Page 2 of A Viscount’s Reluctant Passion

“Lady Wormsley, I believe that we have everything covered. Extra staff have been hired, to serve food and assist the guests, the orchestra will be here early, so that they can set up and tune their instruments in time, and Cook is completely in alt, as it is ten years since he has had a major event to cater here.”

Lady Wormsley twisted a curl of her dark hair, streaked with grey, around a finger, frowning.

“Are you certain that we have enough food planned? And the guest list – do we have final confirmation of numbers? I would not wish to have inadequate food, or seating!”

“We most definitely have enough food planned, even should thirty extra guests arrive. And we have extra chairs stored, should they need to be brought out at the last minute. I have also considered the guest list closely, and have advised the senior staff of which guests should not be placed near each other, for fear of exacerbating old rivalries. Your daughter has a most eclectic circle of acquaintance, I must say.”

Lady Wormsley nodded, and took a sip from her teacup.

Then Chase spoke – something he had done little of during the afternoon.

“I am confoundedly glad that you are here Nash. As you well know, I’ve no talent for organising – something you do astoundingly well. When James asked me to stand up with him, and I volunteered our ballroom, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Why are weddings so deuced complicated to arrange?”

Lady Wormsley laughed at his words, shaking her head.

“That, Lord Travers is a typical reaction of most men of the aristocracy. I must second your gratefulness for your brother’s excellent capability in the matter of arrangements. I fear that I would have expired from the stress of it all by now, if it were not for his assistance.”

Nash swallowed, a little overwhelmed.

He was used to his efforts going unnoticed – indeed, he had cultivated that, to ensure that Chase stayed unaware of just how wealthy he was. But now, he could not deny the pleasure he felt at Lady Wormsley’s praise. In his life, praise had been rather rare, and he had worked hard to seek it – mostly to no avail.

He had become comfortable in his invisibility, but now, he wondered – where might that lead him? All this focus on marriage had set him thinking – would he, himself, ever marry? He was not really a very good catch, in the eyes of the ton – for they were not aware of his wealth, and his title was a courtesy title, as his brother’s heir. Should Travers ever marry, and get himself an heir, then Nash would simply be Lord Ignatius Harringdon, and nothing more.

Not that Chase marrying seemed likely any time soon. Even with Blackwood having succumbed to love, Chase still showed every sign of the intent to avoid marriage for as long as possible. It wasn’t that he lacked for choice, more that he felt not the slightest interest in any of the available women. No more, Nash thought, than he did himself. Not that Nash had been to many social events this Season – he found them oppressive, in a way.

As a boy just becoming a man, Nash had always been ignored by women, who all ran after his brother – and that experience had left him unsure of what he wanted for himself. All he knew was that he did not wish to be like his wastrel of a brother. He had focussed, instead, on estate management, horse breeding, and investing in business. And for years now, that had been enough. But with all this talk of weddings, he had begun to wonder – should he be looking for a wife himself? And if he did, would that lead to rejection, yet again?

It was not a prospect that appealed. As soon as this wedding was done with, he would, most likely, go back to the country, to Challoner Grange, and continue as he had gone on before. That seemed far easier than attending social events, and watching women fawn on his brother, hoping to become his Marchioness, whilst Nash remained invisible.

He would draw satisfaction from doing those things he did well, and not be foolish enough to think that any woman would find him worth looking at twice.