* * *
Nate caught the look Miss Stern gave him when he’d said his opponent had been an old friend. She probably suspected it was her brother-in-law. The next thing he knew, Lady Exeter’s carriage started forward and Bolingbroke followed. Nate didn’t like the warm look in the other man’s eyes when he glanced at Miss Stern. He didn’t like having to watch her with another gentleman. He wished he could ask her to ride with him in the Park. Then it occurred to him that there was no privacy during these carriage rides. All of them were required to stop frequently to speak to one person or another as they made their way forward. His morning rides with her gave him more of an opportunity to get to know her better. Yet even knowing that, he was still discontented. He wanted more time with her. Alone.
“And this is Lord Fotherby.” Nate shook himself out of his own thoughts to pay attention to what was going on. Another carriage carrying a matron who looked much too young to have given birth to the three young ladies accompanying her had come beside them. Two of the girls, obviously twins, but distinguishable from each other, sat on either side of a girl with dark hair. The young ladies stared at him as if he were some type of exotic animal.
Nate bowed. “Good afternoon.”
They broke into smiles and returned his greeting. The matron grinned at the young ladies before turning to him. “Good day, my lord.”
“Lady Worthington, this is Lord Fotherby,”—the older woman inclined her head—“Lady Alice Carpenter”—the girl on the far side of the carriage nodded—“Lady Madeline Vivers”—the one in the middle inclined her head—“and Lady Eleanor Carpenter”—she nodded as well.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. Are you making your come out this Season?”
They looked at one another and giggled.
“They are not,” Lady Worthington said firmly. “They have another two years before they come out.”
“Ah, I understand. You are being shown the way of things.” He wished someone had done that for him before he was on the Town.
Still smiling, the girls nodded again.
Lady Worthington raised an amused brow. “Dorie, Georgie, we shall see you later.”
“Send us a message when you will hold your first at-home.” Georgie said. “We will come by.”
Lady Worthington’s carriage started forward, and the Exeter landau followed suit.
“That was very nice of you to ask the twins and Madeline if they were making their come out,” Lady Exeter said. “They will talk about that for a week.”
“Thank you.” It had actually been the only thing he could think of to say at the moment. He reallyhadlost his skill at making small talk. The name Vivers nagged at his mind. Then he remembered. “Merton’s cousins are Vivers.”
“Yes,” Lady Turley said. “Lord Worthington is his cousin.”
For some reason he remembered the event. “He married Lady Grace Carpenter.”
“Indeed he did.” Lady Exeter grinned. “He added Grace’s seven brothers and sisters to his four sisters when he did that.”
Aha. He’d been right. “I thought she appeared too young to be their mother.”
The two other ladies who had come out with Lady Merton were part of that family.
“Lady Augusta Vivers came out at the same time I did,” Lady Turley said. “She is now traveling with her husband, Lord Phineas Carter-Woods.”
He shook his head. “I cannot imagine being part of such a large family.”
“It can be a bit manic at times.” Lady Exeter smiled. “Lord and Lady Worthington now have two children of their own, as well as another one on the way.”
“It is only fair.” Lady Turley laughed. “They got the three older sisters married off.”
“There were two ladies with Lady Merton when she came out. Are those the ones who wed?”
“Yes.” Lady Exeter smiled. “They are now the Marchioness of Kenilworth and the Duchess of Rothwell.”
Merton had mentioned Kenilworth and Rothwell as being married to his wife’s friends. Nate had not known how right he’d been in thinking there was turning out to be a number of highly placed people who could stand between him and Henrietta Stern. But Lady Worthington and her younger sisters had seemed more interested in him than angry at him. Could her ladyship be an ally? He already had his mother and Miss Stern’s grandmother, but one more couldn’t hurt, especially when she was the sister of both of Lady Merton’s friends.
“I thought of getting together a party to attend the theater,” Lady Exeter said. “Unfortunately, until Lent is over the only thing on offer is a lecture on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.”
No wonder his mother had not yet arranged the theater party he had asked her to.
