Touching his fingers to his hat, he made his escape as quickly as he could without drawing attention to himself. As he rode around the carriageway, he was greeted warmly by other gentlemen and ladies. Apparently only Lady Dorie was holding his behavior against him. Then again, it had affected her the most. Hopefully, she would find another gentleman and if not forgive him, then forget him.
He was halfway around the Park when Turley arrived. “Littleton, how have you been?”
“Well enough.” Together, they turned and proceeded at a walk. “How is your sister?” The former Elizabeth Turley, now the Countess of Harrington, was with her husband in Paris. Frits had developed a tendre for her before she married. Not that he’d ever had a chance of gaining her affections. She was deeply in love with her husband. What had drawn him to her more than anything was that she had not been at all susceptible to him. The time they’d spent together had been for the sole purpose of bringing Harrington up to scratch. That she had no reaction to Frits at all had been a new experience for him.
“Thriving.” Turley grinned. “She and Harrington now have a little girl. I’m heading over to France when the Season ends. You should join me.”
“I keep thinking I will, but once I get back home, I can’t seem to leave.” In fact, Frits preferred Littlewood to almost anywhere else except a few of his other estates. Which was a bit of a problem when it came to marriage. Most ladies wanted more society than he liked. The endless round of house parties, or visiting Brighton, or even coming to London in autumn had never appealed to him, even though it meant he did not have to go without female companionship for any length of time. One of the most important things his father had told him was never to have liaisons with women near or on his estates. The bored matrons and widows of the ton knew the rules; others might not.
His friend chuckled. “I firmly believe that if it wasn’t for the occasional vote in the Lords, you wouldn’t come to Town at all.”
He couldn’t help but agree. “I probably would not. Nevertheless, it’s time I start my nursery, and this is the best place to do it. I’ve been to all the local assemblies and did not find a lady I could face over the breakfast table for the rest of my life.”
Turley lost his smile. “Did you see Lady Dorie?”
“I did.” Frits glanced at his friend. “She greeted me and introduced me to four other young ladies.” He pulled a face. “She described me as ‘a gentleman who seemed eligible but was not.’” Frits almost wished he hadn’t decided to lease the house he used for his indulgences. Yet, if he was serious about finding a wife—and he was—he could not continue to carry on as he had been. That would insult any lady he decided to court.
“Ouch.” Turley grimaced. “That’s not going to help you.”
Frits’s thoughts precisely. “I suppose it could have been worse.”
Turley began walking his gelding, and Frits did the same. “The good news is that I’ve been here for a week and have not heard any talk about you and Lady Dorie. I think most of Polite Society has forgotten, if they cared at all. You were fairly circumspect.”
He was glad to hear that bit of news. Yet, he hadn’t thought of his behavior as prudent. Neither had his mother. “My mother is arriving today. I am to be chaperoned this Season.”
Turley shook his head and started to laugh. “It’s about time she took you in hand. You raise hopes without even trying.”
Frits rolled his eyes to the sky. But he couldn’t argue that his friend was wrong. He’d always had problems with ladies thinking he cared more than he did. That was one of the reasons he did not often attend entertainments where he might be introduced to young ladies. Last Season was the first time in years he’d done so, and look what happened. If only he hadn’t lost his nerve about telling Lady Dorie what he’d decided. He truly did hope she would soon find a gentleman who could make her happy. She was a fine woman, even if she wasn’t for him.
He had to get over this guilt he was feeling. Maybe he should find a way to help her. On second thought, that probably was not a good idea.
“Lord Turley and Lord Littleton,” Lady Bellamny hailed them, and Frits repressed a shudder. The lady was a terror. And she was accompanied by Mrs. Drummond-Burrell, another dragon. “I shall send you cards to my ball.” She lifted her lorgnette to her eyes. “And expect to see you there.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“Yes, my lady.” They’d answered at the same time, sounding like schoolboys.
She motioned for her driver to move on before they even had a chance to acknowledge the other woman.
“Devil of a lady,” Turley said admiringly. “She scares me to death.”
“I think she scares all unwed gentlemen of marriageable age to death.” She was always more than willing to help snare a man in the parson’s mousetrap.
As they came to the gate leading onto Park Lane, Turley said, “After that, I’d like a drink. I’m going to Brooks’s. Would you like to join me?”
“I might as well.” Frits had braved most of the ladies. Now it was time to discover if the gentlemen were as willing to accept him as their wives were.
As they rode out of the Park, a familiar-looking, bright-green landau was making its way in. He trotted up to greet her. “Mama, when did you arrive?”
“Frits, you look like you survived your first foray into Polite Society.” His mother smiled. “Shortly after you left. I decided to take a look around while my maid was unpacking. There is no time like the present to see and hear what has been going on.” She inclined her head to Turley. “It’s good to see you, Gavin. I expect to hear all about your sister at dinner this evening.” She fluttered her fingers at them. “I shall see you later.”
“She is entirely too cheerful,” Frits said, more to himself than his friend. When she’d informed him that she would be in Town with him this Season, she’d refused to answer his questions about what exactly she was going to do.
“Well, at least she’ll keep you from making a muck of it around the marriageable ladies.” Turley chuckled. “You need to keep in mind that being wed is for life, not a night or two.”
“I am well aware of that. It’s not like I planned to get myself into so much trouble.” Frits glared at his friend. It was so much easier when his only interest in a woman was slaking his lust and hers.
“It will take me about half an hour to change,” Turley said.
