“I care not if you invite Marwood. As for his younger sister, your brother Harry will want her to be there, I am sure. He seemed quite taken by Lady Emilia when we all called at Marwood’s house that day. Since she will need a chaperone, you can also invite her grandmother—”
“No.”
“Or her older sister.”
Brentworth grinned. “Nicely done, Stratton.”
“Langford may be the prince of seductions, but I pride myself on being a king at extricating myself from their consequences.”
“That is better than Brentworth, who has become the emperor of having no fun.”
“Why do you say things like that? You know very well that it isn’t true,” Brentworth said.
Langford gave Adam a man-to-man look. “There was a fine party late last summer. Brentworth here deigned to attend. Only once he arrived he made us all promise not to encourage gossip about it later.”
“I did not think in these unsettled times that it would benefit the realm to have every drawing room and coffee shop abuzz about lords chasing naked Cyprians in the forests of the Lake Country during a game of satyrs and nymphs.”
“The gossip is half the fun. If you did not approve, you should not have come and enjoyed yourself so much.”
“It was not a matter of approval, but of discretion. I know that word is not in your vocabulary, but it is worth learning.”
“Discretion be damned.”
“So you always have said. Since your indiscreet behavior is not saving you from those mothers, and indeed is being used against you, your reputation does you neither credit nor benefit. I, on the other hand, am amazingly free of such feminine tactics. Which of us has managed this more wisely, do you think?”
“He scares them,” Langford said to Adam. “The face he wears while he suffers their blandishments has even the most ambitious mother shrinking away. He is called the Most Ducal Duke now. It is not intended as a compliment.”
“If it keeps schoolgirls from throwing themselves at me at balls, I’ll live with the title.” Brentworth shook his head. “A potted palm?What did you think was going to happen when the little flirt lured you there?”
Langford flushed again. “Well, I have no intention of hosting a garden party. I would be made a laughingstock. They are for old ladies to host.”
“Since Langford here is too stubborn to see the salvation that your plan offers, I will do it, Stratton, and save him in spite of himself,” Brentworth said. “My garden is far nicer anyway.”
“I have a very fine garden,” Langford said.
“Brentworth’s is better,” Adam said. “You will come, however, and pay a lot of attention to the girls invited, so no one concludes you indeed have formed a tendre for Hermione Galsworthy.”
“I will come, as long as you understand that I will not attend on Marwood’s younger sister,” Langford said. “Let my brother Harry flirt with her, if he even knows how.”
“I do not want you to attend on any of Marwood’s sisters,” Adam said pointedly.
“A week hence, then,” Brentworth said. “There will be no potted palms, Stratton, but the garden is replete with obscuring shrubbery suited to your purposes. I trust you will make good use of it. Discreetly.”
“I told you that my plan was not for my sake, but Langford’s.”
“Ah. Of course. Forgive me, I forgot that part.”
* * *
“I still say you need a footman,” Jocelyn muttered into Clara’s ear while setting down the refreshment tray.
Clara ignored her. In three days a housekeeper would take over duties such as serving tea and coffee to guests and answering the door. Another woman would clean. A third would cook. Her household was expanding in a satisfactory manner as far as she was concerned.
The one hole in the list remained the coachman and groom. She would attend to them, then buy a carriage and pair. Perhaps she would purchase a riding horse as well. She had so enjoyed galloping along on Galahad.
Her thoughts quickly moved from the galloping to other activities in which she had indulged that day, as they had too often since parting from Stratton. She would not mind so much if those memories engendered revulsion or at least self-castigation. Unfortunately instead she found herself well flushed and aroused before she summoned a more appropriate reaction and also reminded herself that he may well have ulterior motives.
That brief romantic lapse had been enjoyable, but she hoped Stratton did not misunderstand or attach any special meaning to it. If he did, she would have to remind him of her views about marriage. A few kisses and caresses were harmless enough, but she would not allow any man to own her, which was what marriage meant.
