“It is a requirement for women if they wish to be considered respectable and for gentlemen who wish for legitimate heirs,” Milo explained. “But most of my friends view it as something to avoid for as long as possible. I certainly should have.”
They were approaching the stable block now and Samuel drew his mount closer. “Pull back on the reins slowly, that’s it, and relax. The groom will hold Molly’s head, so she won’t wander off while you dismount. Now, wriggle your right foot free of the stirrup, throw your leg backward and dismount over the left side of your mount.”
Jeremy executed what he thought was an adequate dismount, struggling because his left foot was still stuck in the stirrup, forgotten. Milo and Samuel did it with much more grace and speed. Jeremy gave the reins over to the groom with all possible haste and the horses were led away, much to his relief.
“Not bad for a first ride. Not bad at all. Just like a marriage really.” Samuel grinned. “Exciting at first and not without highs and lows.”
“Lots of lows,” Milo grunted. “Marriage is not for everyone. I was in love. But I was alone in that,” he warned quietly.
Samuel sighed. “Perhaps the next woman you court won’t pretend to be what she is not.”
“I’d never marry a woman who claims to love me, now.” Milo shook his head and then suddenly remembered Jeremy was listening. “Keep that to yourself.”
Who could he tell that would care? “Of course.”
He walked around the stable yard a bit, stretched his legs that seemed to have turned to jelly. He was supposed to find something to do with himself now until dinner that evening, he’d been told.
Fanny and the duchess were playing croquet on the lawn. It looked like great fun and he assumed she might be good at it, given the way she concentrated on every shot. He couldn’t loiter, but he wished he could have a game.
“Are we boring you, Dawes?” Samuel asked quietly, coming up to stand beside him.
“Not at all.”
The lord noticed the game underway. “We all used to play together when we were younger. Fanny would always win, having the cooler head, Rebecca would pout, and Jessica would sit herself down in the middle of play to stop the games from continuing if she wasn’t winning, which was all the time.”
“And if we were around,” Milo said, coming up to Jeremy’s other side, “I’d beat Fanny, Samuel would annoy Becca so she missed, and Anna and Jessica would sit down to make us play around them.”
Jeremy looked at Samuel and then at Milo. “Anna?”
The earl turned away and it was Samuel who answered. “Anna, our sister, was lost in childhood,” he whispered.
“I’m sorry to hear that. My condolences.”
The earl suddenly excused himself, leaving Jeremy and Samuel behind. “I didn’t mean to upset him.”
“He’s never gotten over the loss. She was special. His favorite.”
“Fanny has never mentioned she had another sister.”
“It’s a subject we never talk about very often, because then we lost mother too.” Come let’s find some shade and drink to forget life’s disappointments.”
“Mr. Dawes. Brother!”
Jeremy spun about at the sound of Fanny calling to them. She was rushing in their direction, skirts lifted over her ankles, hand holding down a hat on her head.
Samuel moved toward her. “Is something wrong?”
“Where are you going?”
“Dawes wanted a drink.”
Fanny came to a stop. “I doubt drinking was his suggestion, but it would be yours. I want to have a word with him. Do you mind excusing yourself?”
A sly smile crossed Samuel’s lips as he looked between them. “Give him back in one piece.”
Fanny wet her lips and then met Jeremy’s gaze. “Might we stroll the garden together, sir?”
Jeremy shrugged, as if her requ