Aragon grinned. “Great minds think alike, brother. May I accompany you when you deliver the bad news? I can’t wait to see his face when I turn up on his doorstep again—and demand entry into the house he doesn’t really own.”
Two hours later, after an exceedingly satisfactory meeting with Percival, Julian was in his curricle, driving himself out of London and toward Norfolk, where the Musgroves had their country residence. He’d thought briefly about offering to accompany Lady Allegra, but he couldn’t wait for the horses to be rested, or for her to finally decide to leave.
He reached the house in the evening and was greeted at the front door by the butler who had managed the house since Julian was a boy.
“Mr. Laurent, how nice to see you.” The butler took his hat and cloak. “The family are currently at dinner. Lady Carenza did mention you might be joining us. Perhaps I might show you to your room, and I’ll inform his lordship of your arrival.”
“Thank you.” Julian followed the butler up the old shallow staircase with its exposed timbers into the more modern part of the house, where guests weren’t subject to the vagaries of low medieval beams and corridors leading nowhere.
“I’ll send a maid up to light the fire, sir,” the butler said. “And would you wish for something to eat? I’m sure Cook could send up a tray.”
“Yes, please. And may I borrow one of your footmen to help with my attire? If I am to meet the earl, I need to change my coat.”
“Of course, sir.”
A maid appeared almost immediately with hot water and soap for him to wash with. She lit the fire and chatted away as a footman put away Julian’s clothing and took his best coat to press. Julian was surprisingly nervous—something he hadn’t experienced for years. But then, he’d never been in love before, so he had to make some allowances for his heightened emotions, even if he didn’t like them one bit.
He wanted to speak to Carenza but had a shrewd suspicion that the earl would insist on speaking to him first. The earl had the right to ask what the devil he was up to. How he answered that question might determine whether his suit would be acceptable or if he would be ejected from the house immediately.
When he returned with Julian’s coat, the footman assisted him into it and stood back to watch Julian adjust his attire to his satisfaction with a worshipful expression on his face. “I want to be a valet, sir,” he blurted.
“An admirable objective,” Julian said. “Can you direct me down to the library? I wish to speak to the earl.”
“Carenza, sit down. You are making me dizzy,” her mother said. “Your beloved has come. Let him speak to your father, and then he will come to you, and all will be well.”
“Not if Father has one of his stubborn moments.” Carenza continued to pace. “You know how contrary he can be.”
“It is only because he loves you, dearest, and he does need to make sure Julian understands what it means to take on a wife who is not approved of by society.”
Carenza finally sat down. “I suppose there’s no one better qualified to offer that advice than Father.”
“Exactly.”
“I wish Allegra were here,” Carenza said.
“She will be here presently. If you do marry, may I suggest you do so at home? No one will judge you as harshly as they would in London.”
“Please don’t get ahead of yourself,” Carenza pleaded. “He might simply have come down to make sure I’m all right before he moves on with his life.”
Rosaria snapped her fingers. “Pah! He could’ve written you a note for that. He’s here because he has something important to say. Let him say it.”
The butler came in. “Lady Carenza, his lordship is requesting your presence in his library.”
“Thank you.” Carenza stood up.
Her mother laughed. “Don’t look so worried.”
“I am worried. What will I do if he’s still angry with me?”
“Fight it out?” Rosaria shrugged. “Your father and I had some of our best nights together after an argument.”
Carenza left the room, her steps slowing as she approached the library, her breathing uneven. She tapped on the door and went in. Her father rose to his feet and came over to her.
“Mr. Laurent wishes to speak with you.” He patted her shoulder and left, closing the door quietly behind him.
Carenza summoned a smile. “Julian, it is so nice to see you.”
“Is it?”
