Richard, however, was not.
“Uncle, please,” he sighed, feeling his patience wane.
Lord Whitwood held his hands up with an apologetic expression and it irked Richard to no end as he stood and gestured towards the intruder.
“Ludlow Harrington, the Earl of Whitwood, and my father’s younger brother. Lord Whitwood, this is my wife, Nancy Harrington.”
Lord Whitwood moved closer to where Nancy was seated, holding out a hand as he bowed and said, “It is a pleasure, Your Grace.”
When Nancy placed her hand in his, he kissed the back of it lightly, and the action caused something to itch in Richard’s chest.
Just as he was preparing himself to react—possibly violently by throwing a butter knife at him—his uncle shifted his attention back to him.
“I apologize for calling so early. And for imposing on you so soon after your wedding,” Lord Whitwood said, moving to take a seat at the table.
“Youareimposing. With this quantity of self-awareness, I would have expected that you would have had enough forethought to not visit at all. At least not without sending prior notice. And it is strange how nice you are being all of a sudden,” Richard stated bluntly.
His uncle’s presence filled him with discomfort. It was annoying to have a guest at all, but it was very odd that the visitor was his uncle, who usually held no love for him.
So, what were these niceties about?
“Ah, dear Richard, always so grumpy in the morning. However does your wife cope with you?” Lord Whitwood teased, dismissing Richard’s words as a joke. “I have always been quite fond of you. I just did not want your brother to feel jealous. You know how well-liked William was. And I could not wait a moment longer to meet your bride!”
His attention shifted to Nancy, and he sighed.
“She is absolutely stunning, Richard. A breathtaking beauty, this one.” Then he addressed Nancy with a teasing tone. “Wherever did he find such a lovely flower like you? You are a wonder to behold. He is truly fortunate to have married a woman as precious as you.”
Nancy blushed and glanced at her husband. “I am the fortunate one for finding a good husband like him,” she said softly.
Richard assumed she was speaking merely of the fact that their marriage had benefited her greatly.
“I never thought I would hear someone refer to you asa good husband,my boy,given your… habits. But I am happy that someone was able to make an honest man out of you, finally. Congratulations to you both.”
“Thank you, Lord Whitwood,” Nancy answered for them both.
Richard narrowed his eyes at the older man. His uncle’s choice of words was particularly poor; they could have served as a problem had Nancy decided to pick a fight right there and then. But she remained polite, much to his chagrin, so he resolved to see this unfortunate meeting until the end.
“It is my pleasure, dear. Welcome to the family. Although many of us seem to be a curious assortment of … eccentric personalities, there is still enough decency left to promise that you will be taken care of,” Lord Whitwood told her with a grin that set Richard’s teeth on edge. “It’s a shame I did not bring a gift. I intended to do so, but I was in a hurry to see you both. Let me give you a piece of advice instead.”
“Absolutely. It is not as though it will be any more unwelcome than you are,” Richard said loud enough for them both to hear.
Nancy looked surprised by his remark, but his uncle laughed it off.
“Trust me, this is for your benefit. I think it is in your best interest to host a ball as a celebration of your wonderful union, my boy. And you should do it as soon as possible.”
Richard felt his annoyance simmer under his skin, slowly morphing into anger as he continued to hear his uncle’s words.
“Your wedding took place so hastily… I hear there is talk in the city of its legitimacy. A ball will not only serve as a means to silence those silly whispers, but it will also help you both establish yourselves within Society,” Whitwood drawled, “You do not want anyone to think that your marriage is a sham. It will only make you seem even more unfit for the title you hold.”
It was at this point Richard reached his limit.
“Watch your tongue, Whitwood. You might be my uncle, but that doesn’t give you the right to come into my home and order me around. The legitimacy of my marriage is no concern of yours, much less the ton’s. You would do well to keep your unsolicited advice to yourself next time,” he snapped, completely fed up.
His uncle’s jaw dropped, and he stuttered around a response. “Rich—I mean, Your Grace, it was not my intention to?—”
“I do not care about your intentions. You cannot come into my house and order me around.”
“We should do it. We should throw a ball,” Nancy suddenly chimed in.
