“Yes, but?—”
“Good,” Agatha continued, not allowing him to finish. “Lady Lydia is intelligent, beautiful, and you will never encounter a kinder soul. She is only two-and-twenty, a perfect age for a wife. She is young enough to offer her health and vitality but old enough to be able to hold mature discussions. I’m sure that she would prove to be a capable partner and offer a quite stimulating life.”
“I am sure that is true, but I believe your grandson has already introduced her to my brother, Lord Harry.”
“Is that so?” Agatha’s eyes narrowed for a moment before her happy demeanor returned. “Well, I’m sure that no vows have been exchanged yet,” she chuckled. “Believe me, Your Grace, if you allowed your brother to win her hand before you, you would regret it for the rest of your life. Perhaps you would indulge an old woman and come to meet her?”
“I’m sure that you mean well, but I’m afraid I am needed elsewhere at the moment. Perhaps if you leave your details, we can arrange a meeting for another time. It has been a pleasure tomeet you.” Victor spoke quickly, not offering the old woman the opportunity to interrupt. He turned away as he spoke and left her open-mouthed.
“I shall fetch her and find you!” Agatha cried out, making sure that he could hear her words.
Victor placed his fingers against his temples and massaged them, deciding to exit the hall. He ducked into the outer corridors and felt better immediately as the loud noise receded. He pressed his back against the wall and arched his neck, taking a long breath before he continued his retreat. These hallways were not quite safe from his guests either. Even here, any one of them could have pestered him.
“The last thing I need is to make my life even more complicated,” he muttered, shaking his head at the thought of getting married. The only wife that interested him was a quiet, obedient one. Although, in his experience, these were not as common as one might think. He took himself away, leaving the party to continue without him.
He trudged up the stairs and walked down the long corridor, reaching the door of his bedchamber. He yawned as he opened it and was greeted by a quite unexpected sight. A sight that, in fact, shocked him so much it caused him to drop his glass of champagne.
The glass smashed near his feet, and the sparkling liquid flowed out and onto the carpet. The girl gave him a stern look. It wasnot her presence that perplexed him the most but the baby in her arms.
As he studied her, it became clearer that she was not a girl at all but a young woman. She had defined cheekbones and deep eyes that might have been beautiful had they not been so harsh while the child was turned into her chest.
What on earth were they doing in his private chamber?
Chapter Three
“What are you doing here? Who said you were allowed to come in here with your baby?” the man thundered. Lydia glared at him. She’d only just managed to calm the baby down. The gentle weight of the child rested in her arms and nuzzled into her. Lydia had been making quiet soothing noises and rocking the baby, settling the child as best she could.
“Shush,” Lydia hissed, glaring at him.
“You can’t shush me. This is my house,” he said.
That revealed his identity to Lydia. Standing before her was the Duke of Nightford, Victor. Now that she looked at him more closely, she could tell that he was the man she had seen walking through the crowd earlier. His height was impressive and his broad shoulders made him seem slightly intimidating. He had a sharp countenance with a strong jaw, prominent nose, and ice blue eyes. His dark hair was trimmed neatly, the kind of haircutthat a man might have for years on end, wearing it like a pair of comfortable boots that served him well.
But Lydia did not care about his position or authority at this moment in time. The baby was all that mattered, and frankly given that she found it alone, she did not have much cause to respect Victor either.
“It is not my baby; it’syourbaby. Don’t you know you are not supposed to leave it alone? Anything might have happened,” she said, wondering how many glasses of champagne he’d drunk to forget his own baby.
Color reached his cheeks, and he adopted a monstrous scowl upon his face.
“It’s certainly notmybaby. I have never seen that child before. Who are you? I have a good mind to throw you out immediately,” he said, striding towards her.
Lydia twisted her body to protect the child. She glared at Victor.
“Don’t you dare touch me or this child. Clearly you don’t care about the baby’s wellbeing at all if you were happy leaving it unattended. Perhaps you should go back to your champagne. Where is the mother?” she asked.
Victor turned his gaze to the champagne and looked incensed as he realized what she meant. He shifted the weight between his feet. Lydia held the baby a little more tightly, vowing privatelyto keep hold of the child because clearly this man could not be trusted.
“I have no idea where the mother is because I have no idea what this baby is doing here. I demand you tell your name.”
“Lydia. Lady Lydia Hartley,” she said.
A look of realization came upon Victor’s face. “You are the Duke of Stonewood’s sister,” he observed. “I was just speaking to your grandmother.”
Lydia’s ire subsided for a moment.
“Grandmother? Where is she now? Was she confused?”
“Perhaps. It was hard to tell,” Victor said then his gaze hardened with suspicion. “I do not appreciate tricks, My Lady. Please remove yourself from my chambers and take that baby with you.”
