As the musicians began to come to the end of the piece they were playing, the many occupants of the drawing room began to shift a little. From the corner of her eye, Emmeline could see Tristan Lennox, Christopher’s father, making his way to stand at the head of the room where the musicians were. He strode with purpose as if he had some announcement or other to make. And yet, although she could see his movement, Emmeline could not shift her gaze from the Earl of Addison. He had lost his father recently, as had she, and she wondered for a moment if that was why she felt suddenly in sympathy with him; in sympathy with the man she did not really know.
And then, with a certain amount of horror, she remembered the all too fresh gossip that surrounded him of late; the gossip surrounding the fact that the woman he had clearly loved had betrayed him and married another. At that awful moment, Emmeline knew with certainty what was to come.
“Ladies and gentlemen, my wife and I would like to thank you all for being here this evening. Much apart from it being a welcome late summer soirée, the evening holds something a little more special for us all.” He paused for a moment, and Emmeline felt sure that he had looked briefly in her direction. However, she kept her eyes on Hunter Bentley, who seemed to be absentmindedly studying the floor of the drawing room. “And it is with great delight that I find myself in the glorious position to be able to announce the engagement of my dear son, Christopher Lennox, to an old family friend, the lovely Miss Clara Lovett.”
Chapter 5
The cousins had ridden out from Braithwaite House, Algernon Rochester’s family home. It was a large house set in grounds that seemed a little large for the size of the building, grounds which the two had played in as children.
Algernon’s mother had been sister to Hunter’s mother, and the two boys, being the only offspring of the respective marriages, had been raised almost like brothers. Hunter always felt equally at home when he attended Braithwaite House, with its genteel shabbiness and relaxed atmosphere as he was at Addison Hall. And something about the place, Hunter always thought, suited Algernon Rochester to perfection. It was as if house and master were of one personality, destined for one another almost.
“I thought we were going to race one another out to Heatherton Ridge, cousin,” Algernon complained, and Hunter laughed.
“Yes, I had thought that a little sport would improve my mood, and yet now that we are here, I think a slow walk would do that just as well.”
“And is your mood really still so very low?” Algernon asked with concern. “Of course it is, what a ridiculous question, forgive me. It has been but a matter of weeks, of course, your mood is still low. Do not even dignify my question with a response, my dear fellow.”
“Algernon, you really do tie yourself in the most dreadful knots. And I am able to answer your question, for it is not at all ridiculous. My mood is low, it is true, but I have reached the point at which I recognize the fact that I shall survive. And the fact that I feel a little better, even if it is only infinitesimally so, alerts me to the idea that things shall improve, and time is all that is needed.”
“Well, if that is the case, then I am glad that I asked a most sensible question,” Algernon said and Hunter laughed loudly. “But I cannot help thinking there is something on your mind, something that you would wish to discuss. You have a look, and I recognize it well.”
“I suppose it is difficult for me to hide things from you. Perhaps that is because we are almost as brothers.”
“We are exactly as brothers, Hunter, except that we do not argue as much as brothers might.”
“You do make such fine observations.” Hunter turned a little in his saddle to look at Algernon and smiled.
As the two rode side-by-side, Hunter felt somewhat dwarfed by his cousin and his immense horse. Hunter smiled to himself, thinking that horse and rider were well-suited. After all, Algernon’s horse was also broad and tall and yet of a calm, almost placid, nature. Perhaps neither one of them realized their extraordinary power.
“I like to think so,” Algernon went on. “So, tell me, what is it that you wish to discuss?”
“You are right, of course, I do have something that I would wish to discuss with you. In truth, it is something that has travelled around my mind these last weeks, although I did not entirely know what to do about it.”
“Then tell me,” Algernon said, sounding a little exasperated.
“I have been thinking that I ought really to marry at the earliest opportunity.” Hunter said the thing right out, realising that there was little point in some sort of lengthy preamble.
“Marry? Has somebody already caught your eye?” Algernon was smiling broadly through his confusion.
“Not exactly, no.”
“Then why on earth would you marry? I am afraid that I do not understand.”
“I need an heir, Algernon,” Hunter said seriously. “Otherwise, it all ends with me. As you know, there is no other male heir to Addison Hall and the title. I am woefully lacking in relatives, my dear fellow, present company notwithstanding.”
“I understand entirely. You do not have a male heir on the Bentley side of things is what you are saying.”
“If only you could inherit, my dear fellow.”
“What a generous thing to say.” Algernon grinned. “But I am your relative on your mother’s side and, as you know, the title cannot come to me. And to be honest, I would not have made a very good Earl; I am far too carefree. Really, I would make a terrible job of it.”
“Whilst I am sure that is true, Algernon, I should still have liked it all to go to you if anything were to happen to me.”
“Then you shall have to take care that nothing happens to you until you are married and have a house full of strapping sons.” Algernon laughed. “I am not keen on this talk of you departing this earthly plane at only two and thirty. Really, you are beginning to depress me.”
“Then I shall move on in my explanations, for I fear we are dwelling a little on things which are hopefully not going to come to pass. But still, I must think seriously now about finding a wife and producing an heir. I ought not to let my father down, after all.”
“It is hardly your fault that Felicity chose to marry somewhat vainly.”
“Indeed, and I must admit that I am glad that my father was not around to see the sorry end of things. At least he died thinking that I was soon to marry Felicity and that the Earldom would be safe. At least he did not witness the end of it all and spend his last weeks worrying about it.”
“So, we are to search for a wife for you, my dear fellow. Actually, it may be quite an amusing thing. A diversion, at any rate.” Algernon’s spirits picked up, and it was clear that he was thinking of all the social events they might attend in search of pretty young ladies. “I might even look for one for myself.”
“I am not sure that we shall need to look, as such.”
“Then you have found somebody already? But where have you been to do such a thing? I thought you had been more or less housebound since your return from Scotland.”
“I have attended one social occasion, as an experiment, really.”
“And what occasion was that?”
“It was an evening soirée at Ashton House. You know; the Lennox place?”
“Goodness me, so you were there at the time of the great scandal, were you?”
“Well, yes, but I had not immediately realized that there was a scandal of any kind.”