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“There’s a reason for that, dearest.”
“I’m not a chit just out of the schoolroom, Vivien. I’ve been running my father’s household for years.”
Vivien wriggled her feet, encased in frivolous feathered mules, closer to the fire. “Why not invite him to Musgrave House and take a quiet stroll in the gardens? I’m sure you could easily find a private corner to chat.”
Sabrina waved an impatient hand. “Father would hate that. He fusses when it comes to potential suitors.”
“Your dearest papa is afraid you’ll marry and leave him.”
“Honestly, I haven’t been that keen on the idea either. I’ve yet to meet one blasted man who could tempt me to . . .” She twirled a hand. “Rather the opposite, actually.”
“That’s because you haven’t met the right one.”
“Well, they can’t all be like Captain St. George. He’s the very definition of dashing.”
Vivien breathed out a happy sigh. “He is at that. But how about Graeme? He’s certainly not your average gentleman of theton. He’s a Highlander, for one thing.” She flapped a hand in front of her face. “My dear, that brogue.Sodelicious.”
“Vivien St. George, and you a married woman with children!”
“Very happily married, which means I have an excellent eye—and ear—for the right sort of man.”
“Surely you cannot be serious. Mr. Kendrick was exceedingly. . .”
Attractive.
“. . . Bossy,” she concluded.
“He’s a man, Sabrina. And a wise woman bosses right back. I suspect you could manage Graeme Kendrick quite well.”
“I literally just met the man,” Sabrina replied, exasperation setting in. “While I was waiting to meetanotherman, I might add.”
“And he didn’t bother to make an appearance.”
Sabrina grabbed the comb from Vivien’s hand and began to unsnarl the last of her tangles. “This is a ridiculous conversation. Besides, if my father wouldn’t approve of a lord with a large estate, he certainly wouldn’t countenance a mister. Especially not a Scottish mister.”
“But your mother was Scottish, and you were born a stone’s throw from the border. How can Lord Musgrave not approve of Scotland?”
“We were residing at our Northumberland estate at the time of Mamma’s illness. Father is convinced she’d still be alive if we’d been in London, where we could have accessed the best physicians.”
Her mother had died of an infectious fever before Sabrina was even three years old, carried off in less than a week. Since the poor lady had always been in delicate health according to Father, it seemed unlikely that any doctor could have saved her.
Vivien’s blue gaze softened with sympathy. “I’m so sorry, dearest.”
Sabrina shrugged. It always felt awkward speaking of her mother, since she had so few memories of her.
“Thank you. It affected Father dreadfully, of course. He loathes the country now, especially the north. He’d fall into hysterics if I so much as gave a single thought to marrying a plain old mister from Scotland.”
“There’s nothing plain about Graeme Kendrick. He’s the brother of the Earl of Arnprior, which means he’s the brother-in-law of—”
Sabrina almost dropped the comb. “No!”
“Yes. Brother-in-law of Victoria, Lady Arnprior, the illegitimate daughter of the king himself.”
“Lady Arnprior is your husband’s half sister.”
It was one of the worst kept secrets of thetonthat Aden St. George was the natural son of King George IV. Sabrina had forgotten about Lady Arnprior—not surprising, since the king and his royal brothers had quite a shocking number of children born on the wrong side of the sheets.
“And that means Graeme is part of our family, too.” Vivien ruefully smiled. “Although it does get rather complicated when one isn’t supposed to publicly acknowledge such relationships.”
