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‘Pish, Haryo. I’m barely twenty. Plenty of time for that, but your salad days are pretty much over, and you need to get hitched quickly unless you want to stay on the shelf. Or worse still, have to live with me!’

Harriet laughed in open-mouthed astonishment at her brother. ‘You absolute wretch! I’m not quite so beyond the pale.’

Hart just raised his eyebrows and gave her a knowing look.

Harriet shook her head, quietly pleased that Hart was willing to tease about the subject. He’d been so horribly upset when their cousin, Aunt Bess’s daughter, Caro, married Lord William Lamb. Hart had it in his head that they were destined to be together and had been in a terrible state when she’d married. In fact, so distressed had he been, he’d sworn off women for good. Privately, Haryo thought he’d had a narrow escape. Much as she loved Caro, she was not an easy person.

The conversation made her think, though. She really needed to look to her own future. There was every likelihood that her father would marry Lady Liz and she would be an old spinster, rattling around and fading into the background, even if she did live with Hart. She shuddered. It felt so unfair that women must marry to be considered important and noteworthy.

They tooled along as she tried to think of women who had not married but were still a strong and vital part of society, who people took note of.

It wasn’t an easy task, and as she edged towards her thirtieth year, it was a concern.

Chapter 9

ELIZA

London

Lieutenant Colonel Robert Ellice stared at himself in the looking glass. Tomkins, his elder brother’s valet, had turned him out like a new pin in his military dress uniform, taking some considerable time to ensure it was just so. Robert inspected himself and adjusted the fall of his jacket, giving it a good tug here and there. He heard a momentary sound of distress from Tomkins and looked over to find the gentleman hovering.

‘Apologies,’ Robert said. ‘Have I wrecked it?’

‘Not at all, sir,’ Tomkins said, rushing forward to restore the uniform to what he felt was required. Robert tried not to sigh. He looked again in the mirror and could barely see the difference, but Tomkins broke his stern façade and smiled, so he presumed the outcome was acceptable. He kept his hands to his side.

The door opened, and his brother sailed in, resplendent in evening dress. His dark hair waved about his head – a la Brutus –

to perfection. Unlike Robert’s own dark but poker-straight hair that had caused Tomkins even more distress.

‘You look magnificent, Rob.’ He came and stood beside him, grinning.

‘All credit to Mr Tomkins. Thank you for letting him take me in hand.’

Edward nudged his shoulder. ‘My pleasure. Welcome back to the world.’

Robert rolled his eyes. He had been back from abroad a little while and frankly had not felt like socialising or even talking to people, but Edward had decided that as the season was upon them, they should throw their hats into the marriage mart. Robert had no intention of throwing his hat anywhere, but Edward seemed keen to settle down.

‘All we need now is to find you a wife.’

‘Ed, I am more than happy to support your search but kindly leave me out of it.’

‘Come now…’

‘I’m serious, Ed. I have no heart for it. Not after Juliana, and certainly not after the last months. I need to regroup.’

His brother sighed. ‘I know things have been difficult, but you must put this behind you.’

‘I assure you; I shall make every effort to forget the fact that the woman I loved, and intended to marry, jilted me, and announced to the world that I was wholly dull as ditchwater, and that the number of my men lost in the Buenos Aires campaign was… significant.’

His brother’s face crumpled, making him feel guilty.

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake, stop looking like a kicked puppy. I shall do my best to be civil, to look like I am happy to be there, but that is all. Anyway, where are we going?’

Ed sighed, then pulled him into a huge, friendly embrace, patting him firmly on the back. ‘If it helps, I heard Juliana was in Paris so you are not likely to run into her.’

Robert grunted. He had heard the same thing. It was the only reason he’d consented to accompany his brother.

‘We are going to dinner with the Earl Grey and his family,’ Edward said.