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Chapter3
The day’s session at the House of Lords had run late again.Evening had descended, and Ashford gladly accepted Lowenbrock’s invitation to dinner.Cranston was also joining them, which was a minor miracle since the man spent most nights in a different woman’s bed.
In the past they would have gone to a tavern, but Lowenbrock—Ashford still had a difficult time thinking of his friend John Evans as the Marquess of Lowenbrock—was a married man now, and it was almost impossible to tear him away from his wife’s side.Ashford didn’t complain, however.The marchioness was good company, and anything was better than being subjected to another disastrous evening.
His mother and sister had made good on their threats to find him a wife.His mother had only just arrived in town, and she’d already dragged him to a ball last night—the first of many, he’d been assured.He’d wanted to believe the evening wouldn’t be intolerable.It wouldn’t be like the ball he’d attended last summer at Lowenbrock’s manor when he’d become the center of attention after his friend had announced his betrothal.He’d hated every second of it.
Well, not every second.Thank goodness Mary Trenton had been there.Their families had been acquainted, and she’d helped him to keep the fortune hunters at bay.He hadn’t thought he needed rescuing now that he was in London since there were plenty of titled, unwed men in town.
Any comfort he’d derived from those thoughts was swept away by his mother’s and his sister’s determination to find him a bride.Every time he’d managed to escape the stifling crowds, he’d come face-to-face with his mother, who dragged him off to meet yet another young woman.
And deuced if she didn’t do it right before a new set was about to start, all but forcing him to ask the woman to dance.
He’d intended to remain around the fringes of the room, surrounded by other men who were there against their will.And if he was very lucky, he’d thought he might be able to escape to a card room.
That morning, his mother hadn’t been pleased when he’d told her he wouldn’t be escorting her to whatever entertainment she planned to attend.Apparently the parents of one of the women with whom he’d danced last night—he couldn’t for the life of him remember which one—was hosting a musicale.His mother’s presence in town was already suffocating him.
Lowenbrock escorted them to his study when they arrived at his town house.Ashford accepted the brandy his friend offered him.
“Is this now my life?People pressing me on all sides to wed?”He downed the drink in one long swallow.
Lowenbrock took his glass but, instead of refilling it, set it aside.Ashford scowled at the man.
Cranston clapped him on the shoulder.“You should enjoy yourself.Surely you can find a nice widow with whom to entertain yourself over the season.”
Ashford dropped into a chair, not caring that his friends were looming over him.“That’s not going to happen with my mother standing watch over me.”
Cranston winced.
“I blame the two of you for my misery,” Ashford said, ignoring their amused glances at one another.
Lowenbrock set aside his own half-finished glass.“If you hate us so much, you should beg off dinner and go find better company.I’ll explain to Amelia that you were called away.”
Ashford shuddered at the thought.He was much safer here than returning home.He supposed he could find something else to do, but for some reason he wanted to spend the evening with his friends.Even if they were amused by his situation.
There was a soft knock at the door before Lowenbrock’s wife let herself into the room.His friend went to her side and dropped a kiss on her cheek before turning to them again, a large smile on his face.
“I hope you don’t mind having these ruffians join us this evening?”
Amelia greeted them with a curtsy.“It is always a pleasure.Dinner will be served soon, and we’ll be having another guest.”
Ashford found himself tensing and had to will his muscles to relax.Surely his friend’s wife wasn’t joining in on the quest to find him a wife.
“Miss Mary Trenton visited me today and will be joining us for dinner.”
Ashford wanted to sag with relief.Miss Trenton was here.Her sharp wit would be just what he needed to distract him from his current troubles.
“It will be just like last summer, when we were all together at Brock Manor,” Cranston said, his tone light with amusement.
Ashford found himself smiling and ignored the way Cranston’s eyes landed on him with speculation.He’d already dealt with prodding from the man after dancing a waltz with Miss Trenton at Lowenbrock’s ball.If Cranston was trying to get a rise out of him now, he would be disappointed.
“Where is Miss Trenton now?”Lowenbrock asked.
“I left her in the library when one of the footmen informed me of your arrival.She’s promised to join us in the drawing room.”
Ashford let out a soft chuckle at that, and everyone turned to look at him.“Surely I’m not the only one who remembers how she’d spend hours in the library at Brock Manor.I seem to remember you having to send someone to drag her away on several occasions so she could join us for dinner.”
Lady Lowenbrock smiled at the memory.“We’ll have to see whether history will repeat itself tonight.”
