“Then I suppose we must wait for one of these men to recover and make an appearance,” Mama said.
“It is curious though,” Henry said. He’d just finished eating a cucumber sandwich. “What exactly is the likelihood of getting stung by a wasp the moment one steps from a carriage?”
“Not very high, I’ll wager,” Mama murmured.
“And yet it happened,” Papa said while frowning into his teacup. “Which means it’s possible.”
“But for all three men to suddenly–”
“I realize it’s unusual,” Papa said, cutting Henry off, “but there’s nothing to be done besides hope each one makes a swift recovery.”
“Or maybe it’s time to call Mr. Henley back?” Grandmama said.
The suggestion was so welcome yet so outrageous, Lilli immediately choked on her tea. Henry came to her aid, slapping her on the back and ordering someone to fetch her a glass of water. Meanwhile Papa had begun to protest, enumerating the many reasons why Mr. Henley would never marry his daughter. Not in a million years.
“In fact,” Papa said as a glass of water was thrust into Lilli’s hand, “even if he were the last remaining bachelor on earth, I would never, ever, agree to such an atrocious match.”
Which was precisely when the butler arrived to announce, “Mr. Henley is here to see you, my lord.”
It took great effort for Tristan to keep his nerves under control. Standing in the earl’s study anticipating the man’s arrival, he clasped his hands behind his back and tried to take steady breaths. When he’d last been here, he’d had nothing to offer a woman of Lilli’s station. He’d been her brother’s servant for heaven’s sake, beneath her in every way.
But this was no longer the case. Now he’d the chance to prove himself worthy, and while he realized he had no title or fortune, he was desperate enough to do his utmost to win her.
The door opened and to Tristan’s surprise and relief, Henry arrived instead of his father. He stood in the doorway, staring Tristan down before finally saying, “You’ve some nerve, showing up here again.”
“Agreed,” Tristan said.
“Just be glad I convinced Papa to see you in his stead, or I would be figuring out what to do with your corpse right now.” He stepped into the room and closed the door while Tristan suppressed a shudder. “Why have you come?”
“To ask for your sister’s hand in marriage.”
“Are you mad?”
“Not in the least.” Tristan faced the viscount’s shocked expression with steely resolve. “My hope is to gain your forgiveness first. Truth is, I misled you in an attempt to save my family from destitution. Now, I come to you with an offer – one I hope your father will also be willing to hear.”
Henry frowned. “Explain yourself, Tristan.”
The use of his given name gave Tristan hope. He took a deep breath. “I am gentry. My father owns a landed estate passed down through three generations. But his fondness for card play, excessive spending, and overall mismanagement of funds have proven calamitous for my family. I saw no other recourse but to seek work in an effort to help pay the debts. Your notice regarding the need for a valet came at the right time. But I knew you’d never consider a gentleman for the position, so I chose not to mention it. Revealing the truth was also too shameful. And when it came to Lilliana, I still had nothing to offer and didn’t believe myself worthy.”
“What’s changed?” Henry asked, his posture stiff and unyielding.
“A number of things. First, I must confess that as much as I love Lilliana, I’m not only here to win her but also to save my eldest sister, Iris, from having to marry Baron Shrewsberry. She’s only sixteen and–”
“You need not explain any further. I’m familiar with the scoundrel.” With his features set in stone, Henry crossed to the sideboard. “Brandy?”
Tristan breathed a sigh of relief. “Please.”
“I trust your father arranged a match between your sister and Shrewsberry in an attempt to refill his coffers,” Henry said while pouring the drinks.
“You are correct.” He accepted the glass Henry offered and took a fortifying sip. “Papa made a deal with him, one I’m hoping I might use to my own advantage.”
“How so?”
“In the event I marry Lilliana, the deed to Henley House will be transferred to me. My father would receive a monthly allowance, but I would be in charge of managing the estate henceforth. My sister Iris would avoid a terrible fate, I would acquire a wife I love beyond all reason and who, I hope, loves me enough to forgive my deception. But there’s no denying the fact that I would need control of her dowry in order to turn things around.”
Henry took a deep swallow from his brandy, gave Tristan a thoughtful look and said, “I think it might be best if I ask Papa and Lilliana to join us.”
“Are you sure?
