Page 12 of Wagering for Miss Blake (Lords and Ladies in Love 4)

Hawk turned to Cam. “Here it comes.”

“Hawk, it is past time you held a house party. I know your mother and sister would love to have the opportunity to display their hostess skills.”

“Strange you should say that, since only yesterday m’mother cornered me to make certain I remembered to give her an accounting of the guests I wished her to invite to a house party she is hosting in two weeks. It seems she and my sister have been planning it for months, but I have been remiss in adding names to their list.”

“Excellent. Please have them add Miss Suzanna Blake and myself.”

Hawk studied him. “You must be serious about this young lady if you purposely plan to attend a house party. If memory serves, we have all successfully avoided such events for years.”

Cam stood and stretched. “If you two are going to be subjected to giggling young ladies and marriage-minded mamas for the duration of a house party, you might as well add my name to that list, Hawk. Perhaps, we can sneak off and do some hunting or visit the local pub.” He downed the last few sips of his brandy and placed the glass on the table. “But now I must leave your exalted presence to meet with my man of business. He’s as dry as burned toast, and boring as a blade of grass, but he manages my affairs quite nicely, so I tolerate his demand that we meet at least once a quarter.”

Giles watched Cam wander the room and exit through the front door. He turned to Hawk. “I’m serious about her, Hawk. She is perfect for me. I’ve always wanted a woman who is gracious, kind, has a brain between her ears, and is not hard to look at.”

“And in your brief history with Miss Blake you have ascertained all of this—though I admit the not-hard-to-look-at part is obvious.”

“Yes, I have. It’s real, and I intend to pursue her. You know, as well as I do, that so many of the young ladies coming onto the Marriage Mart are looking for titles, money, and a handsome face.”

“I hate to drag you back from your comfortable perch up there in the clouds, but I heard your Miss Blake make it clear, at least to Bedford and his wife, that she is interested in marrying only a man with a title.”

Giles waved him off. “Yes, she said something along those lines to me, too. But nothing about the girl points to such superficiality. I’m quite sure that is a childish dream, similar to a knight-in-shining-armor arriving at her front door on a white steed. A wish that she either has outgrown or will shortly.”

“You are indeed quite sure of yourself, my friend.”

“Hawk, when have you ever known me to not succeed at something I set my mind to?”

Hawk shook his head. “In finance, horses, and gaming, yes, you generally succeed. But you are treading into unknown territory here.”

“I have no concerns.”

Hawk slapped his hands on his thighs and stood. “I hope, for your sake, you are right, my friend. I, personally, have found women of the ton to be somewhat deceptive while on the prowl for a husband. At least this one is forthright about what she wants. Whether you can change her mind or not, remains to be seen.” He rested his hand on Giles’s shoulder. “Just don’t get in too deep.”

“Have no fears. I know what I am doing.”

…

Suzanna pretended she was not searching for Mr. Templeton as she listened to Lady Selina go on about how certain she was that the Earl of Bartlett was about to offer for her. The entire ton had witnessed the earl’s mother dragging young ladies in his direction for more than a year, yet he’d made it clear that he had every intention of adding many more years to his bachelorhood, despite his mother’s growing consternation. Unless Lady Selina threw herself into his arms in the dark and was caught, Suzanna doubted the earl would offer for her. Even then, he might very well find a way to wiggle out of it.

The heat of the room, with bodies jammed together, the scent of pomades, perfumes, wax from the candles, and other smells she did not wish to identify, was making her stomach churn. Why hostesses felt it was an accomplishment to claim a “crush” the morning after an affair—simply because they packed in as many people as they could—annoyed her.

Plenty of the ton’s practices raised her hackles. Her mother’s demand that she wed, not a man, but his title, for one. Families oftentimes arranged marriages based on the groom relieving the bride’s family of crushing debt, usually brought on by wastrel fathers. Old men married young girls in a last attempt at an heir. She shivered at the thought of climbing into bed with someone with wrinkled skin and ice cold hands—old enough to be her grandfather. Hopefully, Mother would not come up with someone like that for her.

“Good evening, Miss Blake. I am quite surprised I was even able to find you in this crowd.” Mr. Templeton carried two glasses of champagne. “Lady Selina, good evening to you, as well. Would you ladies care for champagne?”

“Yes. Thank you, Mr. Templeton.” Lady Selina giggled and batted her eyelashes. For someone who just claimed to be practically betrothed to an earl, she certainly seemed quite taken with Mr. Templeton’s attention.

Suzanna took the glass from his hand and raised it to her lips. The bubbles tickled her skin, causing her to scrunch her nose. “I love champagne, but I wish it didn’t bubble quite so much.”

“Ah, but that is the appeal. Don’t you agree, Lady Selina?”

Selina smiled as she took another sip. “Yes. I love the bubbles, myself.” Suzanna had the feeling the girl would love anything Mr. Templeton said. Selina glanced over Suzanna’s shoulder and frowned. Suzanna looked behind her to see Lady Honeyfield, Lady Selina’s mother, bearing down on them.

“Excuse me,” the girl said. Then, after shoving her champagne glass into Mr. Templeton’s hand, she turned abruptly and headed in the opposite direction.

Lady Honeyfield skirted Suzanna and Mr. Templeton and continued following her daughter.

“I wonder what that was all about?” Suzanna said as they watched the two of them play cat-and-mouse across the room.

Mr. Templeton shook his head. “When it comes to mothers, I try my best to steer clear of them. I have enough trouble dealing with my own.”