“There are a few mothers who are giving that their best effort.” He started his horse again. “Forgive me for lack of humor. I am feeling hounded. So we are calling on one of your family’s enemies, with the main goal of ogling his sister.”
“That sums it up neatly.”
Langford shrugged. “Why didn’t you say so?”
Their ride took them to the door of Marwood’s town house on Portman Square. Adam waited until servants took their horses and they were at the door before speaking again.
“Ah, I forgot to mention it. His grandmother was with him when he called yesterday. I expect we will see her too.”
Langford closed his eyes. He looked like a man praying for salvation. “I have assiduously avoided that harpy for almost a decade, Stratton. I may kill you for this.”
“You would not have wanted me to face her alone, would you?”
“I would have sent you on your way and collected your remains after she was done with you. Hell, let us go in, and hope that she has fed on someone else already today.”
* * *
“My lady.”
Clara’s maid Jocelyn whispered the address in a nervous tone.
“What is it?” Clara responded ever so calmly, although she wanted to express great displeasure. She had told Jocelyn she was to be left alone. Clearly and strongly told her that. Yet here the maid was, interrupting.
“A footman came to the door. He said your grandmother requires you in the library.”
Clara set her head in her hands. She looked down at the surface of her writing desk. The printed pages of the journal, received from Althea yesterday, waited her proofing. They needed to be returned with corrections to the printer tomorrow.
She had hoped to be done by yesterday afternoon. However, ever since her family had taken residence here, there had been one interruption after another. Those from Emilia she did not mind. Those when her grandmother demanded her attendance did.
Not that Grandmamma required her for anything important. She merely wanted to talk and needed an audience. Clara had put some of that time to good use, at least. She had obtained agreement that Emilia should have a new dress or two and be allowed to pay calls.
Yesterday morning, unfortunately, they had engaged in a row when she refused her grandmother’s edict that she join the dowager and Theo when they paid a call on Stratton in the afternoon. She had no trouble marshaling a list of reasons why she should not do that.
She had a meeting with Althea planned, for one thing. She thought they would look ridiculous if the entire family paid that call, for another. Finally, she did not want to encourage the duke to think she was in any way in agreement with this peace mission, let alone in his peculiar plan for achieving harmony between their families.
Not that she could explain any of that to her grandmother, so she had simply been defiant. She wondered how Grandmamma would make her pay for that.
“He conveyed that the countess was most stern on the matter, my lady. He said important guests have called, and she said you must come down.”
“Important guests” could mean anyone whom Grandmamma deigned to receive.
She looked down at her simple dress. “I will change into my black bombazine with the jet beads, Jocelyn, if they are so damned important.”
Jocelyn flushed at the curse and scurried to the dressing room. Clara followed, regretting the lapse. She really had to stop doing that.
Fifteen minutes later she entered the library and saw that the footman had not exaggerated. Even by Grandmamma’s high standards their guests were important.
Stratton had returned yesterday’s call. Nor was he alone. Another duke, Langford, accompanied him. Stratton, Langford, and Theo stood upon her arrival. During greetings, Emilia caught her eye and gave a desperate look.
“The dukes have been regaling us with descriptions of Lady Montclair’s ball last night,” her grandmother said, once they all sat again. “I daresay we are enjoying it more in the retelling than anyone did who was there.”
“I should have liked to be there so I would know for sure,” Emilia murmured.
Langford, a handsome man with brilliant blue eyes and dark curls that turned his cropped hair a little wild, regarded her with sympathy. “You did not miss too much, Lady Emilia. You will learn soon enough that balls are all much the same.”
“My grandmother has agreed that even though our mourning has not ended, Emilia can be excused if she attends a few smaller events. Garden parties and such. That would be acceptable, don’t you agree?” Clara deliberately did not so much as glance at her grandmother, since she had not yet raised this idea with her.
“I do not see why not. Let us know which she will attend, and Stratton and I will be sure to attend as well and speak with her there.”
