He felt stopped in his tracks as she flashed him a smile. He would have to be careful there. The lady did have an effect on him that he felt was counter to applying rationality and common sense.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Patience had chosen her dark blue silk for Lady Jenner’s soiree. She thought it suited her very well and it was precisely the sort of thing she liked—not over fussy and made with a clean and elegant cut. It was a dress that got to the point, rather than meander round in ruffles and bits and bobs.
She did not know if she would encounter Lord Stanford at the party, but if she did, she wished to look well.
Lady Alice had sent over a note in the late afternoon, accepting the offer to come to dine. This caused Patience to think over what Lady Alice had said about her temperament and what she looked for. If only Lord Kendrickson was apprised of the idea that the lady liked to laugh.
Then it came to her. She wrote out an unsigned note and had Charlie change out of his livery to his regular clothes to deliver it.
Lord Kendrickson—
I write this anonymously to give you vital information. Lady Alice appears to have a staid and serious temperament. However, she likes to be amused. Do not put on an always serious face in an effort to impress. Be yourself. Make her laugh and you may get somewhere.
A Friend
Interestingly, Mr. Grimsby did not seem at all alarmed that one of his footmen had changed out of his livery and sauntered out of the house. He only shrugged as if he did not care what happened next. Patience assumed that whatever Mrs. Right was doing to speed him out of the house was well underway.
Lady Alice’s note had also mentioned she would attend Lady Jenner and hoped to see Patience there too.
Patience had told her father about it in the carriage. “I find her ever so nice,” she said. “She wishes to be my friend and of course I accepted.”
“She sounds terrific,” the duke said. “A regular paragon of geniality.”
Patience laughed. “I see you tease me, Papa. However, I think it’s important for a lady to develop and maintain friendships with other ladies.”
“I see,” the duke said, smiling. “Six sisters were not enough to satisfy the requirement. I ought to have quit producing all these females sooner.”
“But then you would not have Valor, and I know you adore her.”
“She is a funny little thing.”
“Do you think Lord Stanford will fall in love with Lady Alice?” Patience said. The question had nothing to do with their current conversation, but it was the question at the forefront of her mind. Even though Lady Alice wished to be amused and so far Lord Stanford had not shown himself particularly amusing, if he were to prefer her…well what lady could resist him?
“Why should Stanford be taken with your new friend?” the duke asked.
Patience gave a little shrug. “I do not know. It is only that he might prefer a lady like her. Temperament-wise, you see. I feel he is more serious than we are used to. And then, Lady Alice is serious and though she says she is not interested in someone very like her…”
“God save me from a serious man, nothing more tedious.”
“Oh Papa, you will not condemn him for it?”
“No, no, I rarely condemn anybody outside of Lady Misery. My advice? If Stanford’s a serious sort of fellow, shake it out of him. What’s he got to be serious about? He’s young, he’s rich, he’s not got a care in the world. If he’s too serious now, what will he be like twenty years from now? Crotchety, that’s what.”
They had arrived to Lady Jenner’s house and the duke had laughed uproariously when the lady made him promise not to set her curtains alight. It seemed absolutely everybody knew he had once set Lady Vanderwake’s curtains on fire, though it had been twenty years ago.
A footman led them forward and they entered a room with rows of chairs and narrow tables. Sideboards groaning under a whole array of offerings lined the walls of the room. “Goodness, do you suppose we are to see some sort of play or tableau?” Patience asked. “Oh, but there is a pianoforte, perhaps we are to have a singer. I hope it is not operatic; I do not really care for it.”
“It’ll be some kind of palaver,” the duke said. “At least there is a well-stocked sideboard. And tables along with the chairs—a very sensible idea.”
“There is Lady Alice,” Patience said. “I will go and see her.”
“I will go and see the sideboard,” the duke said, making his way there.
Patience hurried to Lady Alice’s side.
“Mama,” Lady Alice said, “this is my friend, Lady Patience.”
