he and Adam walked their horses along Bond Street. “When you urged me to join you, I assumed you would explain why and where by now.”
Adam had crossed Langford’s path three blocks before. That had been no accident. Nor had been his neglect to mention their destination.
“I promised it would be diverting, and it will be.”
“I must insist you reveal all. I do not think we are visiting some shop or heading toward a typical afternoon diversion.”
Adam turned off Bond Street. “I will confess why I waylaid you, but you must first promise not to abandon me.”
“What are you up to, Stratton?”
“I am calling on Marwood.”
“No. That pup? Whatever for? I thought you were his sworn enemy, through inheritance.”
“He thinks we should make amends and be friends. He has been insistent about it. He keeps inviting me to visit and followed me up to town to corner me. Yesterday he paid a call while I was out. So I wrote and finally agreed to return the honor.”
Langford continued to pace his horse forward. At least he had not rejected this visit out of hand. “I suppose he is afraid you are going to challenge him over that ancestral slight. He has most likely been soiling his smallclothes since hearing you are back.”
“I would never duel over insults fifty years old.”
He got a sharp glance from Langford for that. “So you are agreeable to accepting his olive branch? My, that isgoodof you.”
Adam ignored his suspicious tone. “Well, I have heard he has a lovely sister.”
“You must mean Lady Emilia. She was a beautiful child, that is true, but no one has seen her in close to a year. I expect she is passing on this Season due to the earl’s death. But, yes, it is anticipated that she has turned out more than well. Surely you do not intend to make amends to the point of courting her?”
“I rather thought you might want to.”
Langford stopped his horse. “If that was meant as a joke, I am not laughing.”
Adam grinned. “I am. Stop being so worried. One would think it were possible to sneak the nuptial noose on you without your knowing it.”
