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“If the two of you are going to continue to talk over me,” Thomas interjected jovially, “perhaps we should exchange seats?”
“Yes, Thomas, that’s a marvelous idea,” Alexandra said, rising. “Here you go.”
Thomas held out his chair for Alexandra and then took her vacant seat.
“But what of the season?” Rose asked. “We were all to be presented for the first time this year.”
“Yes, yes, I know,” Alexandra said, “but we’re all young yet. We can wait until next season. Sophie and I have discussed it at length and have decided we’d like to stay at Laurel Ridge.”
Rose didn’t doubt it. Her cousins, Sophie and Alexandra, had both met men they fancied at the Lybrook house party. Alexandra had been keeping company with Mr. Nathan Landon, the duke’s second cousin, and Sophie had caught the eye of Lord Marshall Van Arden, heir to an earldom and a very amiable fellow, if not the most handsome one. They were both having a wonderful time, and Rose was happy for them. They hadn’t had easy lives. Their mother was Lady Ashford’s older sister, Iris, the Countess of Longarry. She hadn’t received an offer of marriage on her own, so her parents had married her to a brutal Scottish earl when she was twenty-five years old. He had mistreated her and the girls, and had died two years earlier, his reckless spending leaving them penniless. The Earl and Countess of Ashford had taken care of them since then, setting them up in a townhouse in Mayfair and bestowing dowries upon the girls.
“I’ll think on it,” Rose said.
“Oh, you must stay,” Alexandra urged. “We’ll have the most fun. Miss Landon, who has asked that we call her Auntie Lucy, by the way, and the duchess—er, the dowager duchess—wants us to call her Auntie Maggie. Isn’t that a hoot? Anyway, what was I saying? Oh yes. Auntie Lucy says there is the most wonderful Midsummer festival in that lovely little village outside of Bath. Won’t that be fun?”
“Yes, I suppose so,” Rose replied. They had all enjoyed the May Day festival several weeks before. It was unlike anything Rose had ever experienced, as her father, Crispin, the ninth Earl of Ashford, was a devout Christian and frowned on anything with pagan origins. The earl and Thomas had returned to Hampshire to conduct estate business before the wedding, but the countess and Rose and Lily, along with Aunt Iris and the cousins, had stayed at Laurel Ridge, and the duke had escorted all of them to the May Day Festival. It had been a merry day, and Rose smiled slightly. Cameron had won the archery contest, besting even the duke himself, who came in second.
Cameron. If she stayed at Laurel Ridge, she would no doubt see Cameron. Just the thought of it made her heart skip a beat, even though he must be terribly angry with her at the moment. She wanted to see him more than anyone, but they had no future. They both knew that. And if she stayed, Evan would still court her. She cared for him, but he didn’t evoke the passion in her that Cameron did. Perhaps leaving would be best. She would leave both Cameron and Evan, and hope that she could find someone else in Hampshire or during the London season.
But no need to upset Ally right now. Rose would tell her tomorrow that she was returning to the Ashford estate.
She would also tell Evan.
* * * *
A young housemaid rapped on Rose’s door at six in the morning. Rose was exhausted, having not gone to bed until after two, but she had asked to be wakened early so not to miss Lily before she left. She rose from her bed and went to the door.
“It’s six, milady,” the maid said.
“Yes, thank you. Do you know if the duke and duchess have left the estate yet?”
“No, not yet, milady. The staff was told they were coming down to breakfast at seven.”
“Perfect,” Rose said. “Could you ready a bath for me please?”
“Yes, milady.”
Rose bathed quickly, dressed in a morning gown, and descended. The house was silent. No one would be about yet this early. Lily and the duke sat in the informal dining room, smiling at each other. Lily was radiant in a light brown traveling outfit, her dark hair plaited and piled on her head. She looked up to see her sister enter the room.
“Rose, dear, what on earth are you doing out of bed this early?”
“Good morning, Lily, Your Grace.” Rose nodded to her new brother-in-law.
“Please, no more of this Your Grace,” Lily said. “She may call you Daniel, right?”
“Of course,” the duke replied. “I get a little tired of all the formality anyway. We’re all family, now.”
“Yes, of course…Daniel. Th-Thank you,” Rose stammered. “Lily, I’m so sorry to interrupt your breakfast, but I need to talk to you. It’s…urgent.”
“Goodness, is anything wrong?” Lily asked.
“No, not exactly. But I desperately need a half hour of your time. When are you leaving?”
Lily gestured to her husband, who replied, “In about an hour. Our baggage is being loaded into the carriage now.”
“Since I’m all packed, I’m yours,” Lily said. “Do join us, will you?”
“No, I couldn’t. I’ll wait for you in the ladies’ sitting room. I need to speak to you in private.”
