He nodded noncommittally. “I assumed she would be. I’m certain I’ll find a set open later in the night that she also has open.”
“You must make an effort, Jack.”
“Do not fear, Mother.” He set a hand on her arm and smiled. “If I find her in want of a partner, I will make certain to find one for her. The Summerfields are our neighbors, after all.”
The usual frustrated sigh emerged. “You have only a handful of weeks left in the Season.”
Thank heavens.“Perhaps when we return home after the Season ends, we might invite the neighborhood for a dinner. The Bartletts. Lord Barrington’s family. The Summerfields.”
Lumping his parents’ choice of daughter-in-law in with other families who lived near them would subtly reinforce his lack of true interest. Eventually his parents would realize his position on the matter, though they hadn’t in all the time they’d been pursuing the match on his behalf.
“We should at the very least go offer the Summerfields a good evening,” Mother said.
He nodded. “Certainly.” Jack turned to his friends. “I’m off to do the pretty with a neighboring family. Don’t grow too lively while I’m gone.”
“Yes, Mum,” Terrance said.
Of all Jack’s friends, Terrance could be counted on for a laugh. That’d been the way of things since Cambridge.
Lady Barrington, her daughter Odette, and a lady whom Jack had not seen before entered the ballroom in that very moment. All of Jack’s friends took note.
“I’ll just beg a dance with Princess Pompous while you’re away,” Terrance said. “That should add a much-needed bit of dramatic tension to the evening.”
“Dramatic tension?” Jack shook his head at the absurdity of that.
Terrance nodded. “There will be no predicting whether or not I will survive.”
“She is known as ‘Princess Pompous,’ not ‘the Marchioness of Murder.’”
Mother, apparently, had run out of patience. She tugged at his arm. “The Summerfields are waiting.”
“Waiting? Do they know we mean to offer a neighborly greeting?”
She lowered her voice as they wove through the guests. “You are well aware that our connection to the Summerfields goes beyond mere neighborliness.”
“Yes, you and Mrs. Summerfield have always been good friends.”
“Jack.” She spoke his name through her teeth.
Though it frustrated his parents, utterly refusing to play along with their machinations had proven his only option. They focused so much of their attention on trying to force him to simply acknowledge their efforts that they’d not yet moved on to attempting to convince him toagreewith their choice.
“I wonder if Terrance will be granted a set with Odette.” He glanced back.
“If he is fortunate, he will not,” Mother said.
Jack met her eye once more. “She is also one of our neighbors. Have you chosen to dislike her?”
“She is so changed since arriving in London.” Mother shook her head. “Lord and Lady Barrington are beside themselves. She will quickly ruin all her chances of making a match. The situation is so dire they have needed to employ the services of Mrs. Northrop.”
The lady currently standing with Lady Barrington and her daughter, no doubt. “Is she a lady’s companion?”
“Mrs. Northrop is a matchmaker.”
That declaration stopped Jack in his tracks. “A matchmaker? By design, not as a casual pursuit?”
Mother nodded. “She has made matches for even the most difficult sons and daughters of theton.With a good match and a bit of time, Odette may yet manage to shed the horrid moniker Society has fashioned for her. Though, to be perfectly honest, she has done more than enough to earn the name.”
“Perhaps she is the one we ought to be offering a neighborly ‘good evening.’ I imagine she could use the show of affection and approval.”
