Chapter Two
Geoff went into the dining room and ordered breakfast. Therefore it was more than an hour later before he hired a hackney to take him to Markham House in Grosvenor Square where his grandmother resided during the Season.
Her elderly butler opened the door. He half expected the old servant to creak like an ill-oiled hinge when the man bowed. “My lord, welcome. Her ladyship is in her parlor.”
“Thank you, Gibson. Can you tell me if that blasted parrot is with her?”
“The admiral is taking his exercise, my lord. I shall announce you.”
Geoff gave thanks to the deity. After the animal had bloodied his fingers when he was a child, he had not been able to stand his grandmother’s damn bird. “That is quite all right. I can find my way.”
Before the butler could protest, Geoff gave the servant his hat, ignored the faint look of censure on the man’s face, and swiftly ascended the stairs. He turned right at the landing, then left down the corridor toward the back of the house.
When he reached his grandmother’s apartments, he knocked. Several moments later, a cousin, almost the same age as Grandmamma, opened the door.
“Harrington, how nice of you to visit us. I see you did not wish to wait for Gibson.” One might expect an indigent relation to curtsey and scrape, but not Cousin Apollonia. Although, that was to the good when it came to his grandmother. “You probably hurt his feelings.”
“Better hurt feelings than an injury.” It wouldn’t have surprised Geoff if the servant had fallen down the stairs. “He’s not very steady on his pins. How is it he has not been made to retire?” He gave his cousin an affectionate peck on the cheek she offered.
“I must say I agree that he has become quite wobbly. Yet, for all that, her ladyship does not wish for a younger butler. She says it would unsettle her. One cannot really blame her. You know how set in her ways she is. Having to train someone newwouldtry her nerves.” Apollonia placed her hand on Geoff’s arm. “Not only that, but having never married and possessing no family, it would be cruel to make poor Gibson leave his home and friends.”
Well, that put Geoff in his place. “When you put it that way, it makes me feel unkind to have wished him in retirement. I suppose I shall just have to continue to help him from falling down the stairs.” They were strolling from the antechamber decorated in cream, a green color that looked like the sage in his mother’s garden, and gilt, to his grandmother’s parlor that always reminded him of being in a garden. “How is Grandmamma doing?”
“She has not slowed down at all.” His cousin smiled fondly. “I think she believes all her gadding around keeps her young. Although”—Apollonia slanted him a look—“we no longer dance until the small hours of the morning. Midnight is our preferred time to return home.” She tapped a finger on his arm. “If you attend Lady Holland’s ball this evening, I shall expect you to stand up with her. She prefers dancing with younger men. She claims they are more spritely.”
Geoff bit back a laugh. “Of course I’ll dance with her.”
Yet, if this evening was like any other, his grandmother would not lack for suitable dance partners.
“And not only her ladyship,” Apollonia continued. “There should be at least a few marriageable young ladies with whom you may stand up. If their dance cards are not full. Still, it is the end of the Season and many in thetonhave traveled to Brussels.”
Trust his cousin to be awake on all suits. Still, the incident with Charlotte had only just occurred. “How do you know about Lady Charlotte?”
“My dear boy”—Cousin Apollonia raised one red brow—“the news that Lady Charlotte would wed Kenilworth was all over Town before you returned. You played your hand very badly when it came to her.”
Had he truly been so blind concerning Charlotte? He thought he’d done all that was necessary to secure her hand. But wait. “BeforeI returned?”
“Surely you noticed all the attention he paid her?”
“I did, yet I didnotknow they were betrothed.” And she had never said a word about being betrothed, which was strange.
“You cannot imagine that people would simply come up to you and tell you?”
“No.” Though he wished someone would have stopped him from making a fool of himself.
Apollonia drew him through the double doors leading to Grandmamma’s parlor. “Look who has come to see us.”
Grandmamma turned to face him, and Geoff quickly stepped forward and went down on one knee in front of her chair, taking her hands in his. She would not see seventy again, but she looked and acted a decade or so younger. “Grandmamma, you are even lovelier than ever.”
“Palaverer.” Her tone was stern but her warm gray eyes danced. “You should be ashamed to offer an old lady a Spanish coin.”
“Not I. I am not so untruthful.” He stood and bowed. “I am here to beg a dance from you and to solicit your help in finding a wife.”
Her lips curved into a smile. “I shall be glad to help with both.”
He pulled a footstool over and sat at her knee. “That is what I hoped you would say.”
* * *
