“An honor?” he repeated in shock. “Nay, nay. Please, I am nae worthy of that.” He spoke firmly, wanting to stop any kind of gushing.
She stood, moving just as fast as before. She showed no fear in her eyes, as so many had done at the assembly the night before, only interest.
“Well, this is a surprise,” the man was the next to step forward, with an affable face and almost as many freckles as Lady Charlotte had. “Your Grace.” He bowed deeply. “I should introduce ourselves properly, should I not? I am the Earl of Winchester, and this is my wife, the Countess of Winchester.
My two children you see are sneaking in with the desperate hope of catching a glimpse of you are my son and youngest daughter, Viscount Salisbury, Harry Morton, and Lady Rose. Lastly, well, I understand that you must have already met my eldest daughter.”
Gerard shifted his attention from Lord Harry and Lady Rose, who stared at him as if he was a tiger in the Tower of London menagerie, to Lady Charlotte.
She curtsied politely to him, her gaze downcast deferentially, as if he had not carried her the night before at the assembly.
“Aye, we met last night,” Gerard said by way of explanation. “I came to call… to check her ankle was healin’ well.” He struggled to soften his tone.
“Her ankle?” Lady Winchester now hastened toward her daughter.
“It is doing very well. Thank you, Your Grace. If that is all—” Her words made it plain that she intended to get rid of him fast. Gerard bit the inside of his mouth in order not to laugh as her mother cut her off.
“Will you stay for tea, Your Grace, now that you are here?” Lady Winchester offered.
“Tea?” He stiffened. Mr. Johnson had explained to him that in theton, it was often the thing to take tea with one another in the afternoons, but he was accustomed to strong coffee. He had never had social meetings over tea either when he was a merchant, only ever business meetings. “Well, I…” he pulled on his slim necktie, uncertain what to say.
“Ah, a man after my own heart.” Lord Winchester waved a toward him. “How about coffee instead?”
“Aye, coffee would be nice. Thank ye.”
Gerard found himself rushed to a seat in the drawing room, though he struggled to sit in the small and dainty chair and feared he might make it collapse at any second. Coffee and tea were produced for the table, as Harry and Rose were hurried out of the room, though from the sound of hissing whispers Gerard kept hearing, he thought they had only managed to go as far as the corridor. Lord and Lady Winchester sat either side of him as Lady Charlotte sat opposite, primly pouring out their tea.
Not a movement she made was wrong. She did everything as it should be done, looking perfectly natural and at ease as she did so. Envy curled in his gut.
“Our daughter did not mention you had met last night,” Lady Winchester said as she passed a cake toward him.
Gerard stared at the cake in wonder. The cream had been placed in a perfect swirl on top of the bun. He was used to scones and rockbuns that had been slathered in butter and cream. This was all a little… precise.
“Did I not?” Lady Charlotte said in innocence. Once more, Gerard held his tongue in order to avoid laughing. He reckoned that Lady Charlotte was never eager to talk of anything that might be thought of as scandalous, and their meeting last night had certainly brushed up against the idea. “My apologies.”
“I understand from whispers that you have not long been in town, Your Grace,” Lord Winchester said. Lady Charlotte dropped her teaspoon, as if outraged he’d referred to whispers at all, then she blushed a deep shade of red at her mistake.
Gerard was finding it very hard not to pay attention to what Lady Charlotte said and did.
“But I never like listening to the gossip of the town,” Lord Winchester said as he poured out a coffee for Gerard. “Have no fear of rumors in this house, Your Grace. How did you come to London?”
“It was quite unexpected.” Despite the kindness of Lord and Lady Winchester, Gerard was still wary. “Aye, I inherited the title and lands from me father last year. It has taken some time to sort out the necessities, the legal matters, and me solicitor, Mr. Johnson, advised me to come to London for the Season.” He glanced warily at the window.
“And what do you make of theton?” Lady Winchester asked, with something of a knowing smile on her lips.
“It isnae something I am used to.”
“Ah, a cagey answer if I ever heard one,” Lord Winchester laughed.
“Father,” Lady Charlotte said slowly, appearing to force a smile. “The duke does not have to share his life story with us.”
“I know that.” Lord Winchester laughed at his daughter once more. “I am just curious. You know very well that your mother and I avoid all those parties you go to.”
“Preening, aren’t they, Your Grace?” Lady Winchester asked. “One can have their fill of theton.”
Lady Charlotte seemed to busy herself with sipping her tea again.
Gerard said nothing, but he let Lord and Lady Winchester talk between themselves, taking a little delight in how free and easythey were with one another, and in talking with him. For a few minutes, he did not feel like an ungainly ape sitting at their table, but someone who had been welcomed to it.
