If that was the general opinion, being seen with Lady Asquith and the Misses Wainwright couldn’t hurt.
Only there must be no room for misunderstanding.
He wanted to improve his standing, not to give rise to hopes he’d be unlikely to fulfill.
To Miss Wainwright, he must be plain about his intentions—and his reasons—from the start. Only if she agreed would he proceed with the plan.
“If Lady Asquith does not object, I will attend the opera with you,” he decided. “Will you agree to attend a private viewing at the Royal Academy with me? Should things go well, you could invite the Misses Wainwright.”
“A dashed good idea. But the Royal Academy? Doesn’t sound like you at all!”
“I’ve promised to escort Caroline and Emily. Emily has been studying painting. She’s enamored with one of the instructors.” He smiled, recalling his younger sister’s exuberance. “I’m told he does breathtaking things with landscape and light.”
“Famous!” Harbury exclaimed. “The more people in the party, the less I will have to be taxed with entertaining Miss Cassandra.”
“Then you won’t mind if I ask Caroline and Emily to meet us in the park tomorrow, too?”
“I do not care who you invite, as long as you’re there.”
He’d pen a note to Caroline later in the morning. If he were going to be sociable—inwardly, he shivered—he might as well start now. Emily would enjoy a ride through the park. And Lady Asquith had always cherished a soft spot for Caroline.
“And you’ll come to my ball?” Harbury asked.
“There, I must decline.” He couldn’t be expected to change everything about himself all at once. “You know I’ve lost all taste for dancing.”
“You accompanied me to the Hartford affair. And the Barton one, too.”
“Both were excruciating. And I didn’t dance.”
“I’ll make you change your mind.”
Adrian shook his head as Harbury downed the rest of his drink.
“Perhaps you are right,” Harbury said. “Perhaps this courtship isn’t the worst thing that could happen. Might even make Viv—”
“Ahem.” Adrian interrupted. “You had better put Viv out of your mind for the duration. Don’t want yet another necessary distraction.” He hauled Harbury up by the arm. “Now, get to bed.”
Harbury stood up on unsteady legs, then he crashed into Adrian’s shoulder. He sniffed, drew back, and then sniffed again.
“What’s that?” Harbury’s eyes narrowed. “I smell woman.”
Adrian groaned. “Maybe because I have been with a woman.”
“Ha! At least one of us passed a pleasurable night. Let me live vicariously—tell me all about it.”
“You know I never talk about that sort of thing.” Adrian grimaced. He’d his own forgetting to do.
“You might take pity.” Harbury’s brow wrinkled hopefully. “Just this once.”
“Not a chance.” If Adrian was going to cease to remember the Blackbird and the sting of her ultimate rejection, he had to box away the memories for good.
Fortunately, he’d plenty experience with distraction.
