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“I agree,” Freddy said gleefully and offered his arm to Serena. “Let’s go get a bite to eat, I am starving, aren’t you?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, all at once, I am.” Serena laughed. “I am ravenous.” It was at that moment she looked across the room and noted his lordship’s blue eyes staring in their direction. She immediately turned a cold shoulder to the man, all too aware what effect he had on her. He had the power to turn her brain into pudding pie. He had the power to make her body tremble. He had the power to make her dream. She sighed, all too aware that he simply had the power.
She wondered what his opinion of the scene everyone had just witnessed was, and then asked herself why should she care? Just why should she care—but she knew the answer.
* * *
His lordship had stood back and watched her with Eustace, his arms folded across his chest. He was awash in a mixed stew of emotions.
What the devil was wrong with him these days? Why had he led Serena into the garden and kissed her? Why the deuce did that kiss set him back on his heels? He had kissed and made love to any number of women, exquisite, delightful women over the years, but this one drew his soul from him and hung it out with her name engraved across it.
Nonsense. Absurd. She was but a woman … much like any … no, that wasn’t so. She wasn’t like any other woman. She stood out, glowing like a shiny object, and drew his eye to her constantly.
Then suddenly the party was thrown into confusion.
His lordship had heard the rumor about the young Delmore chit earlier when the Delmores first arrived. He had then put the face to the gossip that he had heard being bandied about at the inn where he and Freddy were staying.
Evidently the servants had taken sides, most of whom declared young Sarah an innocent taken advantage of by a wealthy nobleman who wasn’t very noble at all. They seemed to know who the father of Sarah’s baby was.
The scene enacted before him pulled on his heartstrings.
He had just witnessed something he thought was, while unfortunately public, still heart-warming. He was often saddened by the principles to which his peers held others but rarely adhered themselves.
He sighed as he hoped Lord Merriweather would reconsider and not cut his only son out of his life or his entitlements. After all, Merriweather’s only objection must be that the Delmores were not high enough in the instep for him nor wealthy enough in land or money. So often that was the case.
Sarah Delmore, however, and most obviously, was the mother of their future grandchild. His lordship genuinely hoped that matters could be worked out in that quarter in the near future. If he had a son—and suddenly the notion made him smile—he would never, not for any reason, turn his back on him. Sighing, he told himself he was probably a sentimental fool.
Deep in cogitation over the matter, he still watched Serena. He smiled as he saw her all but wag her finger at the reverend, who apparently disapproved of the scene that had just been enacted in the ballroom. Eustace was completely ill-suited for Serena.
She was a feisty creature, ready to take on the world. He could see that she had no interest in Eustace—how could she? Odd that she should want a youth at her side instead of a man. Freddy, for all his youthful charm, was not capable of taking care of such a woman. Serena, his lordship decided, needed a man.
A voice in his head laughed at him. Does she, indeed, that voice asked, and who would that man be? He grunted to himself, for he was getting maudlin.
Suddenly a familiar and masculine shout interrupted his thoughts. “Danny! By all that is famous, Danny ol’ boy!”
His lordship looked over his shoulder and then made a complete turn about to face a tall, lean, and pleasant-faced Corinthian with a pair of sharp gray eyes and a fine hawk nose grinning at him.
“Jasper!” his lordship said jovially and clasped the man’s shoulders in a firm grip. “Zounds! What the devil are you doing here in the middle of nowhere?” Sir Jasper was the favorite of all his dearest cronies. “I thought you told me last week you were off for the coast?”
“Aye, and the coast, ol’ man … is just over the hill,” he said and chuckled.
“But I assumed you meant Bath.” His lordship shook his head.
Jasper sighed. “M’brother insisted I visit him here in the New Forest.” He winked at his friend. “So, thought I’d get the two birds with one stone. Coast and a visit with m’brat of a sibling. Lewis says the hunting in the New Forest is splendid, and the season is nearly upon us.”
“Indeed. I hadn’t realized Lewis and his new bride took up residence here in the New Forest. I would have called on him …”
“Aye, you know Lewis is the youngest of m’brothers.” He frowned. “Father was a stickler about his will, left Lewis only a pittance of a living. There was plenty for the three of us, you know.” He shrugged. “I repaired the problem and bought him a lovely estate here in the New Forest as a wedding present. Set the lad up with a trust that gives him a decent living.” He grinned. “And that boy has a head on his shoulders. He is doing quite well breeding, raising, and selling carriage horses.” He winked. “Loves it nearly as much as he does his bride.”
“’Pon rep, that is good news. How is his lovely young bride?”
“A dear of a girl.” He leaned in. “Betty is a friend of that young Sarah Delmore, you know. She and m’brother went to see them out and extend any help they could give. For one, I am glad to see that young chap thumb his nose at his father and do the right thing.”
“You are a good-hearted man, Jasper,” his lordship said quietly.
Jasper shrugged. “I don’t know about that. I do know what is right is right.”
“What an outrageously generous man you are as well—setting your brother up with an estate … commendable,” his lordship added.
