“That is good.” Mamma removed her hand from his and blew her nose. “I do not think I am up for morning visits today.”
“Neither am I. There will be other days.” A thought occurred to him. “You don’t by chance have any whisky, do you?”
She gave him a watery smile. “How very good of you to remember. It’s in my dressing room on top of the first wardrobe.”
He brought it out and poured them each a glass. “To Uncle Angus. Long may he live in our hearts.Fill to me the parting glass, and drink a health whate’er befalls, Then gently rise and softly call Goodnight and joy be to you all.”
Three toasts later, he went to his room. The last time he saw Uncle Hector, a man who’d never married, Uncle Hector had sat him down and told him it was time for him to find a wife. He shuffled through the cards, separating them out by event. Balls, Venetian Breakfasts, a musical evening, and a soiree. The first event, though, was Almack’s where he would ask one of the Lady Patronesses to recommend him for a waltz with Lady Alice.
* * *
Even though Alice had asked Georgie about Lord St. Albans, she still wanted Matt’s opinion as well, but she did not know how to bring up the subject. She met her sisters in the corridor before they went down to the breakfast room. “What is the best way to go about asking Matt whether Lord St. Albans is a rake?”
Madeline just stared at Alice for a moment. Then Eleanor said, “I will do it. We all need to know.”
They went down to breakfast and after the children had gone to their lessons, Eleanor glanced at Alice, then at Matt. “What do you know about Lord St. Albans?”
Madeline closed her eyes and huffed. “Is he a rake?”
His brows rose, and he frowned. “Not that I have heard, and I’ve made a point of discovering who should not be made known to you.” He took another a sip of tea. “How did you meet him?”
Eleanor glanced at Madeline and Alice nodded. “Lord Montagu saw us in the Park, and Lord St. Albans was with him. He seems to be rather worldly.”
“As he might.” Matt took a piece of toast. “He’s been on the Town for several years.”
First Georgie now Matt. Alice did not understand why that was the first thing anyone said about the man. Now to discover if Matt had any concerns about Alice and the others dancing with him. “He has asked us all to stand up with him at Almack’s.”
“Lord Montagu has as well,” Eleanor said and quickly turned to ask Augusta a question.
Alice wanted to know more. “Is that all right? I mean, is he a proper person to know?”
Matt looked at her for a long moment as if attempting to work out what she actually wanted to know. “I have no objection to him.”
There had to be something more. “What does ‘on the Town’ actually mean?”
Her brother-in-law set down his cup. “It means that he has been a carefree bachelor who has taken time to sow his oats. That is all I’m going to say.”
“Oh.” Well, that was disappointing. She was going to have to find out for herself. She heard Grace say that Louis and Charlotte had been nervous. “Other than you and Matt, who is attending Almack’s with us?”
“Everyone who is in Town,” Grace said.
“Walter and I will be there,” Charlie gave them an encouraging look. “Remember. All hands on deck.”
“That’s right.” Walter grinned. “You have nothing about which to be concerned.”
Madeline’s eyes filled with tears. “I am very glad you are my brothers.”
Alice felt happy tears in her eyes as well. “I am too.”
Phinn whispered something to Augusta. “Augusta and I will be there as well.”
Everything would be fine. Alice and her sisters were the luckiest ladies to make a come out.
CHAPTERSIX
The following day, Giff spent the afternoon accompanying his mother on morning visits. She’d been right that he would meet a great number of young ladies. Sadly, none of them were suitable for him. Several of them glanced at their mothers before being willing to utter a word beyond a greeting. Others were clearly only interested in being a duchess one day, and a few had nothing good to say about anything or anyone. He was able to speak with some ladies of sense, but they were all married.
Lady Turley gave him a skeptical look when they ended up at the same house. “Morning visits?”
