Page 28 of Real Earls Break the Rules

Caroline sat forward in her seat and perched her teacup on her saucer. “Now that everyone has arrived, we have many fun activities planned. Archery. A fox hunt. Bird watching. A picnic. Even a village fair that comes once a year.”

Minerva’s brow furrowed. “A village fair?”

“It’s the one day a year everyone at Rosehill can enjoy. It’s a tradition for as long as I can remember. The entertainments are wonderful, too. Wheelbarrow races, bobbing for apples, and foot races. Even traveling merchants arrive to sell their wares,” Caroline said.

Minerva lowered her teacup. “Mother says we shouldn’t mingle with the servants.”

There was a brief silence as all heads turned to Caroline. “Perhaps you can make an exception.”

“Will your brother, Lord Vale, attend?” Minerva asked.

“He goes every year,” Caroline said. “We all do.”

“Will he participate in all the other planned activities you’ve mentioned as well?” Minerva asked.

Caroline shrugged. “I suppose so. Although he finds bird watching tedious.”

For a moment, Minerva looked off into the distance, and Amelia wondered if she was cataloging which activities to attend at the house party based on Lord Vale’s preferences.

“What do you think of Lord Weston and Lord Emmett?” Chloe blurted out.

Amelia shot her sister a disapproving glare. The men had only been in the house for ten minutes. Did Chloe have to be so obvious?

Minerva sipped her tea. “One brother is a rapscallion and the other quite serious. I haven’t given them much thought. Now Lord Vale—”

“Which one?” Chloe interrupted.

Minerva blinked. “Pardon?”

“Which one is the rapscallion?”

“The youngest one, Lord Emmett,” Caroline answered. “Helen says he likes the gaming tables, even more than the ladies.”

“I’m not surprised,” Minerva said, setting down her teacup with a chink. “Mama says ladies should avoid men of such caliber.”

Amelia wondered if Lady Minerva repeated all of her mother’s lectures. Did she have any of her own thoughts?

“What about the other brother, Lord Weston?” Chloe asked.

“He’s the opposite and quite serious about political issues and events in Parliament. I find him tedious at best. My head spins after ten minutes in his company,” Minerva said.

Lord Weston sounded like an intelligent gentleman to Amelia. But clearly that was not the type of man who could hold Minerva’s interest.

Minerva leaned close and lowered her voice. “I have a secret. I’ve hope to steal time alone with Lord Vale during the house party.”

Amelia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It was clear Lady Minerva had designs on Lord Vale. What wasn’t clear was how he felt about the duke’s daughter. From what Amelia had experienced, Minerva was pretentious, spoiled, and not highly intelligent.

Caroline smiled mischievously and looked at Amelia and Chloe. “Ooh. A secret meeting of sorts. I approve. Nothing illicit ever happens at Rosehill.”

Amelia sucked in a breath, then forced herself to breathe. If only you knew.

…

Later that evening, Brandon adjusted his cravat and looked into the drawing room. The Duke of Townsend stood by the fireplace mantle and sipped his drink.

“You have fine spirits, Vale,” the duke said.

“The whiskey was my father’s favorite.” Brandon poured his own glass from a crystal decanter on a nearby sideboard. Of all his father’s faults, stocking Rosehill with fine liquor was not one of them. The wine cellar contained dozens of bottles of fine wine, expensive brandy, and whiskey.