The Lady's Second-Chance Suitor by Scott, Regina (christmas read aloud txt) 📗

So, wasn’t it his duty to marry?

The rain she’d predicted pattered across the ground,pebbling him with ice. Humbled and thoughtful, he turned his mount for home.

Elizabeth spotted him from the withdrawing room as he was headingfor his bedchamber.

“I won’t ask you how your ride went,” she said, raising abrow. “It’s written all over your face.”

“Then perhaps I should wash my face,” he grumbled, turningto go change out of his sodden riding clothes.

“Perhaps you should,” she called after him. “And when you’redone, join me in the library. We must talk.”

Rob paused and glanced back. “Everything all right?”

“Most assuredly not when my brother’s countenance isstormier than the autumn skies. I’ll be waiting for the full story.” Shewiggled her brows as if she expected high entertainment.

She was doomed to disappointment.

He allowed Eckman, his valet, to take his time changing himinto fresh breeches and coat. Delaying tactics. What was he to say to hissister? From the moment Hester had bumped into him at the Harvest Ball,Elizabeth had been pushing him toward her. She’d claimed to have seen somethingbetween him and Hester. She’d be saddened to find it might be too little, toolate.

His sister was standing with a book in her hand as heentered the room. An ancestor had included a library in their summer retreat,and another had stocked it with a few weighty tomes like the nineteen-volume Riseand Fall of the Roman Empire and Colquhoun’s various treatises on socialills in London, as if trying to impress upon any visitors the serious nature ofthe house’s inhabitants.

It didn’t help that the room was paneled in dark wood, witha single narrow window high in one wall and a black carpet with bronze-coloredchess pieces emblazoned on it covering most of the polished wood floor. Hisfather and mother, bless them, had added novels, poetry, and plays and broughtin plenty of brass lamps. He’d often found Elizabeth curled up in one of theleather-bound armchairs, lost in a story, when she was younger.

And promptly chivied her out the door into the sunshine.

“Wordsworth?” he asked as he came into the room now.

“Blake,” she said, lowering the book. “You look better. Wasthat sufficient time to reconsider your misbehavior?”

“How do you know I misbehaved?” he argued, going to sit onone of the other chairs.

Elizabeth collapsed onto the one nearest her, grey skirtspuddling on the thick carpet. “Because you always misbehave. And I doubt Hesterhas it in her.”

“You’d be wrong there,” he said, leaning back and studyingthe scene on the curved ceiling. Plump peasants merrily stomped grapes under aheavy sky while tables groaned with crusty loaves and clay jars brimming witholives. Now, wouldn’t that be a fine place to learn to be the head of thefamily?

“Really?” Elizabeth pressed. “She seems quite proper.”

Rob dropped his gaze to his sister to find her eyeing himagain. “She is a lady through and through. But she didn’t seem so wedded to therules once.”

The word wedded only served to remind him of theirdiscussion. He found himself on his feet and moving about the room, whichseemed somehow smaller and tighter than he remembered, as if the dark wood was closing in on him.

“And what rules is she determined that you follow now?”Elizabeth asked, turning her head as he passed her.

Rob clasped his hands behind his back. “I may have expressedmy admiration for her too fervently, for she challenged me to prove it.”

“Slaying a dragon?” Elizabeth suggested. “Finding the fabledlost treasures of the East?”

“Nothing so fantastical.” Rob stopped and faced his sisterfully. “She asked for courtship and commitment.”

Elizabeth leaned back. “Well. I like her even more now.”

Rob chuckled as he came back to his seat. “So do I. But canshe be happy here?”

Elizabeth shrugged. “You know very well I have not alwaysbeen happy here. And it isn’t the Lodge that concerns you. It’s London, theSeason. Society.”

He nodded. “All expectations for a viscountess.”

“All expectations of a viscount,” she told him. “You recallthe years that Mother refused to go up for the Season, particularly when youand I were younger.”

“I remember.”

She narrowed her eyes, as if she thought he meant to refute her nonetheless. “Not every family participates as heavilyas Father and Thomas. Some lords do not take their seats in Parliament.”

“Such a fine excuse,” Rob teased. “A shame I cannot feelcomfortable taking it.”

“Because you have changed,” Elizabeth insisted.

He’d like to think he’d always had enough honor to do hisduty. He’d simply never had such a duty before.

“So, you think it possible Hester and I might…” He could notmake himself finish the sentence.

She beckoned with her hand as if to draw out the words. Whenhe merely smiled, she shook her head.

“You cannot even speak of it, Rob. You have no businesscourting a lady until you can.”

“That’s ridiculous.” He rose to his full height and gazeddown his nose at her. “I am prepared to court and marry, should I make thedecision to do so.”

Her mouth quirked. “And have you made such a decision?”

He grimaced. “Perhaps not yet.”

“Ah.” She stood and came to join him. “Then you simply needto become better acquainted with Hester. See if you suit.”

“I feel as if I know her rather well already,” Rob pointedout.

“You knew her well seven years ago,” Elizabeth replied. “Youmust stop seeing the girl you loved and start seeing the woman right in frontof you. Invite her and her mother to dinner. That will give you a better ideaof how she fits in our world.”

It was a simple step. It didn’t commit him to anything. Yetit felt like a declaration.

One Hester deserved.

“Very well,” Rob said. “Would you make the arrangements forme, send out the invitations?”

She smiled. “Delighted, Brother. But of course, we will beuneven numbers at table if I simply invite Hester and her mother. I’ll have toinvite a couple of gentlemen as well.”

She’d sprung the trap so neatly he hadn’t even seen it.“Gentlemen,” he drawled.

“Yes, of course,” Elizabeth said, all wide-eyed innocence.“We must have a partner for Mrs. Denby. What would you think of LordFeatherstone?”

“A fine fellow. And I suppose we must have a gentleman toaccompany you as well.”

“What a splendid idea,” she said as if