The Unlikely Lady (Playful Brides #3)(15)

He groaned. The prospect of the house party had been mildly amusing before. He was happy to see his good friends Swifdon and Cassandra marry. Marriage wasn’t something he’d given much thought to before but he didn’t begrudge others from making a happy match.

Speaking of marriage, Lucy had said she would turn her sights to finding him a suitable wife after she finished with Miss Lowndes. He rubbed his temples again. It made his head hurt to think about that. Cassandra was lovely and accomplished and would make a fine wife, but she wasn’t his sort. Not that he had a sort, but if he did, she would be more of someone who stood up for herself, argued a bit, was spirited …

He groaned. Damn it. He’d just described someone a bit too much like … Miss Lowndes. At least if Lucy was preoccupied with her Mrs. Bunbury scandal plot, she’d leave him and his marital prospects alone for a bit. Perhaps he ought to keep his nose out of it. It rarely ended well for him when he attempted to thwart Lucy’s plans. He certainly didn’t want to draw attention to himself and Isabella Langford. What if Lucy got it into her head that she should make a match between him and Isabella? It would be beyond awkward. Though discomfiture was no doubt in store for him one way or another, once Isabella arrived.

Garrett flung an arm over his forehead. The next week wouldn’t be easy. Not only would Isabella be there, he’d be busy watching what Lucy and Miss Lowndes were getting up to, and to add insult to injury, there was to be a bloody masquerade ball. What more could go wrong?





CHAPTER NINE

Mrs. Isabella Langford arrived the next morning at an ungodly hour. Jane had been roused from bed far too early given the fact that she’d been up nearly all night reading a novel. She’d been forced to come downstairs and greet the woman along with Cass, Lucy, and Cass’s mother.

“Aren’t you the least bit curious?” Lucy asked, as Jane stifled a yawn while they stood in the foyer, waiting for Mrs. Langford and for the servants to unload her trunks from the carriage.

“Not particularly,” Jane replied with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. If she was honest with herself, she would admit she did wonder why Upton’s voice had seemed a bit strained last night when Cass had mentioned Mrs. Langford. Jane also wondered why the woman had used Upton as an entrée to the house party. It seemed quite forward. But there were scores of socially ambitious people in London who would use any excuse to gain an invitation to an earl’s wedding. It wasn’t particularly surprising. Jane was more interested in reading the last of her good book than wondering why a widow was coming to Cass’s wedding under the guise of her friendship with Upton of all people. Upton’s acquaintances were none of Jane’s concern. But Cass had requested her presence this morning and Jane was committed to making Cass’s wedding week the best it could be. Lack of her own sleep notwithstanding.

“She’s the wife of a deceased army captain,” Cass whispered, staring out the door at Mrs. Langford’s entourage. “Do you find it odd that she has such a fine carriage and servants?”

“Cassandra, that’s hardly polite,” her mother interjected.

Lucy was on tiptoes, craning her neck to see everything. Jane scanned the scene. Indeed, Mrs. Langford had a footman and a lady’s maid with her and enough trunks to fill Jane’s bedchamber in London.

Lucy snorted. “She does know she’s only staying a week, doesn’t she?”

Cass elbowed Lucy.

When the lady herself emerged from the coach, Jane sucked in her breath. Mrs. Langford was ethereal. She was nearly as good-looking as Lucy, and that was saying quite a lot. The woman had a cloud of black hair and the palest white skin, with red lips that looked like a cherry set perfectly under her pin-tip nose. While she might have been a year or two older than Jane, she was not much more.

She was escorted into the foyer by Cass’s mother, Lady Moreland, and as soon as the widow saw the three of them standing there, Mrs. Langford’s beautiful face broke into a wide smile revealing perfect white teeth. She had pale green eyes, Jane noted once she’d come close enough. Yes, she looked like a princess. Well, not Princess Charlotte, but some sort of princess, a fairy-tale, breathtaking sort.

“Lady Cassandra!” Mrs. Langford said in a voice Jane found far too exuberant for such an early hour. People who favored the morning were so often too loud. “It’s so lovely to see you. You didn’t need to trouble yourself with coming to meet me.”

“It’s my pleasure, Mrs. Langford. I wanted to see you had a proper welcome. Do you know the Duchess of Claringdon and Miss Jane Lowndes?” Cass gestured to her friends.

Lucy nodded regally, something she’d been practicing ever since she became a duchess. “Mrs. Langford,” she intoned.

The widow curtsied formally. Once she straightened she said, “Your Grace. It’s so lovely to meet you. I am quite overwhelmed with gratitude that you would come and greet me.”

“Not at all,” Lucy responded, barely inclining her head. “I was anxious to meet the friend of my cousin Mr. Garrett Upton.”

Jane nearly took off her spectacles and rubbed her eyes. The look on Mrs. Langford’s face the moment Upton’s name was mentioned was downright … coy? Shy? Flirtatious? Her cheeks turned a lovely shade of rose, and she averted her gaze. “It’s an honor to call Mr. Upton a friend,” she said, still not meeting Lucy’s eyes.