A Gentleman to Avoid: Sweet Regency Romance (Sherton Sisters Book 3) Page 2

  Vicky blinked at the sudden change. “Do you think you’d like to host a house party?”

  “I actually quite think I would. It would be far better than a ball, I’m sure. Especially since we can invite exactly who we’d most enjoy spending time with, besides being much smaller and more manageable.”

  “But you can’t see the back of them for at least a week, unlike a ball. No matter how disastrous a ball might be, it’s only one night.”

  Georgia laughed. “Aren’t we a pair of socialites?” she drawled with sarcasm evident in her tone. “Never mind about that. There will be no disasters at my house party. Now come, let us sit down and think about who we ought to invite and when we should plan to have it.”

  “Maybe we should check with Crossley first. He isn’t likely to be too excited about your desire to fill up his rooms so soon after he thought he was to be free of all this.”

  “You just leave him to me,” Georgia countered with a twinkle in her eye. “You have more important things to consider just now. Which gentlemen do you most want to know a bit better?”

  “Are you suggesting I ought to set my cap at someone?”

  “Surely nothing so vulgar, Vick. I know I wasn’t raised as a member of the nobility, but even I know that would never do. But we can choose our guests appropriately.”

  Finally, Vicky joined her friend in laughter. “You’re right, George, I’m being far too serious about all of this. And you’re also correct that a house party is exactly the thing. I will have to think a little bit about who I might suggest as guests since, as I said, no one has really struck my fancy in the least. But as to the timing, I would say three weeks from now would be best.”

  Georgia regarded her curiously, so Vicky explained. “We already have invitations for at least the next ten days, and you said you expect many hostesses to be hurriedly planning more events to end off the Season, so that should give us three or four more weeks of entertainments. But if we leave the house party too late, everyone will have become ensconced upon their own estates, especially the gentlemen, and might not be as inclined to venture forth to a house party. This way, if they’d like, they can stop at Crossley on their way to their own homes. If not three weeks from now, then perhaps it would be best to wait until the middle of the summer when people have grown bored.”

  “No, you’re right, as usual, Vick. Three weeks it is. Or do you think we ought to do it even sooner?”

  “The only way you could do it even sooner is if you were to send out your invitations immediately, before any hostesses have their entertainments planned. If you expect to return next year with Crossley, you wouldn’t want to have put the other ladies’ noses out of joint.”

  Georgia laughed once more. “No, you’re right, I wouldn’t want to irritate the other hostesses, but I also am unlikely to be coming up for the Season next year,” she concluded with a significant gesture toward her midsection. Vicky fought to swallow her jealousy, nodding with a smile that felt a little tight.

  Slipping away from Vicky’s side, Georgia slid into the chair at the escritoire, pulling paper toward her and frowning over her nibs.

  “So, who would we most enjoy? Mr. Northcott, of course.” Again, Vicky was grateful that her friend wasn’t looking at her while she concentrated upon her list. The sound of more footsteps outside the room made her stomach clench with inexplicable nerves.

  Chapter Two

  Ashford Northcott took a deep breath just before the butler announced him. He couldn’t have told you why he was bothering. The chit would barely acknowledge him, so it puzzled him why he felt such a compulsion to continue pursuing her. But here he was, once more about to make the attempt.

  “Mr. Ashford Northcott, to see you, my lady.”

  As far as he could tell, the girl hadn’t even heard the announcement. She wasn’t even a girl, really. He ought to think of her as a young woman. She wasn’t a brand new debutante, after all. Which was part of why he would expect her to have a little more enthusiasm for his attentions. She would probably say he was being insufferable if she knew what he was thinking. The thought of her reaction made him smile. It was one more reason why he liked her. With a slight shake of his head, he stepped into the room to greet Lady Crossley.

  Her wide grin was a surprise.

  “We were just talking about you,” she exclaimed with delight.

  Ash’s eyebrows inched toward his hairline as his eyes flickered toward Lady Vigilia. The consternation written on her pink face let him know it hadn’t been she who was doing the talking. He was filled with amusement as he watched her glare at the other woman that he knew was her best friend. He hoped he was able to keep the amusement off his face as he quirked an eyebrow at the countess.

  “Only good things, to be sure,” he drawled.

  “But of course.” Ash appreciated the countess’ sense of humour as her gaze met his. “We’ve just begun planning a house party, and you were the first person I thought we ought to invite.”

  “I’m honoured,” Ash replied.

  “Of course, we’ll understand if you’re too busy,” Lady Vigilia quickly interjected.

  “Vick, don’t put words in the poor man’s mouth. Of course, he wants to come.”

  Watching the flushed young woman struggle to confine her embarrassment, Ash was tempted to feel bad for her. But he couldn’t understand why she was so determined to keep him at arm’s length. He tried not to be insufferable, but he was unused to being rejected by females. It was both unnerving and also challenging. He hoped his smile didn’t appear as predatory as he suddenly felt.

  “When did you plan to gather at Crossley?”

  “In three weeks. You will come, won’t you?”

  “Of course. As I said, I’m honoured.”

  Ashford’s amusement deepened as he watched Lady Crossley glance speculatively toward her friend.

