Lady Everly almost spat out her tea in response to that comment, her ensuing cough a thankful distraction from Raphe and his sisters. “Right,” he said while Lady Everly gathered her wits. “Well, if that will be all—” He’d had enough of his guests’ inquisitiveness and of putting himself on display. The sooner he got rid of them, the better. “I’ve things to do.”
Lady Warwick gave him the affronted look of a cat who’d just been given a bath. “Well, it was certainly interesting, making your acquaintance, Your Grace,” she told him tightly as she got to her feet. Lady Gabriella and Lady Everly rose as well, while Juliette and Amelia tried to control the crumbs that were falling into their laps.
“Likewise,” Raphe said. If only he’d had enough sense to let Pierson send them away. Judging from Lady Gabriella’s narrowed gaze and the gentle puckering of her brow, she was having some trouble making sense of his story.
She looked at Amelia and then Juliette. “Perhaps we can have tea together again soon? Would you like that?”
Both girls nodded with enthusiasm. “Oh yes,” Juliette answered softly as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “That’d be splendid, that would.”
“Very well then,” Gabriella said, her smile broadening into something so dazzling that Raphe found himself wishing that it were directed at him rather than at his sisters. Halting next to the sofa on which he sat, she addressed him directly and with a far more serious expression. “I’m sorry for whatever hardship you had to endure before coming here, but now that you are here, I hope that you will see to getting your sisters some proper nourishment.”
Touched by her genuine concern, Raphe felt his initial opinion of her as a snob begin to crumble. “Ye needn’t worry, me lady. Cook ‘as been advised to show us ’er talents.”
“Come along, dear,” Lady Warwick called from the doorway. “We must not keep His Grace from his busy schedule.”
“Of course not,” Lady Gabriella said. Bidding them each a hasty farewell she thanked them for the tea and then followed her mother from the room.
“Well done,” Lady Everly said with a wink as she went in pursuit of her sister-in-law and niece. “I look forward to watching you take the ton by storm, as you no doubt will.”
And then the three of them were finally gone, leaving the library alarmingly quiet.
Expelling a deep breath, Raphe leaned back, belatedly realizing that he probably should have stood when they’d departed.
“Lady Gabriella seems nice,” Juliette said, breaking the silence.
“It’s ‘ard to believe she’s got such an awful mother,” Amelia remarked. Scooting down in her seat, she stretched out her legs and placed her feet on the table.
“Unfortunately, I think the ton will prove to be more like Lady Warwick than ’er daughter,” Raphe muttered. “Very aloof an’ fastidious. I didn’t care for ’er at all.”
“What about Lady Everly then?” Amelia asked.
Raphe shrugged. “I’m not sure. I couldn’t quite tell if she was ‘avin’ a laugh at our expense or if she genuinely enjoyed our company.” He expelled a deep breath, more aware than ever before of the challenges lying ahead. A knock sounded and Raphe looked up to find his secretary, Mr. Richardson, standing in the doorway together with Humphreys. “May we come in?” Humphreys asked.
“Yes, yes.” Raphe waved them forward. “If ye’d like a drink, please ‘elp yerselves.”
“No. Thank you,” Richardson said. He pointed to one of the recently vacated seats. “May I?”
“Of course,” Raphe told him, a little surprised that he’d ask for permission.
Both men sat. A moment of silence passed, and then, “How did it go?” Humphreys asked, his gaze shifting from Amelia and Juliette before returning to Raphe.
“Terribly, I suspect,” Raphe told them honestly.
“Lady Warwick really didn’t like us,” Amelia added.
“But we didn’t like ’er much either, did we, Raphe?” Juliette said. She got to her feet and crossed to the door. “Come on, Amelia, let’s explore the rest of the ‘ouse while the men talk.” They left with haste, almost skidding in their excitement.
Heavy sighs escaped both servants. “You ought to have waited,” Humphreys said.
“Taking on Lady Warwick is a difficult task for the most accomplished gentleman,” Richardson explained. “She views everyone as her inferior, and every man as a threat to her daughter’s virtue.” He shook his head. “Humphreys is right. You ought to have waited.”
“Precisely what I advised him.” Came Pierson’s incriminating voice from the doorway. “But there is only so much we can do. At the end of the day, His Grace’s word is law in this house. If he wishes to speak with someone, there is little we can do to stop him.”
“I’m still ‘ere, Pierson,” Raphe shot back. “In case ye didn’t realize.”
The butler gave him a condescending glare that made Raphe’s insides churn. “You have two sisters of marriageable age who are yet to make an introduction to Society. To admit the likes of Lady Warwick—the greatest gossip and most critical judge of character that London has ever seen—to this house, was exceedingly poor judgment.”
“Good God,” Raphe spoke. “Are ye allowed to speak to me like that?” He turned to Richardson. “Is ‘e allowed to speak to me like that?”
