“Yes, of course they would be,” the earl said in a satisfied tone.
“Indeed, they were all most anxious to prove they met her requirements.”
“Did they now?” the earl said laughing.
“Oh yes,” Miss Mayton confirmed. “When it came to Robin Hood’s derring-do, Sir William relayed a very stirring account of himself.”
“He told of losing his valet and housekeeper in the same month,” Matthew said. “Hardly going toe-to-toe with the Sheriff of Nottingham.”
“Nevertheless,” Miss Mayton said with a sniff, “it was a very trying situation.”
“What say you about all these gentlemen, Beatrice?” the earl asked goodhumoredly.
“It is far too early to conclude anything, Papa,” Beatrice said. “They all still have much to prove.”
“They are not going to prove anything, and if they do, it is just playacting,” Matthew said.
“Do you say that none of them can be bothered to meet my list of requirements?” Beatrice said, looking more than a little put out.
“I say, as I have said several times, that no man has theabilityto meet your list of requirements. Unless you consider Robin Hood’s derring-do to be losing a few servants. In which case, you are well on your way to locating your prince.”
“Perhaps Lady Clara and Lady Mary and some others have their own list of requirements,” Beatrice said. “What then?”
“Nothing then,” Matthew said. “Though, if they have gone so far as to make such a list, I pray for their sakes that it is something sensible and there is not a whiff of Beowulf or Gawain or anybody else on it.”
“Ah here we are,” the earl said. “Now you two sparrers can go in and be admired by everyone you encounter, and we will see in the end who meets your requirements. I fully expect to see requirements flying out of windows sometime in the near future.”
Oh, Papa, you always do say so.”
“So I do, my dear.”
*
Beatrice could notbe at all satisfied with the conversation in the carriage. Though Van Doren had scolded and scolded about her requirements before they’d come to London, why did he go on with it now?
For one thing, he’d said he would stop scolding. For another, he’d been in her drawing room today. He’d witnessed how eager the gentlemen were to satisfy her requirements.
Of course, it was only Darden’s friends and a ruse to drive her tortured gentleman from his lonely despair. But Van Doren did not know that!
Why had not he been struck by it?
To add further irritation to Beatrice’s already prickly feelings, who did she suppose was wandering round so near the front doors? None other than Lady Clara, who proceeded to pretend it was entirely happenstance though Beatrice was certain she’d been cruising those waters like a shark looking for her fish.
The fish in question did not seem to at all perceive it. Van Doren appeared pleased to see the lady.
This prompted Beatrice to catch Conbatten’s eye when he passed by. He stopped. “Lady Beatrice, Miss Mayton,” he said, as Lady Clara cast her net round Van Doren and told him some stupid story about the carriage traffic earlier in the day.
“Father,” Beatrice said, “this is the Duke of Conbatten. This is my father, the Earl of Westmont.”
“Your Grace,” the earl said, “very pleasant to know you.”
“Do address me as Duke,” Conbatten said, “Lady Beatrice already does so.”
“Does she now?” the earl said, laughing.
Conbatten nodded his head and looked to move off, but Miss Mayton stopped him by saying, “Your Grace, you are to know that you are all the rage in our servants’ quarters. The maids are quite besotted.”
This gave everybody a deal of pause. Even the earl was looking rather wide-eyed, though so little ever ruffled his feathers.