  “Anyway, never mind about that. We have just begun our plans, and that is surely not why you have called.”

  “I’d be happy to discuss your party, if you’d like, but I did stop by to see if I could interest you ladies in going for a drive.”

  Lady Crossley’s eyes lit up as she glanced again at her friend before smiling at him. “How delightful, Mr. Northcott. Your timing couldn’t have been better. I’m sure Lady Vigilia would be glad to get out of the house, and I should probably speak with the earl about this development with Parliament. Thank you.”

  Another quick glance at Lady Vigilia told Ashford she was not excited about his offer, but as she opened and closed her mouth, it was obvious she didn’t have a response. When he turned fully toward her with what he hoped was a welcoming smile, she returned it, even if it seemed a little tight.

  “Thank you, Mr. Northcott. I will just need to gather my spencer and hat. I won’t keep you waiting overlong.”

  “No need to rush on my account,” he replied lightly as she swept by him without a glance, leaving silence in her wake.

  Ash glanced at Lady Crossley, wondering what he ought to say. He was surprised to see her frowning after her friend. Her mouth opened as though to say something but then shut as though she had thought better of it.

  “Might I have the tea ordered while we wait?” was all she said, leaving Ashford wondering if he ought to remark upon her guest’s obvious discomfort with his pursuit.

  Ash quirked an eyebrow at her. “She isn’t likely to take that long, is she? I did tell her not to rush, but grabbing her hat isn’t likely to take as long as ordering tea. Besides, I wouldn’t want to put you to the trouble, since you mentioned you wished to speak with Crossley.”

  The countess sighed. “While, of course, I’m always happy to speak with Crossley, I really only said that to get Vicky to go with you. I’m not certain why she seemed reluctant. She’s the most easy-going female of my acquaintance. That is to say, most of the time.”

  Ashford stifled his amusement as the countess blushed when she realized she shouldn’t be speaking so openly with him about her
houseguest. She coughed slightly in an effort to cover her embarrassment. “That is to say, my dear friend will most likely only be a moment, but if you’d care for some refreshments anyway, she’ll be happy to partake of them as well, I’m sure.”

  “Perhaps not, if she’s already donned her outerwear,” Ash returned, wondering why both ladies suddenly appeared to be so nervous in his company. The soft clatter of Lady Vigilia’s footsteps approaching saved them from further awkwardness.

  “I trust I didn’t keep you waiting overlong,” Vigilia remarked without meeting his gaze.

  “Not at all. You were remarkably prompt, in fact.” He gestured toward the door. “Shall we go?”

  He was surprised to see the usually self assured young woman glance nervously toward her friend. Her step hesitated for the briefest moment before her chin rose and she stepped in front of him, walking briskly toward the front of the house and the footman waiting to open the door for them.

  The first genuine smile he had seen from her that day finally graced her face as she quietly thanked the servant. Ash shook his head over the contrary nature of his companion and his own one-sided fascination with her. Perhaps he was the contrarian.

  Watching her, though, reassured him that he wasn’t being foolish to find the young woman interesting. Interesting was actually far too lukewarm a word, not that he could think of another one as he watched her climb gracefully into his curricle while accepting very little assistance from him.

  He had watched her at countless dances, balls, routs, and so on throughout the few years of their acquaintance. Ash was well aware that she could be gregarious and extroverted, laughing and talking easily with, it seemed, everyone but him. While it was possible that she was turned timid by an attraction to him, Ashford wasn’t so conceited to actually think that was the case. Her gaze, whenever she could be induced to actually meet his, was filled with, he thought, disdain, not admiration. He wondered if he ought to question her on it but didn’t want to actually put the girl to the blush on purpose. Finding out about the house party was perfect. He would bide his time until then. If he couldn’t get to the bottom of her reticence in such an environment, he would return to America to get her out of his head.

  “Have you heard from any of your family recently?”

  “Do you mean Rosabel?” Her sharply toned question made him long to search her face, but he had already set his team of horses into motion, so he had to keep his eyes on the late afternoon traffic.

  “Not particularly her, but if you have news, I’d be happy to hear it.”

  He saw her shrug from the corner of his eye while she turned her head away momentarily.

  “All the family babies are doing well,” she finally answered. “That’s all anyone wants to talk about, it seems.”

  “You don’t seem too excited about them,” he commented. Again, he sensed her shrug. She added a sigh to the mix.

  “I am,” she insisted. “Bel is thrilled with her son and while I am not quite as convinced as she is that he is the smartest and prettiest baby ever born, I do think he’s lovely and cannot wait to meet the one on the way. I think they’ll be even more enjoyable and amusing once they’re out of nappies and able to have a conversation that involves more than bubbles and gurgles, but I can see why she’s so excited about her son and the babe on the way. Hilaria having two on the way causes us a little more concern than excitement just because the risks are greater, but I do look forward to meeting them once they arrive. And my baby brother is, of course, a joy and a relief to the entire family.”

  “But?” he questioned her gently, prompting an abbreviated laugh from her.

  “But it’s so strange to finally have the brother we all wished for now I’m already grown. It turns out, each of us had actually been wishing for an older brother.”

