Her curiosity not in the least bit dimmed, Amelia smiled back at her father. “That may be so but I am determined to do such a thing regardless. I am sure that another invitation can be written today, ready for them all to be sent out tomorrow morning.”
Her father laughed and spread his hands. “Do as you think best, my dear. “
Seeing the smile on Charlotte’s face, Amelia considered for a few moments longer and then nodded firmly. “Then I shall write it this very evening – and we shall see whether or not the Beastly Duke can be persuaded to attend our literary event… and what an interesting event it shall be!”
Chapter Two
“Your Grace.”
The quiet, stilted tones of his footman made Nathanial scowl. He knew all too well that his staff were not particularly enamored by him as a master. He was much too sour-faced and sharp tongued to make any of his footmen or maids happy.
Not that such a thing mattered to him.
“What is it?”
“You have an invitation, Your Grace.”
Still scowling, Nathanial turned his head to look, having been absorbed in his own papers for the last hour since he had broken his fast. He did not like being disturbed. “An invitation?”
“Yes, Your Grace. Your mother has received one also and would urge you to read it just as soon as possible.”
Nathanial rolled his eyes and held out his hand for the invitation. He had no intention whatsoever of attending any event, no matter what it was. He was not someone inclined towards company and, given his lack of attendance at such things, he would have thought that the society around him would have known of his inclination by now. Turning the invitation over, he recognized the seal of the Marquess of Stanton and, breaking it, unfolded the invitation and read their supposed eager desire to have him attend their literary event.
A quick glance around his study told Nathanial why they might think of inviting him to such a thing. After all, he was inclined to a great deal of study and reading though it was not the sort of thing that young ladies would enjoy, he supposed – and this invitationwasfrom the younger of the Stanton ladies.What had possessed her to think that he would be glad to come to such an occasion, he could not even begin to imagine.
“I shall not be attending. You can tell my mother that – ”
“You can tell your mother yourself.”
Nathanial shifted in his chair as his mother strode into the room. “Were you eavesdropping, Mother?”
“If you mean that I was standing outside your study and listening to your response to Montrose here, then yes.” Gesturing to the butler, she nodded to him. “You are excused, Montrose. Thank you for doing as I asked.”
Nathanial tilted his head. “I thought they weremystaff, Mother.”
“They were mine before they were yours,” came the sharp response. “Now, Ashbourne, tell me why you will not attend this occasion? It is the perfect opportunity for you to go and discuss your many,manyopinions on all the books you have been reading and the like.”
Nathanial sniffed. “I do not think that the sort of books I read are the sort of books they would like to discuss.” He gestured to the invitation. “It says that there are to be literary readings. Do you really think that they would be inclined to listen to a reading from one of my books? Or are they not, as I suspect, much more inclined to seek out readings from romantic poetry and ridiculous novels?”
His mother lifted her chin. “You speak as though those novels and poetry are somehow lesser to whatyouengage your mind with, my son. Do not think of yourself too highly, I beg of you. It is prideful.”
“And I will not be guilt ridden into attending,” Nathanial replied, with a sharp smile. “If you wish to attend then write and accept. But I shall not be.”
“And why not? What is it that ties you here?” His mother’s tone softened just a little but Nathanial scowled, his browfurrowing as she came to sit down opposite him. “If it is to do with William – which I suspect your dark moods are always about – then you need to set that path aside.”
Nathanial looked away. “Mother, I – ”
“Your nightmares have continued, have they not?” Lady Ashbourne tilted her head, in the very same way he himself often did. “I heard the maids whispering.”
“They ought not to be. Tell me who you heard it from and I shall have them sent away from this estate at once!”
Lady Ashbourne sighed and sat back in her chair a little more. “It could not be that there is concern for you in that, could there? That they do not speak of you with malice or ill will?”
Snorting, Nathanial rolled his eyes. “Mother, I am very aware of what my staff think of me.”
“That does not mean that they cannot speak with concern, my son.” Lady Ashbourne let out another breath. “It pains me to see you sitting here alone. Why are you doing so? Why can you not leave this study for even a single hour, it seems!”
Nathanial’s scowl lingered. “I am quite contented here.”