He glanced around at the gardens taking note of the disorder. “I’m sure your Papa will come to see the sense of our union.”
“My father has unusual notions,” she said uneasily. “One cannot always be sure of him. I suspect Mr. Judd holds Papa in thrall due to their shared interest in Medieval poetry.”
“I’ll make him see sense, Jenny. Surely the safety of his children is paramount.”
They strolled up to the house where her sister waited, mouth agape. “Beth, I should like to introduce you to His Grace, Duke of Harrow.”
Beth sank into a curtsy. “How do you do, Your Grace.” As they continued up the steps, Beth moved closer to Jenny. “Aren’t you marrying Mr. Judd?” she whispered. When Jenny shook her head, Beth smiled. “I’m glad. I don’t like him.”
Jenny smiled mischievously at Andrew as they approached the front door. “You have just missed out on meeting Geoffrey.”
He raised his eyebrows, his eyes gleaming. “Geoffrey?”
“We returned Beth’s orphaned otter cub to the river this morning.”
He winked at Beth. “I am sorry not to have witnessed that.”
“I’m sure there will be other times, Beth rescues all sorts of animals.” Jenny was floating, a little disbelieving, while fearing someone would pinch her and make her wake. But she came down with a thump at the sight of her father’s face as he waited for them in the entry hall.
She hastily introduced them. Andrew, the very essence of grace and civility greeted her father warmly. Then he turned to her. “I should like to speak to your father alone, Jenny.”
“You call my daughter by her given name?” Papa gestured down the corridor. “You’d best come into the library then, Your Grace.”
The door shut behind them as Bella came quickly down the stairs. “Whose carriage is…”
With a whoop, Jenny ran to hug her. “Andrew has asked me to marry him, and of course I’ve said yes!”
Bella laughed, but raised her eyebrows in inquiry at Beth who stood by smiling. “Has Jenny lost her reason? Is Andrew who I think it is?”
“The duke.” Beth nodded with a grin. “He kissed Jenny. And he’s awfully handsome!”
Bella drew in a sharp breath. “My goodness, Jenny. You never led me to believe for a moment that it was a love match.”
Jenny pushed away doubt. Elation made her laugh and hug her sisters. Andrew would deal with her father. And he would put a stop to Mr. Judd. He was her shining knight of old, like the ones in her father’s poetry. She only hoped her father would recognize it.
*
“May I offeryou wine, or coffee, Your Grace?” Baron Wetherby asked.
“No, thank you.”
Andrew sat opposite him beside the fire. The hall had been cold, the grate in the fireplace unlit, but a hearty coal fire warmed this room. He glanced at the book shelves filled with gilt-edged tomes. More books on poetry and history were piled onto the big oak desk, along with reams of paper. He began to suspect that Baron Wetherby seldom concerned himself with much beyond this room. The estate and the house, or what Andrew had seen of it, looked to be in a bad way. He crossed his legs and met the man’s questioning gaze. “As I’m sure you already suspect, I have come to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage, sir.”
Wetherby took a moment to digest this. “My daughter is engaged to Mr. Walter Judd.”
“But Jenny has no wish to marry him. In fact, she holds him in aversion. So much so that she, and therefore I, will block any attempt for Judd to marry Bella.”
“My daughter has fanciful notions. You really shouldn’t take them too seriously, Your Grace. Jenny refused Judd once, and the man has shown great generosity in renewing his suit. I greatly fear if she did so again he would make it known to society. She would be labelled a jilt. And should my daughter marry you, that too would cause a scandal, because Jenny has been living under your roof. I’m surprised that does not trouble you.”
“Jenny was my children’s governess.” Andrew decided it would serve no purpose to tell him what had occurred at Castlebridge. It might give Judd the means to cause trouble. “Propriety was always observed.”
Wetherby shrugged. “That is as may be. Her time with you will not be viewed in such generous terms by others.”
Andrew leaned forward. “Surely, you don’t think so poorly of your daughter to believe…”
Wetherby waved a hand. “It doesn’t matter what I think. It is what society will make of it. And I anticipate that Judd will be happy to make it common knowledge.”
“Then I must supply you with information about Judd that you may not be aware of.”