  “I suppose older brothers have their uses but as someone with three of them, they aren’t always the greatest joy in life, either.”

  This prompted a gratifyingly genuine-sounding laugh from his companion before she nodded. “I can’t say that I know from experience what you’re speaking about, but watching Wexford with his sister, I guess I can see what you mean.” She sighed again. “But I do wish I would actually be able to know him. It’s the strangest sensation to have a sibling join the household just as I’m trying to leave it.”

  “Surely, you’ll always be able to visit.”

  “A visit isn’t the same,” she persisted after a slightly frustrated sounding breath of air escaped her. “But perhaps, with a boy, it wouldn’t have been the same as with my sisters anyway. By a certain point he’ll surely be going away to school besides, and from what I understand, boys don’t always take too well to their little sisters trying to play with them. And can you imagine, the poor boy, if he had been the older brother we all wished for, having five little sisters? I suppose it would have been a trial for any youngster to bear. Then again, perhaps there wouldn’t have been five of us. I understand my mother was always trying for that elusive heir.”

  “I’m certain your brother would be delighted with you whether you’re older or younger than him.”

  It was as though she suddenly regretted having shared so many of her thoughts, as she suddenly blushed and turned her attention back to watching the scenery as it passed. Silence grew between them for a time.

  “Anyhow, I understand from my younger sisters that both my parents are besotted with him and can barely allow him out of their sight. Felicity and Grace find it vastly amusing, but it makes me worry. I’m torn between the need to set up my own household and the desire to return home.”

  Ash frowned, unsure how to respond to what she was suddenly sharing.

  “Why does it worry you? Surely, all new parents are equally enthralled with their new arrival. Was your sister not the same?”

  He saw her bite her lip, and her colour rose. Ash wasn’t sure what would have caused it. Perhaps embarrassment to be discussing something so personal, but he sensed that it was more like anger, which puzzled him. She quickly blinked it away and, although seemingly reluctantly, finally answered his question.

  “I’m afraid my parents might be fearful they’re too old for a baby. And what if something were to happen to them before he’s grown?”

  “I would think all parents, whatever their age, might have a bit of this fear. But your parents aren’t actually all that old, are they? While it might be a little irregular for them to be having an infant in the house at their stage in life with all of you grown already, didn’t they actually wed quite young?”

  “You’re right. While my mother might not want me bandying about her age, she just turned forty-three, which isn’t a terribly old age, but producing a child at that age is understandably hard on a body. Father is a little older than her, but he hasn’t reached fifty yet. But still, by the time the boy is grown, they will be advancing in years.” She paused for a moment before adding, “But all that is just logic. Fears rarely listen to logical arguments.”

  Ashford nodded even though she still wasn’t looking at him. “What do you suppose you could do if you were there, though? What good would be accomplished by your putting off your own future?”

  “Well, for one thing, I could remind my father that he has trained both me and Hilaria well in the running of his properties. If the worst were to happen, either of us could surely ensure the boy knew what to do.”

  “Did he really? Did you enjoy such an education?”

  “Immensely, actually. Hil loved it even more. It was almost too bad for her, as it made her a little unhinged.”

  Ashford laughed. “Whatever do you mean?”

  Again he saw her sparkling smile show itself briefly, and it warmed his heart to think perhaps all was not lost in his pursuit of the girl.

  “Well, you met her before she married her viscount. She was determined to wed a duke. It was rather twisted reasoning, but somehow she had it in her head that she had failed in being born a girl rather than a boy. That she ought
to have been the heir our father needed. I think it stemmed from her great love for the estate and her enjoyment of our father’s attention in allowing her to help him. It wasn’t Father’s fault. I got a slight taste of it myself when we returned home after my grandmother’s death. That year of being the eldest and helping Father was wonderful. I could see why Hil wished she had been a boy. Not that I wished the same, but it was certainly fulfilling. Now Eastwood lets her do whatever she wants with his estate, and she has come to be happy with being a viscountess.”

  “How fascinating.” His dry remark prompted another brief laugh from his companion as he steered his carriage into the Park and into the flow of circulating nobles on display that afternoon.

  After another brief pause, Ashford prompted her to speak again. “But even if you find your own household as you said, surely you could reassure your parents in the same way, whether you’re there or not.”

  “That’s true, but it wouldn’t carry the same weight if I’m preoccupied with my own future.”

  “Perhaps not, but don’t you think if you don’t get on with your own future as you put it, they will have reason to be worried about both you and the boy?”

  Lady Vigilia laughed out loud over his words before suddenly sobering. “Well, now I’m extra motivated to get on with my life,” she stated. “If only it were as easy as saying it is so.”

  “Well you could, perhaps be a little less picky, and you could get on with it.”

  The young woman beside him stiffened before turning to glare at him. “For one thing, Mr. Northcott, I am not being picky, as though to imply I am playing hard to please. For another thing, every young woman ought to be particular about her choices about her future. It’s the largest decision of her life, shouldn’t she be careful about it? But your statement implies that I have been overrun with eligible offers and have refused to accept any of them on frivolous grounds. I can assure you that has not been the case.”