Page 58 of Duke of Destruction
“I’m sorry; I was woolgathering,” she said, giving Helen a sheepish smile. “What was that?”
Helen was looking at her with a keenness that made Catherine want to squirm like a naughty schoolchild.
“Just that Xander knows this Seaton because they’ve argued over political matters,” she repeated.
“Oh! Right. Yes, I’m sure that’s why you know the name,” Catherine said. She needed tofocus. If she was tasked with playing Ariadne’s guide on the marriage mart, she also often served as Helen’s authority on London Society, since Helen had only lived in Town for a few short months before becoming aduchess. “He’s not known for his social presence, so it must be political.”
And thank Christ for small blasted miracles, pardon her language, Catherine thought gratefully. If Percy had been the kind of man who circulated widely in Society, she would have been forced to see him. Thetonwas not terribly large, and it became even smaller after the Season was over. Therefore, if you saw someone once, you could be reasonably assured that you would see them again and again.
“Hm,” said Helen suspiciously.
“Speaking of Society,” Catherine said, a little too loudly, “we should discuss what social events we wish to attend now that we’re back in London, Ari.”
Ariadne sank back in her seat, a mutinous look on her face.
“It’sfarless arduous than the Season, I promise,” Catherine reassured her. Ariadne had only come out this past year, so she hadn’t experienced London’s social scene in its more restricted aspect. “Think more like two events a week, and that’s if you’re being proactive about it, rather than one or two every evening.”
“What if Iwasn’tvery proactive about it?” Ariadne countered. “What then?”
“Well, it’s rather hard to find a husband from the inside of one’s own home,” Catherine reasoned.
“Though Patricia did manage it,” Helen remarked absently.
“Patricia did technically manage it,” Catherine allowed. “But since the only unmarried person in this household is me, and I am your sister, that seems rather unlikely. You did say you wish to marry, did you not?”
Catherine was certain that her sister would be happy with a husband and children, but she’d been faced with enough snide comments from her mother about why she didn’t have a husband yet that she wasn’t about to force Ari into anything.
“Yes, I suppose so,” Ariadne admitted, though she did let out ahighlyexpressive eye roll at the words. “It is just…why are so many of the men seeking wives sodreadful?”
“If I had the answer to that, I would be heralded as the savior of all womankind,” Catherine commented dryly. “Tragically, the best I can offer you is help deciding which event we ought to attend this week.”
“Ugh,” said Ari, which Catherine took as acceptance.
“You know, Helen,” Catherine said mildly as she sorted through the pile of invitations the household had received while she and Ariadne were in the country, “you could always come with us when we go out.”
“Tell Xander to do his own dirty work if he wants me to get out of the house,” Helen replied just as sweetly. She scrunched hernose at her daughter, who copied the motion adorably. “I am not too tired, which he would know if he listened to me.”
Catherine was too wise to get in the middle of that, so she said nothing. Eventually, she and Ariadne selected a musicale as the week’s foray into Society. It was hosted by Baroness von Essen, the German diplomat’s wife, who, along with her daughters, were actually remarkably talented musicians. Ariadne, evidently wearied by this arduous decision-making, retired to her room to rest, leaving Helen and Catherine alone with Cordelia, who had fallen asleep in her mother’s arms.
“Now that Ari is gone,” Helen said quietly, so as not to disturb the babe, “tell me true: did you meet someone of interest at the party?”
Helen had caught her unawares; Catherine jolted.
“What?” she said. “No!”
Helen pinned her with a glare, but Catherine had her own experience using silence as a weapon against recalcitrant younger siblings. She would not be falling for that, thank you very much.
“Fine,” Helen allowed eventually. “Don’t tell me. I’ll figure it out eventually.”
“There’s nothing to figure out,” Catherine told her.
“Why does that sound so familiar?” Helen mused, tapping her chin. Then she pointed at Catherine. “Oh,that’sright; that’s exactly what I said after meeting Xander!”
Catherine held Helen’s gaze, but said nothing.
“Fine,” Helen said again. “You win this one.”
“Marvelous,” said Catherine warmly. Though she should have been worried that Helen would figure her out, she felt, instead, rather warmed by the knowledge that the newest member of her family—bar Cornelia, of course—knew her so well. “Now, I’m off to tell Xander that you refused to accompany us to the musicale.”
