“And what, pray tell, is that?”
“What if people ask Collin about the welfare of his brother? After all, the party is for both of you.”
“I’ll have Collin tell everyone that I had business elsewhere, and I’m not planning on residing at Hanover Hall for at least a fortnight.”
Trey shook his head. “I wish you well with that adventure, but I don’t see your brother agreeing to your prank.”
“I’ll make certain he goes along with my plan, even if I have to find something to blackmail him with in order to win this particular argument.”
Adrian and Trey reached the estate at the same time and dismounted. After handing the reins to the waiting groomsman, Adrian led his cousin through the front double doors. The butler hurried toward them to take their hats.
The sweet aroma filling the house let Adrian know what kind of tarts and biscuits the kitchen staff were preparing for the party. The servants were already polishing the silver candlesticks and making everything in the spacious hall shiny and clean.
As Trey’s gaze moved to the built-in bookcases made with dark wood lining the walls, Adrian studied the sunflower-cushioned settees to each side of the curving staircase. Father had done well with finding a country estate for his sons. Of course, the house wasn’t as grand as the one Adrian and his brother had been raised in, but it would do for now.
“This is truly amazing,” Trey whispered in awe. “I’ve never seen bookcases built into the walls such as these.”
“My father told us that the designer of the manor loved working with wood, and as I take you throughout the place, you’ll see just how much wood is actually used in each room. Father said he was also surprised how very little the owner was asking for this place.”
“And are you certain the marquess won’t be in attendance this evening?” Trey arched an eyebrow. “I’d think tonight’s party would be the perfect place for him to boast about finding such a rare manor for his sons.”
Adrian stood back and allowed his cousin to inspect everything at his leisure. Slowly, he moved toward the back of the corridor, leading Trey under the winding staircase and to one of the many doors that led into the kitchen. He had spent so much more time in a room similar to this one than his brother. Grace, their cook, had taught Adrian more about the important things in life than his tutor ever had.
His mouth stretched into a smile as he thought of all the late nights he had stayed up listening to Grace’s tales of when she was a young woman traveling the world with her parents. Grace, God rest her soul, had experienced more adventures in her younger days than Adrian had at the age of twenty-eight.
From out the nearby window in the yard, a flash of teal caught his eye. The figure darted from one manicured shrub to the next. Scowling, Adrian moved closer to the window to get a better look. Then a second figure in pink hurried to join the first.
Finally finding a window that helped him see better, he studied the two women giggling behind a shrub. By the look of their faded dresses, tattered bonnets, and untidy hair, he suspected their purpose. The miscreants had probably heard about the party being thrown at the manor and were trying to glimpse the two wealthy bachelors who’d be hosting it.
Adrian gritted his teeth. It disgusted him to see women fall all over themselves in the hopes of being introduced to men of title and wealth. Their sole purpose was to entice men to fall in love with them just so they could haughtily stroll through town from one shop to the next, spending their husbands’ money to their hearts’ content.
He released a pent-up breath, trying to calm his ire. Adrian wanted to march out there and tell them to get off his land. He would not abide trespassers. Or gawkers.
As he stepped toward the door, his mind quickly halted his progression. He couldn’t go outside looking like this, since he didn’t want anyone to know he was the younger brother, William.
Grumbling, he swung around and looked for something else to wear. He rummaged through the drawers and the closets, searching for anything that wouldn’t let these women know of his wealthy status. When he spotted a man’s overcoat, still stained with dirt and green from the grass, hanging near the back door, he grinned. He would bet the coat belonged to the gardener.
In a flash, Adrian shrugged out of his deep coffee-colored riding frock coat, removed his cravat, and slid his arms through the gardener’s coat. He brushed some of the dirt from the garment onto his trousers and boots. He even messed his hair a little and smeared some dirt on one of his cheeks.
As he opened the door, ready to reprimand the young women for being on the property, his words stopped in his throat. Another woman marched toward the young females, this one a few years older than the giggling geese by the bush. She wore a dress that wasn’t as brightly colored, and her dark brown ringlets were tighter than the other two girls’ hair. This woman didn’t appear to be anything like the tittering half-wits by the shrubbery.
“Felicia, Jannette…” The woman in the beige dress stopped in front of the other two with her arms akimbo. “Pa is going to beat you alive if he hears of your exploits this time.”
This time?Out of pure morbid curiosity, Adrian decided to hear more, so he quickly moved away from the door but kept it ajar as he continued to spy.
“But Bridget,” the girl in pink whined, “we were curious about the two lords who’ve moved into the manor. We heard their family owns four more estates like this one. Can you imagine—”
“Felicia,” the older woman interrupted, “you will stop spreading rumors this very instant. When you meet the earl and his brother tonight at the ball, that will be soon enough to know if what you’ve heard is correct.” She scowled. “Unless, of course, Pa discovers what you’ve done and forbids you to attend—which, in my opinion, is what you both deserve.”
Adrian rolled his eyes. His family didn’t own four other estates like this one. Only three. But it disturbed him hearing that they were invited to this evening’s event. Next time, he’d have someone who knew the people around town read over the guest list to make sure onlyproperanddisciplinedwomen were invited.
“Both of you know better than to go sneaking around on other people’s lands,” the brown-haired woman berated the others. “Ma would be turning in her grave if she knew what the two of you were doing.”
The younger two women frowned, lowering their gazes to the ground.
The woman named Bridget pointed away from the manor. “Now hurry toward home before someone—”
When the woman stopped in mid-sentence, Adrian moved his gaze to her. Her attention was directly on him, and her surprised eyes blinked slowly. Apparently, he hadn’t hidden himself well enough.
