“There were just too many boxes,” Rosalind said. “That was the problem all along.”
“I see. And is it a family tradition to compose a list of requirements?”
Rosalind was most satisfied with his questioning. He wished to know how to go about winning Lady Rosalind’s heart.
“Itisrather a habit,” Rosalind said. “Though, I hope I have learned something from Beatrice’s experience. You see, I boiled the thing down to bravery and courage. I am exceedingly brave and courageous myself.”
“Are you?”
“Indeed yes, I am quite known for it. Naturally, I must require the same in any suitor.”
“Ah, so the successful gentleman will be known as a fellow who is particularly courageous.”
Rosalind shook her head. It was imperative that Conbatten understand her thoroughly on this point. He could not hope to do what was required if he did not understand it.
“The successful gentleman will not just beknownas courageous. He mustshowhimself courageous in defense of his lady,” Rosalind said.
“Indeed? And how is this gentleman to go about doing such a thing?”
Now they were getting to it. Conbatten wished for specifics on how to win her.
“I suppose it should be simple enough,” Rosalind said. “When the lady is troubled by somebody or even something, the gentleman will swoop in and drive off the troublemaker.”
“Lady Rosalind,” the duke said with a small smile, “I am not certain what you think of this town. Are you under the impression that a lady faces danger at every turn? I cannot recall a recent circumstance where a lady needed rescuing from anything.”
This idea did give Rosalind a pause. She had not really thought through how likely it would be that a particular opportunity would present itself.
Then, like sunshine breaking through the clouds, it came to her.
“The fates, Your Grace. The fates will arrange it all.”
“I see,” Conbatten said. “Of course that is how it must be.”
*
Henri took hiscoat from him. Balthazar had never had such an interesting evening at Almack’s.
“I suppose the gentlemen were green with envy and the ladies were all fanning themselves over Conbatten,” Henri said.
Balthazar well knew this prediction had nothing to do with any allure of his person. As far as Henri was concerned, his dress clothes might have gone to Almack’s by themselves, as his valet’s arrangements were the real star of any outing.
“I did not see anybody green or anybody fanning,” he said.
“They hide it from you then,” Henri said, all confidence that his work had caused untold misery and despair upon every gentleman and intense admiration from every lady who had viewed his handiwork.
“There is another Bennington lady on the scene,” Balthazar said. “She seems to be even more of an original than Lady Beatrice.”
“Mon Dieu,” Henri said. “You had so much trouble with the last one.”
“I believe this one may be waiting for some gentleman to do something heroic to save her.”
“Save her from what?”
“She has not the first idea,” Balthazar said, with a laugh.
“These Benningtons are trouble,” Henri said.
“Yes, you are probably right. Though, I will be interested in watching what sort of trouble this one stirs up.”
