“With her attitude, I’m not surprised,” Dorothy grunted.
Gabriel chuckled.
“Just ignore her. If the gentlemen around her aren’t paying her their full attention, she isn’t interested. She thinks having a strop like that has men running after her.”
“And you’re not?” Frederica asked.
“Why would I? I don’t like her. Now, shall we? I’m sure your aunt will be wondering where you two are.”
Dorothy hoped that not all the other guests were like Lady Marcia, who didn’t seem like a nice woman. She squared her shoulders.
“Let’s go in.”
Gabriel shook his head with a smile.
“You don’t need to look so scared, Dorothy. I know most of the people the marquess has invited, and they’re really nice. It’s only Lady Marcia Bamfield you’ve got to worry about, and I know you’re capable of handling yourself around her.”
“Do you think she’s going to cause trouble?” Frederica enquired.
“Let’s hope not. But I’m sure your aunt will be able to keep her in line.”
Dorothy hoped that as well. She didn’t want the week ruined because of one young woman who had already decided to dislike her.
Chapter 3
Lucas felt very satisfied once dinner was over. The food they had been served was delicious, very succulent. And very filling. If it were possible, they would all be fat in no time. Thank goodness that wasn’t possible after just one meal.
He made his way slowly back to the drawing room. The ladies had already been led away to go and do whatever they did when they were on their own. That was a shame; Lucas had been keen to talk to a few of them. There were some pretty unmarried ladies. Maybe he could find someone he could court and get his father’s pestering to go away.
Although Lucas didn’t know what his father would say if he knew that Lady Marcia Bamfield was present and was one of the unmarried ladies. Lucas liked the look of her, and she was a good conversationalist for the little time they did talk, but she was rather flirtatious. A little too much with which to be comfortable.
Normally, Lucas didn’t mind that, and he would often flirt back just as outrageously. But he was in his father’s friend’s house and didn’t want to be disrespectful. He needed to behave himself.
Besides, he had heard quite a few things about Lady Marcia. She hadn’t been involved in any major scandal, but her name had been mentioned a few times. She was headstrong and knew what she wanted.
The problem was she didn’t seem to know when to stop, only pulling back when everything was on the cusp of exploding. Lucas had heard himself about the last time she had been mentioned; she had been flirting with a married man, and the wife found out about it. To say the fallout hadn’t been pleasant was an understatement.
While that was enough to make her interesting, and Lucas might have had some fun with her himself, that wasn’t really something he was looking for in a wife. They appeared to get along, but he couldn’t see it going any further. Lady Marcia was just a distraction for him.
It felt a little warm in the house, and Lucas touched Pierce’s arm as his friend passed.
“I’m going to take a breath of air on the terrace,” he said. “Let Lord Derbyshire know that I’ll be along shortly.”
“I will.” Pierce peered at him. “Are you alright? You look a little green.”
“I think I might have eaten a bit too much, and the house is rather warm.”
“I’m not surprised you ate too much. The food was delicious.” Pierce tapped his fist on Lucas’ shoulder. “You go and breathe. Take your time.”
Lucas gave him a grateful nod and headed through the house, looking for a way to the outside. It had been some years since he had been at the marquess’ home, and it had taken him a while to get used to the maze. Now he was having to go through it again.
Finally, he found the outside door and stepped out into the night air. Darkness had fallen, and he couldn’t see anything beyond the light coming from the windows except for a few tiny lights dotted here and there in the distance. It was a little unnerving that it was this dark, and Lucas could remember feeling scared by it when he was younger. And he had been a little frightened at how quiet it was in the middle of the night. It had felt like he had gone deaf.
But it was somehow beautiful, even if he couldn’t see anything. Lucas stood on the edge of the terrace, just in the light, and took a deep breath. The air was fresh and clean. Surprisingly, the smell that would have come from the farm they passed at the bottom of the hill couldn’t be detected. It didn’t waft past his nose.
This week was going to be what he needed before he and Pierce moved on to Wales. They weren’t going to give up on heading to Cardiff and the coast. It was beautiful at this time of year. And it would give him time to think about if there was anyone who might pass his father’s inspection if he did choose to court a woman here.
If there were, then it would work out. If there weren’t, that wouldn’t be his fault. Lucas was just going to carry on as normal.