“Nor a wager, it seems. No reason you should, but climbing a steep hill is a challenge. What you are trying to accomplish is folly.”
“Folly can be quite enjoyable,” he reminded her.
“For a time, anyway,” Patricia answered in a somber tone and nodded to a couple who walked past them before giving her attention back to Zane. “If only Cranston were up to a little folly, I should welcome it.”
“You mentioned last night he was ill. How is he today?”
“Miserable. The cough lingers and he’s a dear about it. Kind enough not to want it to bother anyone.”
“I’ll drop by and say hello to him.”
“That should cheer him. He’s rather pleased I’m now the sister of an earl.”
Zane smiled indulgently.
“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but some of the matrons in Society are upset with you for placing the wager, though none of them would dare say a word to you about it. Now that you’re an earl, they’ll all want to remain in good standing with you, no matter what they say behind your back.”
“I’ll consider that useful information I don’t need,” he answered dryly. He hadn’t expected anyone to approve of what he’d done. And he wasn’t sorry for it. He had no doubt Mrs. Feld would make it a lively chase.
“I don’t know Mrs. Feld well enough to say muchabout her, but apparently there are those who do consider her saintly because of the work she does for the Sisters of Pilwillow Crossings.”
“The abbey?”
“Yes. Not many have the courage to go and offer assistance for the charitable work they do. Including me.”
An unusual twinge of guilt tightened his chest. “Does she support it as she does the girl’s school?”
“One would assume. Quite frankly, not many really want to know. They’d rather pretend she doesn’t go there at all. As I said, I don’t know her well, but I’m never above prying if—”
“No,” Zane cut in and said firmly. He would find out anything he wanted to know about Mrs. Feld without his sister’s help.
Patricia moved her shoulders a little and smiled knowingly. “As you wish, my lord. I had some flowers delivered to her, by the way. I thought I should do something nice to let her know not everyone in the family has your propensities to be uncivil.”
“Thank you.” What else could he say? He was glad Patricia had.
Zane wasn’t surprised the older ladies of the ton found his wager abominable. Men, on the other hand, were entirely different creatures. They might say he’d done an abhorrent thing but most, if not all, the members of White’s he’d talked to had already put down their money. The great majority collected was against him winning her hand. That was unexpected. But he hadn’t heard of anyone, including his uncles, thinking it beyond the pale to have put up the bet, except of course, Mrs. Feld.
Remembrance of her teased his senses and aroused an eagerness to see her.
“I meant no harm of any kind to Mrs. Feld,” Zane offered. “Unusual wagers at White’s is commonplace. Ihope no one is thinking she was a willing participant in what was my doing.”
“Gracious no.” Patricia gave a polite nod of greeting to someone behind Zane. “The ladies are all jealous as thieving mice because you didn’t go after them or one of their daughters. Who can blame them? At least with one of them, you would have had a chance to win their hand. I’m sure some of them will try to lure you in anyway. Now tell me, have you given any thought to the request I made of you Tuesday evening?”
So, they were finally getting around to the reason she was waiting in the atrium for him to arrive. He thought back to the dinner his uncles had arranged. What was it his sister had wanted?
“If you’ll remember,” he said, stalling for enough time to recall her particular wish, “there were two dozen family members there and many appeals were made to me by everyone.”
“Yes, but I’m your sister. Surely that gives me some measure of special consideration in the long list of favors you were asked to grant.”
“I don’t mind financing your travel, Pat,” he offered as what she’d asked for finally popped into mind. “Go, if you want, but why the devil do you want to go to the Americas?”
“The experience, of course. Besides, a visit there is all the rage right now. I don’t want to be the last person in the ton to see what it’s like. I’ve heard summers in Boston are quite nice and some have even bought homes—the Chesters, the Graveses, and the Mickletons. I’d like to assess the place for myself. So, thank you. But, of course, once I see their fashions, I might need to have some dresses and gowns made while there. You understand, don’t you?”
She was thinking about clothing, of which she hadplenty, while he was still trying to go through the immense number of account books concerning the holdings for the entailed property in order to understand exactly what he was supposed to be in control of. Zane was finding out quickly that he was used to a much more leisurely day than that of an earl with many properties and businesses. His uncles arrived early and stayed late. The solicitor and two accountants spent most of the day with him as well.
And that was only the half of it. In addition to his family’s requests, he’d been bombarded with various gentlemen who wanted to know where he stood on the politics of London, England, and the rest of the world including America. He’d never had a reason to take sides in Parliament. Apparently, that would now be required of him, but not immediately. He assured them he was a fair man and would treat everyone equally and with respect, no matter if he was a farmer, silversmith, blacksmith, or earl.
Zane lost count of the men who wanted him to consider their daughters, dowries, and wedding offers that would profit him much more than the gentle Mrs. Feld’s properties.
