“There you are.” The lady smiled tightly at Giselle. “I am the Duchess of Rothwell. And you are?”
Giselle straightened her shoulders. “Lady Giselle Darnel.”
“Hmm.” The duchess regarded her for several moments. “Allow me to give you some advice. Thetonis very small. Once one gains a reputation for being difficult, or rude, it is hard to rid oneself of that reputation.” Her grace gathered Lady Theo and Miss Pettigrew with a glance. “Come. There are some other ladies I would like you to meet.”
Giselle kept her lips tightly closed as they ambled away. “I have never been so insulted in my life. How dare they?”
Lana bit her bottom lip. “I think because, as I said, they are well connected and are sure of their positions. My understanding is that although Lady Theo is making her come out, she has known the Patroness of Almack’s for years, as well as other notables.”
“I do not care howwell connectedshe is. She will not get away with speaking to me in that manner.” When Giselle wed Chandos, no one would look down on her.
At eleven o’clock sharp, the gentlemen who had been gathering in front of Lady Bellamny’s house were allowed to enter. Leo had joined the Worthington family men and was determined to remain with them. That way, he had a chance of sitting with Theo at supper. He supposed he would have to find his mother and bring her as well. If she had not already decided to sit with one of her friends.
Matt Worthington let them in and went directly to his wife. “My dear, we have Chandos in tow. Can you send someone to find his mother and ask if she would like to join us?”
Lady Worthington chuckled softly. “Let me see who I can trust with the task.”
“I know who she is,” Rothwell’s wife said. “I will find her.”
As Louisa Rothwell glided off, Leo started to search for Theo, but it wasn’t necessary. His gaze seemed to immediately be drawn to her. Lord, she was beautiful. Her chestnut hair was piled on top of her head and threaded through with pearls. A few loose curls framed her face. He wanted to twist the curls around his fingers. Her bodice was low enough to be fashionable, but not too low. Still, he wanted to cover her with a shawl. Her gown was of the latest style in a buttery silk that clung to her curves and showed her small waist. A single thin gold chain with a pendant adorned her throat. He’d give her rubies when they were wed. His mouth went dry. She was easily the most poised and beautiful lady here.
Theo started toward them as soon as she noticed her brothers-in-law and sisters gathering together. She looked up at him. “What are you doing here?”
Suddenly, Leo’s cravat was too tight. “I came to fetch my mother.”
“Oh.” For the first time she seemed to be at a loss for words.
“I do have a mother.” Leo used a teasing tone.
“Of course you do.” She fixed him with a look. “I met her this evening. She is lovely. I simply could not understand why she had decided to attend.”
Meaning that Theo didn’t think he was looking for a wife. “There is no accounting for what my mother will decide to do or which events she will attend. It surprised me as well.”
Theo’s gaze softened as if she was in sympathy with him. “I suppose that is true.” Her dark, well-arched brows drew together. “I have never before met her. Does she usually come to Town?”
“She has not been here for a few years. I’m pleased that she decided to make the journey this year.”
This time Theo gave him a curious look. “Well done. I honestly did not believe that you thought about anyone other than yourself.”
Leo was so shocked he couldn’t think of an immediate response. He’d spent a year proving himself to her, yet she knew nothing about it. Most of the time he’d spent with her family had been observing her. Not engaging with her. Except for family card games, which he invariably lost to her. Now, he’d have to show Theo who he was. How could he have been such a fool? “I think you’ll find you don’t know me as well as you think you do.”
She tilted her head to one side, and her eyes narrowed slightly. “I suppose we shall see.”
Leo offered her his arm, and she lightly placed her hand on it as they made their way to the supper room. Once he’d held out a chair for her, she sank gracefully into it. He turned to go to the buffet table, then stopped. If he brought back whathethought she would like, Leo would just be confirming what she thought she knew about him. “Are there any special dishes you would enjoy sampling?”
“More than anything I would like a savory ice if there are any.” She grinned, and Leo’s heartbeat increased.
That was telling. Now he knew not to send sweets to her. “Do you in general like savory over sweet?”
“Yes.” She smiled. “As a matter of fact, I do.”
“I will do my best.” After bowing slightly, Leo followed the other gentlemen. Convincing Lady Theo Vivers to be his wife was going to be much more challenging than he’d thought, and he hadn’t expected it to be easy.
CHAPTER FOUR
Sarah slipped into the chair on Theo’s other side. “I wanted to thank you for what you said to Lady Giselle.”
“You are welcome.” Knowing how much one’s reputation mattered, there was really nothing else Theo could have done. “I hope it made her think twice about being mean to another lady, or gentleman, for that matter.”
