Rosalind held on to his arm and said, “He is such a dear of a man, is he not?”
“He is, rather,” Balthazar said. “Though I do not suppose he would have been anything else. I was exceedingly generous—you shall want for nothing.”
“Of course I want for nothing,” Rosalind exclaimed. “I wanted you, I have you, that is all that ever needed doing.”
Balthazar laughed. “Though, I suppose a duchess will wish for new clothes each year, and some sparkling baubles to go with them.”
“Of course, thatwouldbe pleasant,” Rosalind said, as if she’d not considered the idea.
“I will inquire of my tailor who is the best dressmaker in all of Europe. You shall have whoever it is.”
“Oh, your tailor,” Rosalind said. “Did you know that there are so many young men who wish to know who he is? Dear Darden would die to know it.”
Balthazar laughed. “I do know that and it is a very great secret. His name is Ribaldi and he is Italian. It will not help your brother to know it, as Ribaldi only tailors for me.”
“You have very particular tastes, do you not?” Rosalind asked. “For instance, I immediately perceived at Lady Rawley’s theatrical evening that you do not at all care for iced cake.”
Balthazar only nodded, but did not think it worth explaining that he was only against iced cake when it was in Miss Mayton’s hands.
“And then, everybody talks about your ninety-eight degree bath and that you have iced champagne at the end of it.”
“At precisely twenty-six minutes in,” Balthazar said. “I have hope that you will join me in it.”
“It sounds divine. And I will come to the bath wearing only my sparkly baubles you have bought me. I think that would give it a nice touch.”
Balthazar dared not dwell onthatpicture for more than a moment. It would be a bit more than a “nice touch.” It would positively fell him.
My god. They’d best get married soon.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Shrimps, though nobodycalled him that anymore, looked at his luggage piled high in his bedchamber in the duke’s house. Oyster stared at it too. Even his dog knew something momentous was going to happen. On the morrow, the duke would take him to Kent and he was to meet his grandparents.
There were times over the past week that he’d pinched himself to make sure he was awake. Why wouldn’t he? How many dreams had he had when he’d been hungry and cold where he had plenty of food, a warm bed, and no work to do?
The duke had been very kind in explaining everything to him. First there had been the clothes to be made. A man named Ribaldi had come and spoke in a foreign language. Then the duke’s valet had spoke in a foreign language. It seemed not the same languages as they never understood each other very well. Henri had finally told him that he was French and Ribaldi was Italian. However it was between them, it seemed they both agreed that the clothes he’d arrived in were terrible.
Now he had enough clothes to last the rest of his life. And luggage to carry them in too.
The duke sat with him while he ate dinner most nights, before His Grace went out to see Lady Rosalind somewhere. During those times, he talked a lot about being a lord. He’d have to learn to read and acquire manners and know how to direct servants.
Shrimps thought he could memorize manners well enough, though he would never understand why a table had to have so many forks when one would do. He supposed he could learn to read. But directing servants would be the hard part.
Hewasa servant! He’d never directed anybody in his life.
Still, the duke had made him practice it. He’d had to ask the butler, Mr. Alden, for no end of things.
It had been terrifying. Now, there was more terror to come. He was to go to strangers. What would they say? Would they take one look at him and tell the duke to turn his carriage around and go away?
He was not very impressive to look at, after all.
Shrimps glanced at Oyster, his dog lying on a rug and his teeth occasionally chattering. Not even his dog was very impressive to look at.
“Well, Oyster, I suppose we just see what happens. For all we know, we might be back with Cook in two days’ time.”
*
Rosalind surveyed thedrawing room with a very satisfied eye. It was the night before Conbatten would take Shrimps to Kent and he’d come to dinner. Beatrice and Van Doren had walked over too and they’d been a very merry party.
