Page 9 of Sin and Serendipity

“Oh, I think he does. More than you realize.”

Her voice had softened, as if she knew how much he wanted to hear the words, how badly he wanted to believe they were true. His gaze fell to his now-cold plate of food, a knot growing in his throat.

“I also think it would be good for you if you married,“ she said, her tone brisk again as she busily spooned sugar into her tea. “You’re twenty-seven years old, Robert. Twenty-seven is the perfect age for a young man to settle down and start a family.”

Robert sipped his coffee, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, despite his sour mood. Last year she’d claimed twenty-six was the perfect age for marriage, and he suspected next year it would be twenty-eight.

It was to be expected, he supposed, considering she was a mother with unmarried offspring. She’d married off two of her children already—Robert’s elder sisters, Margaret and Penelope, were both happily wed with several children between them—but he and Freddy were still stubbornly single.

If George were alive—if he’d survived the war—he might have a family of his own, like their sisters. Or perhaps he would choose to fill his days with his art instead, perfecting his craft while he traveled abroad, painting the world.

Robert would never know. Regret swept over him, swift and sharp, as he thought of what might have been. George was born nearly two years after him, but the two had always been close. His brother was wise beyond his years, and Robert would often go to him for advice.

Not for the first time, he wished George were here now, though he suspected he already knew what he would say to him—that he should take their mother’s advice and start thinking about marrying soon. Or at least start considering thinking about marrying soon.

But he couldn’t seem to muster any enthusiasm for it. He wasn’t against marriage, of course. It had to be done eventually, and he rather looked forward to having his own brood of children someday, but so far, he hadn’t met a single young lady who inspired any interest in him.

Except for Ellie.

But she wasn’t for him, and he’d vowed to stay away from her, hadn’t he?

“What about that young lady you danced with last night?” Lady Darrington asked in an overly casual tone. “Miss Wrencroft, wasn’t it? She seems like a lovely girl.”

Robert’s hands curled into fists in his lap, concealed beneath the table. “She is lovely,” he said gruffly.

His mother took a sip of tea, watching him over the rim of her cup. “And?”

“And…I’m not going to marry her.”

“Whyever not? I thought you two made a handsome couple, and your conversation on the dance floor looked quite lively. Perhaps you should call on her today and—“

“No,” Robert barked, with more bite than he’d intended. “I’m…too busy to call on Miss Wrencroft today. Besides, she wouldn’t want me to.” Not unless I bring Freddy with me as a gift in lieu of flowers.

“Oh, tosh. Of course she would want you to!” Lady Darrington said, setting her cup down with a clank on the saucer. “You’re a viscount, for heaven’s sake, and a young and handsome one at that. No girl would turn her nose up at such a man.”

Robert forced a smile. “I appreciate your show of loyalty, Mother, but I’m afraid Miss Wrencroft would. She has her heart set on another gentleman.“ The words left a bitter taste in his mouth, as if he had eaten a rotten egg.

“Another gentleman?” his mother parroted. “Who?”

“Freddy.”

“Freddy?” She fell back in her chair with a frown, her shoulders slumping in an uncharacteristic breach of etiquette. “Oh, dear.”

“I tried to warn her off the idea, but she fancies herself in love with him, so...” He trailed off with a nonchalant shrug and downed the last of his lukewarm coffee, as if his chest always ached this way.

“Yes,” Lady Darrington said with a sigh. “Young people in love can be impossibly stubborn, can’t they? Even so”—she leaned forward, her eyes glinting—“it’s obvious you like the girl, and I think if she were to spend more time with you, she would come to like you, too. If you won’t call on her, perhaps I could arrange a dinner party—”

“No,” Robert said firmly. “Thank you, Mother, but I would rather you left the matter alone. Miss Wrencroft is a lovely young woman, but I know a lost cause when I see one. Please…let it be.”

“But, darling—“

“Please.”

She blew out an aggrieved breath. “As you wish.”

Rising from his chair, Robert rounded the long dining table until he was standing at her side. “Thank you, Mother,” he said, leaning down to press a kiss to her powdered cheek. “I hate to leave you, but I have a meeting with my man of affairs this morning. We’ll speak later, hm?”

“Of course, my dear.” She gave his arm an affectionate pat, and then Robert quit the room, determined to push all thoughts of Miss Ellie Wrencroft from his mind once and for all.