Page 18 of Better Than a Duke
“Yes, I am. Rebecca needs a friend her age. And one that won’t… look at her askance because she has but one parent.”
“Edmund might benefit from that, as well.” They turned about the room for a moment, his hand warm around hers, the music and other guests flowing about them, nothing more than glittering shadows glancing off the edges of her thoughts. “Very well,” she said, feeling just a bit breathless. “Consider me convinced, with the caveat that you help me discourage him from tunneling beneath London.”
Grinning, he pulled her a breath closer. “Agreed, with my own caveat that I might, on occasion, ask odd questions like whether you yourself liked to wear a rainbow of ribbons in your hair at the age of nine, or if it’s just Rebecca and I should naysay her.”
“Agreed. It seems a fair exchange.”
“Good. For both of us.”
Oh, stop noticing how close he was.Yes, he was handsome. Yes, it had been a while since she’d been in a man’s arms, even if it was just for dancing. And yes, she very much enjoyed having someone to speak to who wasn’t at least thrice her age trying to tell her how she should feel or what she needed to be doing. Or worse, deciding without even knowing her that she was simply a thing that made her fellow aristocrats uncomfortable. Well, tonight they couldbeuncomfortable. A widow and a widower were dancing a waltz, and they were smiling. At each other.Ha!
CHAPTER FOUR
“When will he be here, then?” Rebecca asked, stirring a fourth lump of sugar into her tea. “I’m dressed for sitting in the barouche, but if Eddie’s going to call, then I need to change into a walking muslin.”
“We didn’t set an exact time, I’m afraid,” Beckett replied, buttering his toast. “I would guess it will be within the hour.”
Sighing, his daughter pushed away from the table. “Excuse me, Papa. I need to go find Brubbie.”
“Just a moment, Cricket. Butler, Bradley, give us the room, if you please.”
“Of course, my lord.” Motioning at the senior footman, the butler led the way out of the breakfast room and shut the door behind them.
“If you’re going to tell me not to join Eddie in digging into the sewers, I wasn’t going to, anyway. I don’t mind a bit of mud, but I don’t much like rats.” She gave an exaggerated shudder.
“No, it’s not about tunneling. But thank you for setting my mind at ease.”
“You’re welcome.”
He gazed at her for a moment, all bouncing black curls and inquisitive green eyes, gangly arms and legs and still half a decade away from looking like a miniature adult. “It’s been you and me and Mrs. Brubbins for quite a long time, hasn’t it?” he began.
“Oh, yes. Are you thinking of adding a pony to our family? Because I think Charlie could use a friend.”
“That’s very kind of you, to think of Charlie. And Iamthinking of adding to our family. Not a pony, though. Not at this moment.”
Scowling, she slumped in her chair. “Well, that’s disappointing, Papa. I thought we’d decided I was old enough for a pony.”
“You may well be, Rebecca. This discussion, however, is about adding a person to our family.”
“A person? Are you having a baby? Who is the mother?” She bounced upright again.
“There may be a baby in the offing, eventually, but I’m attempting to do things in the correct order. Therefore, I have invited Lady Pauline Grenedy to come here for luncheon today. I would like the two of you to be friends, with the idea that she may, one day soon, become my wife and your stepmother.”
She set her gaze out the window. “I like the way things are,” she said, folding her arms on the table and dropping her chin onto them. “You and me and Brubbie. And the staff, of course, here and at Hentrose Park.”
“I know. You might find, though, that adding someone who enjoys the same things we do, and who can be available to talk to when I’m not, and who knows how to do and say the proper things in Society—which is where you’ll be in a few years—could be helpful. And pleasant.”
“What if I don’t like her?”
If Rebecca didn’t like Lady Pauline, he supposed he would step back and wait to have number seventeen thrown at himby his mother. He’d proven his own poor judgment at finding a mate. “All I ask is that you give her an honest chance. I don’t expect you to become bosom friends in one luncheon. It may take two luncheons and an ice cream.”
She grinned. “Or two ice creams.”
Beckett smiled back at her. “I’m thankful you’re old enough to understand bribery. Honest and open-minded. Yes?”
With a sigh she straightened again. “I still don’t think she’s necessary, but yes. I will be honest and open-minded.” Standing, she walked around the table and gripped his shoulder so she could lift up on her toes to kiss him on the cheek. “And now I must go change my dress.” Halfway through the door, she turned around again. “Might Eddie stay for luncheon, too?”
That was more chaos than he’d planned for. On the other hand, chaos and Rebecca were very dear friends. The sooner Lady Pauline realized the state of the household and could come up with a plan to improve it, the better. “If Mrs. Silbern agrees, then yes, he may stay.”
