The Marquis and I (The Worthingtons #4)(103)

“Charlotte, do give over,” Louisa whispered. “What has happened? A month ago, you did not even know him.”

“I shall tell you everything, but not here.” She glanced around the room. “Meet me in the Young Ladies’ Parlor before dinner.”

Louisa looked as if she wanted to roll her eyes. “Very well, but I want all the details.”

“And you shall have them. At the moment, I need to speak with Grace.”

*

Con had a better time at Tattersalls than he had thought he would. He and Merton had ridden together in Con’s carriage. There were other men present he had known at school and had not kept up with. The Earl of Huntley and Viscount Wivenly greeted Con. Marcus Evesham was out of town as his wife was due to give birth shortly. Rutherford was present as well, but getting ready to leave for the country. Their discussion of horses was intermixed with politics and family issues. Huntley and Wivenly still eschewed marriage, but had not cut themselves out of Polite Society as Con had.

What was I thinking, to ignore my friends for the company of other men not nearly as worthy or interesting?

Where the hell had that thought come from? Or perhaps it was the truth. Worthington had warned him about the low company Con had been keeping. And now that he considered it, he had never gone out of his way to make plans with those gentlemen. He would not have, for example, dined with them at Brooks’s.

“If you are looking for a pair for Lady Charlotte’s carriage,” Wivenly said as he inspected a roan mare, “you’ll want grays.”

“Grays?” Con had never even seen her high-perched phaeton. Yet he was most likely the only gentleman who had never seen her drive it.

Wivenly nodded. “Her carriage is green, and the grays Worthington bought for it set the rig off to perfection.”

Perhaps Con should try to buy the pair from his soon-to-be brother-in-law. He meandered over to Merton, who was looking at a matched pair of Cleveland Bays.

“What do you think of them?” Merton asked.

They had deep chests. A groom led the horses around, showing off their high-stepping action. “Their points are excellent.”

“Of course they are.” He looked at Con as if he were mad to have questioned Merton’s judgment. “I’m referring to the color. My wife’s carriage is red with gold trim.”

Con would have laughed if his friend hadn’t looked so concerned. “I think they will do.”

He strolled over to Huntley. “Is this what marriage does to a man?”

“You will find out soon enough.” Huntley shook his head. “The sad thing is that Lady Merton doesn’t care if her horses are perfectly matched. But it’s good to see him go out of his way for her. I never thought I’d see it.”

Con would approach Worthington when he joined them for tea this afternoon. Not so much to see Charlotte cut a dash, but because she had most likely grown attached to the horses.

Once the purchase was made, they went to Brooks’s for luncheon.

“Have you and Lady Charlotte set a date yet?” Huntley asked.

“Not yet.” That was another issue Con would discuss with Worthington. “I must visit Doctors’ Commons for the special license.”

“After the End-of-Season breakfast, then.” Wivenly cut another piece of his beef.

End-of-Season breakfast? Why hadn’t Con heard about the entertainment? He was receiving all the invitations now. “When is this to be?”

“The day after tomorrow, if I am not mistaken.” Huntley looked up at Con. “You must have received an invitation.”

“My mother might have it.” And he had not seen much of her lately. She had been too busy with his sister.

“That accounts for it,” Merton said. “You will have to ask her.”

Still, it was strange that Charlotte hadn’t mentioned it, but it might have been planned while they had been running around the country. “I shall make a point to do so.”

He’d ask her this afternoon at tea. Even though he had not been invited, he was sure he would not be turned away. After all, the children liked him.

“Has anyone seen Ruffington around lately?” The query came from a gentleman at the next table. “He owes me a pony.”

“No chance you’ll get it,” another man said. “I heard he left the country.”

That was one way of putting it, Con thought, pleased their ruse had worked after all.

A few hours later he was admitted to Stanwood House by the under-butler. “The family is having tea in the morning room, my lord.”

“Thank you.” He and Charlotte had only been apart for a few hours, yet he was impatient to see her.

Yet when he entered the room, the only people present were Worthington and a gentleman Con recognized as Rothwell. Sounds of the children playing came from the garden. “Are the ladies outside?”

Rothwell raised his goblet in a salute. “In a manner of speaking. They are shopping.” His discontent was clear from his tone. “We had not been here for twenty minutes when my wife, your betrothed, and Grace deserted us.”

Con wondered if Rothwell was concerned about money. “They cannot accomplish too much in the amount of time they have. It is only another two hours until dinner, and they will wish to change.”

“You obviously do not know how efficient they can be,” Worthington mumbled.