This did not sound promising—a rival. “But certainly, he must find some consolation from his children?”
Elizabeth touched her handkerchief to her eyes in a most charming manner. “No, the couple was childless.”
This was not good. The old goat was after Elizabeth as well. Now he would need to up his game and accelerate his plan. He needed to land Elizabeth before next summer. He could not afford to wait until she and Linton were alone together in Antibes. He would need to re-strategize.
Chapter 27
Thomas and George returned home after their stay in London. They had finalized the deals with Mr. Hargrove and Lady Alderman and had at least some of their funds. However, they had not been able to secure the final thirty percent of the funding they needed, as neither of Mr. Hargrove’s contacts had been interested. There was still more work to be done. But George was certain his father would now be able to come through with the funding for his part of the investment.
Upon returning home, Thomas’s first visit was with his Grandmamma. She was seated by the fire in her sitting room picking with a needle to undo some embroidery gone wrong.
“Thomas, how nice to see you. I thought I heard your carriage return late last night.”
Thomas took the chair opposite his grandmother. “Yes, we were later than expected. We took too long at dinner at an inn along the way that had a particularly good roast beef and a most excellent wine cellar.”
“And was your trip successful?” she asked as she adjusted her spectacles to get at a troublesome thread.
“It was. On several fronts. We have raised almost all of our investment goal and… you will be pleased to hear this… I had several delightful visits with Lady Alderman… from the ball… and who has also become one of our investors.” He gave his Grandmamma a big smile and sat back in his chair with his hands behind his head.
She looked over at him after that bit of news. “Really? Miss Alderman? Hmm. And was it purely business or were there other considerations?”
“A bit of both, you will be happy to hear. And I met her mother, and she was most encouraging in a way her daughter had too much grace to reveal.”
Thomas leaned forward for emphasis. “In excess of forty thousand—a year.”
Grandmamma gasped. “A year? Oh, Thomas.” She placed her embroidery on her lap and gave Thomas her full attention.
“But…” Thomas added, “the money may be of less importance now that our new business looks to be up and running very soon. And I have every expectation that we shall be greatly successful.”
“But you like this Lady Alderman, yes?”
“Prunella. Yes. She is most charming and seems to have an engaging life of her own. She is not one of those empty-headed young heiresses whose only interests are the newest fashions and the latest gossip.”
“You must invite her and her family for a visit to Pemberton.”
“I already have. But her father is deceased, so it would be just her mother and perhaps her younger sister.”
Grandmamma beamed. “I am so proud of you Thomas. You have stepped up and have taken your ducal responsibility.”
Thomas was pleased his Grandmamma was pleased, but he still had a nagging thought in the back of his mind. As lovely as Prunella was, she was not Jenny. What was it about this most inappropriate young lady that intrigued him so? But fortunately, he would have his hands full in the upcoming weeks, throwing himself into the new business, and perhaps, as he became engaged in the new work, his thoughts of Miss Jenny would begin to recede from his mind. He could only hope.
* * *
George was so happy to be home and could not wait to see Helena as soon as possible. They were still not able to meet openly, so he sent notes arranging for another meeting at Aunt Rosemary’s.
He rushed up the steps and into her house, not even taking the time to tie his horse. He burst into the sitting room and stopped dead in his tracks. Besides Helena and Aunt Rosemary—Ralph, Helena’s father stood scowling by the fireplace.
“Oh…” was all he could say in his surprise.
Helena rushed over and threw her arms around him. But he instinctively pulled away under the glare of her father.
But it was Rosemary who was the first to speak, sitting in her chair with her hands folded on top of her walking stick. “George, so happy to see you. Did you have a pleasant trip to London?”
George could not believe she would be asking him this in such a casual manner with her angry-looking brother standing behind her.
“Father knows,” Helena whispered to George, as she took his arm and turned so that both of them were facing her father.
“I figured that out myself,” he whispered back. “Are we about to be executed?”
