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“Tut, tut,” Uncle Sebastian said, wagging one finger from side to side while taking a long sip from his goblet. “You never know what the future may hold.”
Leticia’s shoulders shrugged impatiently. She had tired of this conversation as it was going nowhere, and she desperately needed to locate Richard. “You wouldn’t happen to know where I could find Richard or Harry?” While she hadn’t set out seeking her cousin, now that he came to mind, she figured he’d be just as eager to learn what Miss Loery had said, and she might as well share the news with him, too.
Uncle Sebastian tipped his glass upward and drained it. Then, with his lips stained a deep purple, he struck a pensive pose. He crossed one arm over the other, still careful to hold the now emptied cup away from his crisp white shirt. “I can’t say I have the first clue where to find them. Seems to me that as Richard is the host, and Harry is well-known among all the guests; both should be out at the party, carousing and sharing in the celebration. But I am afraid to report, I’ve seen neither of them.” He leaned forward and whispered, “In truth, it was your aunt and the Dowager who sent me in here to find them. Young men these days have no respect for the needs of others. Why, in my day, we gentlemen were expected to be at a lady’s beck and call, dancing with her until the wee hours of the morning.”
Leticia stepped away from her uncle and rolled her eyes heavenward. Her uncle often dipped into his reminiscences of how things were in the “old days,” and no matter how many times he brought up the subject, he always found fault with today’s society.
Before her uncle could get too far gone into his current speech, she stepped around him. “Forgive me, Uncle,” she said, peering at him over her shoulder. “I am afraid I’ve been terribly neglectful as well. I will excuse myself and head out to the party, so I might greet the guests.”
“Jolly good,” Uncle Sebastian replied, raising his glass as if he meant to toast her. “And if you are looking for the Duke, I do believe I saw him head out toward the gardens.”
“What?” Leticia asked, spinning back toward him once more. “I just asked you if you knew where I could find Richard, and you said you hadn’t seen him.”
“Funny, isn’t it?” Uncle Sebastian said with a quirky little laugh. “I meant to say I hadn’t spoken to him, but I am almost sure…” he paused, and his eyes narrowed as he focused on the subject at hand, “yes…I am nearly positive I saw him cross the lawn and head toward the rose gardens. The Dowager does have such an elegant display of roses this time of year.”
“Yes, of course, she does,” Leticia agreed quickly as she hoped to end this conversation and be on her way. “I think I’ll just—” But by that point, she’d given up on explaining herself and was coasting down the stairs. She knew it was impolite to leave her sentence unfinished and to abandon her uncle in the middle of their conversation, but she took heart in knowing that he would likely forget he’d ever run into her near the men’s hallway in the first place.
He has enough trouble remembering whether he saw Richard and Harry today.
She raced toward the rose garden, praying that she’d find Richard before it was too late.
CHAPTERFIVE
“She fulfills all the requirements for a bride I’ve set forth,” Richard said as he continued looking out the window.
“Such as?” Harry prompted.
Now, Richard turned away from his post and moved back across the chamber to the spot where his friend was standing. Harry was waiting expectantly, casually alternating his glances between the stack of papers on Richard’s desk and his friend. Once again, Richard plunged his hand into the pocket of his jacket and extracted his list. “See?” he said, pointing to the page. “Marrying Miss Loery will tick off the items left on this list.”
“So, the requirements to be your bride are that she’s here and that she’s willing?” Harry asked incredulously. “I know you are not a very romantic man, but come now, you must have other reasons for wanting to marry this woman.”
“I do,” Richard rushed on, “Of course, I have plenty of reasons for wanting to wed Miss Loery.”
Harry stopped glancing over the documents on the desk, and his hazel eyes bore straight into Richard’s blue ones. “Go on, then. I am waiting.”
“For what?”
“I want to know exactly what it is you like about Miss Loery, aside from the fact that she is a living, breathing woman.”
Richard scoffed. “Miss Loery is remarkable in many ways.”
“And yet, you can’t seem to mention one specific thing you like about her,” Harry taunted.
Richard was reluctant to break eye contact with his friend now as he knew that would be an indication that Harry was right, but he did so, nonetheless. “I enjoy Miss Loery’s company, and perhaps, someday, we will come to feel something akin to love for one another.”
“Oh stop,” Harry mocked, “you are making my heart beat madly.”
Richard glanced down at the list in his hands. “She is a fine lady, and someday—”
“Someday may never come,” Harry interjected, his tone softening incrementally. He took the list from Richard’s hands and ran his finger over the words. “It says you wish to have three children? By the time you are 30?”
Richard nodded weakly. “That was the plan.”
“And how exactly do you suppose you and Miss Loery will achieve such a feat?” Harry asked, glancing back up at Richard, his eyes popping with interest. “You are already eight-and-twenty years old. That doesn’t leave much time. Are you expecting her to have triplets?”
“Don’t be foolish,” Richard snapped as he reached for his list. He folded it hastily and stuffed it back in his pocket. “I can always amend the list—whenever it’s necessary.”
“Or…” Harry prompted, “you could just toss the list on the fire and start anew.”
