Page 22 of A Foolish Endeavor

He picked up the second letter and smiled, instantly recognizing the elegant hand of his sister, Dorothea. He unfolded the pages and read.

Dearest Brother,

I am happy to write that I plan to be in town for a period of some weeks and look forward with great anticipation to seeing you. I shall, of course, stay at the Gillingham home near Hyde Park. You are welcome to move in with me, although I shall understand if you wish to continue on with your friend, Mr. Milbourn. Ah—the life of the young and unattached!

As soon as I am settled—which should be Saturday—I shall send word and have you and your friend over for tea or perhaps luncheon—likely on Monday. Then, after consultation with you, I hope to set a date for a dinner party where I shall invite many of the more notable families for you to meet. I have little doubt that once they meet you, it will result in many more invitations to dinners and card parties.

Send word to our town home that this note has reached you, please, and I look forward to seeing you and meeting your friend.

Love,

Dorothea

Thrilled at the prospect of the connections his sister would be able to provide, Gilbert climbed out of bed and rang for a servant to order a hot bath. While he waited, he reread the letter, savoring the happy news. Having her provide introductions to notable families would, indeed, make him appear more favorable in Diana’s eyes, he had no doubt.

Perhaps Dorothea already knows of Miss Wells. That would be a stroke of luck. But if not, surely Diana and her aunt will be impressed to learn of my connections to the Gillingham family. After all, Haverstone is one of the wealthiest estates in that county.

The following week, Gilbert and Carter arrived at the Gillingham home for lunch. Gilbert perceived that even though Carter came from money, he was impressed with the stone manor, and his admiration only increased as they were admitted and escorted through the entryway filled with marble statues towards the elegant sitting room, which displayed the most fashionable of furniture, rugs, and draperies. On the walls hung large paintings of landscapes or floral arrangements, set within heavy gold-leafed frames. The many potted plants around the room somehow managed to make it appear cozy and intimate, despite its size.

Dorothea rose, smiling, and crossed the room to embrace her brother.

“Gilbert, darling! What a joy to see you again. I declare it has been more than a year, as you did not join us at Christmastide. You look very well indeed.” She turned a bright smile to Carter. “Pray, introduce me to your friend.”

“Dorothea, this is my very good friend, Mr. Carter Milbourn. He and I became fast friends at Oxford, and after his father sailed off to the East Indies on business matters, he begged me to keep him company and enjoy part of the Season.”

Dorothea gave a nod of her head as she welcomed her guest. Carter bowed deeply and said, “It is an honor to meet you, Lady Gillingham. Gilbert speaks nothing but the highest praise of you. I know he is so happy to have you come to town during his time here.”

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Milbourn. Any excuse to see Gilbert and to reunite with many of my London friends is a happy occasion for me, be assured. While I may not attend all the balls you young men will, I am sure our paths will cross often. And, as I wrote, I shall be glad to hold a dinner in your honor here so that you may meet some notable members of society.”

“Thank you, sister—that would be wonderful,” Gilbert said. “How long do you intend to stay in town?”

Dorothea shrugged. “I cannot say. I am already missing my dear Reginald and, of course, our darling daughter, Lucy. On the other hand, this trip allows me a wonderful break from my neighbor, Phoebe Morton. I know she means well, but one’s nerves can only tolerate her near-constant chatter for so long. She comes to visit terribly often.” She sighed and rolled her eyes.

Gilbert grinned and turned to Carter. “Phoebe is wife to the brother of Charlotte’s husband, Frederick. Robert Morton’s estate is the nearest to Haverstone. Phoebe has a caring heart, but Dorothea is correct—one finds that a short time spent in her company is usually more than sufficient.” Turning back to his sister, he asked, “Has she not produced a son? That would keep her busy and away from Haverstone, perhaps.”

“She is not yet with child, no,” Dorothea replied. “In addition, her husband appears to find many excuses to leave Brentwood Estate and travel, leaving her quite alone. One can hardly blame him, but still…”

“No wonder she visits you so often,” Carter said. “She must be lonely. It is good of you to let her visit.”

Dorothea sighed once more. “Well, she is family, so I do my best, but you can readily see why I quickly decided to join you in town.”

The door opened and the butler announced that the meal was ready.

“Ah, let us discuss everything over luncheon.” Dorothea led the way to the large dining room, apologizing for the formality of the setting. “When I come to town on my own, I usually take my meals upstairs in the smaller family dining room, but I did not feel that was quite proper for our first meeting with you, Mr. Milbourn.”

“No apology necessary, Lady Gillingham,” Carter replied, glancing around the wood-paneled room holding even more gorgeous paintings. Four footmen in full livery stood at the ready and Carter could see exquisite china, crystal, and silver set out upon the long table. He heard Gilbert laugh and turned to see him pointing at a place setting.

“What, Dorothea, you have put out only the second best set to dine from? If I did not fully know your affection for me, I should be seriously insulted.”

Dorothea playfully slapped Gilbert on the arm. “Oh, pooh, Gilbert. I did not wish to overwhelm your friend with too much fuss and bother. Now, please take your seats and we can all become better acquainted.”

Dorothea, an experienced hostess, kept the conversation light and easy. She asked several questions about Carter’s life and family background, but not so many as to appear to be prying. Was there a small frown on her face when he informed her that he was a son of a successful businessman, but his family did not own a country property? After a time, her interest left off him and she turned her focus to Gilbert. She asked for details on the first assembly the pair had attended and if either had met any young ladies of interest. Gilbert was enthusiastic.

“We had a very pleasant time. It seems all the young ladies here are quite charming, Dorothea.”

“With whom did you dance? Pray give me some names so that I may gain some general knowledge of the families you have met.”

Gilbert paused, considering a moment, before listing off the family names of seven young ladies. Dorothea nodded approvingly of the families he mentioned. He then brought up his heart’s desire, Diana, and saw his sister’s eyebrows rise a bit.