“Of course not.” The lines around her lips eased. “Yet evenifshe loves you andallthe children get along, you must still convince her you are worthy to be the children’s guardian. That is where your challenge lies.”
He scrubbed his face with his hands. “One of the many. I imagine she is not very trusting when it comes to her brothers and sisters.”
“She has no reason to be. She fought her paternal uncles for guardianship. None of them believed she could raise them and, of course, they all thought she should do what a well-bred lady normally does and marry. It was the fact they wanted to divide the children among them that Lady Grace refused to accept. At least one point is on your side. You know the court prefers a maternal uncle to have guardianship. Fortunately her mother’s only remaining brother is still overseas and cannot cause you any trouble.”
Matt narrowed his eyes. “What do you know of him?”
“A ne’er-do-well. He can be very charming until he’s crossed. Someone I believe you’d call an ugly customer. If he thought it would in some way benefit him, he would try for guardianship.”
“Cant, Mama?” he teased. “I’ll go bail you got that from Theodora. I’ll have to have a word with her about corrupting her innocent mother.”
Patience chuckled, then rose and shook out her skirts. “I shall leave you with your thoughts. Worthington, you will need to know what you are doing.”
“I know. That’s what makes it so deuced difficult. I’d marry her to-morrow, if she’d take me.” He went back to his garden view as his stepmother closed the door.
Luncheon arrived, and he ate not paying attention to the food. His heart broke, buoyed, and sank again. He began to wish his heart had broken for good, like his friend Robert Beaumont’s. But Matt wasn’t so lucky as to want to eschew love and marriage. He’d never been in love before. Though that wasn’t the problem. He knew she loved him, and he damn well loved her. It was the other things that came with it. Precisely seven of them, or rather Grace’s fear for them.
A soft whine drew his attention away from the window. He glanced over to see his Great Dane focused on a bit of leftover beef. Reaching out, he plucked up the meat and gave it to Duke. “Well, boy, what do you think? Shall we add another seven children to our household?”
Duke thumped his tail.
“Yes, of course you’d think it a great deal of fun. More people to pet you. I don’t suppose you’ve considered what would occur if they happened not to like you. Or were afraid of you?” The dog looked up with a furrowed brow. “No, I didn’t think you had.”
The pounding of running overhead disturbed Matt’s thoughts. “I think it is time for our walk.”
The door burst open, and Theo stood looking expectantly at him. “Matt, are you ready?”
She was the joy of his life. All the others had passed the age of childlike innocence. “Yes, tug the bell-pull.” His thoughts turned to Mary, and the way she had so trustingly climbed into his lap. Did she even remember her father? At least Theo had him.
They were half-way to the Park when a loose Great Dane puppy, all legs and lead trailing behind her, ran past them followed shortly thereafter by a footman. High-pitched shouts followed the escapee. He glanced down at Duke, alert for the first time in ages. “Duke, fetch.” Matt let loose the lead and called to one of his footmen, “One of you, give me your girl and follow him.”
Madeline took his hand. Her cheeks flushed, she had a wide smile on her face. “What’s going on?”
“Runaway dog.”
“He’s really pretty.”
Matt grinned. “Well, my dear, I think you have the adjective correct, but not the gender. That’s a female.”
“Really?” she breathed.
“Really.”
A block from the Park, they caught up with the miscreant.
“We’ve got her under control, my lord. She got away from this poor fellow here.” The footman he’d sent pointed to a footman who was bent over, trying to catch his breath. “But Duke brought her to.”
Matt regarded Duke, who was clearly in the process of either falling in love or flirting heavily. “Duke, here.”
Duke glanced at his lady friend and ambled over to Matt. She followed. “At least one of us is lucky in love.”
“Daisy, Daisy, you bad dog.” Lady Charlotte came hurrying up. “How could you go off like that?”
Alice wagged her finger. “You know Grace will be angry.”
Offering his hand, Walter bowed. “Thank you, sir, for catching her.”
Turning, her eyes widening, Lady Charlotte seemed to finally notice him. “Lord Worthington.”
