He was met by Harriet the moment he set foot in the grand hall. She looked as though she’d been crying. “How did it go with the bishop? Did you get a special license?”
Putting his arms around her, he hugged her close. “Why don’t we go to the drawing room and sit down. You can tell me what’s got you so upset.”
After getting her to sit on one of the settees, Lucien went and rang for tea. It was hardly the time for anything stronger. At least not until he knew what was going on.
“My mother paid me a visit.”
“It didn’t go well?”
She shook her head and blew her nose. “No. Does it ever?”
“What did she do this time?”
“Just demanding I end things with you and let her find a more appropriate husband for me. I told her no and things just escalated from there.”
“Why? She barely knows me,” Lucien said.
“She managed to blurt out something about your father. I think they were courting each other years ago and your father rejected her as being too outspoken or something like that. Is that even possible?”
“I know little of my parents’ social life before they married, but it could be entirely possible. I suppose I could ask my grandmother when I see her next.”
He sat down next to her and began to tell her of his visit with the bishop and what he was proposing, but Harriet shook her head.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“That’s kind of him, but she’ll agree with it and when the time comes, she’ll forget what the bishop even said.”
“Then what do we do, Harriet?”
She smiled at him a moment before answering his question. “We go forward with our plans. Mother is going to be Mother. I can ask my father to say something to her. I refuse to let what is supposed to be one of the happiest days of our lives be ruined. If she insists on making inappropriate comments while here, then I’ll take matters into my own hands. Banish her from my life. Maybe if that happens, she’ll think about what she says first.”
“What exactly do you mean by banish?”
“She’s persona non grata. She’ll not be received at our house for one.”
“Harshness seems to be the only thing she understands,” Lucien replied. “Okay, just to be clear, I’ll go back to the bishop, and we’ll plan on marrying on Thursday.”
“Yes.”
Lucien leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “I’m glad that’s done. I’m going to send word to my housekeeper at my estate in Somerset to have the house readied and stocked. I think you’ll love it there.”
“That’s all you’re going to tell me?”
Lucien chuckled at her. “Yes. The rest is a surprise.”
“Where will we stay when we return?” she asked.
Truth was, he hadn’t figured that one out. His mother had mentioned them staying at the family home when in London. He already lived there, and it would be convenient. His mother wasn’t interfering and would keep to herself. Once it was time to move back to the country, they would either go to the family home in Kent or a small estate his father had gifted him when he graduated from Oxford. The estate was in Surrey and would do them nicely.
“I’m not sure yet,” he said. “We could stay at the family home here and when we go to the country, we will reside in Surrey on an estate I have there.”
“Your parents won’t mind us staying with them when we’re in London?”
“No, not at all,” he replied.
“Tell me about Surrey.”
“It’s impressive. Lots of room in the house. Acres of places to ride. I think you’ll like it. I had Onyx moved there. The stables there are much better equipped for his injury.”
