Page 24 of The Matchmaker Meets her Duke
“Hm? Oh, yes. You are a popular man, I imagine.”
“Rather, my father was popular, and I thought it in my best interest to keep up his correspondence. It takes hours of my life away, but it has been a benefit to the Estate.”
Edward leaned forward. “Yes, I’ve heard you are doing well for yourself. I am pleased, as both your neighbor and for my sister’s sake.”
“Thank you, Earl Danvers. I appreciate knowing my good business sense is well known,” said Emmett.
Edward raised a questioning eyebrow, but Pandora laughed. “He’s teasing you, Ed. He does that.”
Edward’s other eyebrow rose. “You know him so well, then?”
Pandora blushed. “We’ve been spending some time together.”
“Good,” said Agatha in a firm voice. “Exactly as I instructed.”
Emmett sighed into his teacup. “You gave the suggestion, Grandmother, but you hardly commanded me.”
“No, I suppose not. You’ve always been a difficult one to order around, even as a child. The most rebellious little thing.” The last was directed at Pandora. “Why, when he was just a child, he let his dog loose in the kitchen after being told to take him outside, and the beast ate an entire cooked goose! We all went hungry that night, I tell you!”
“Grandmother, please!” said Emmett.
“No, no, I’d love to hear more. In fact, I’ve heard a few things myself.” She turned to Emmett. "I hear you are quite the Corinthian. Is it true you rode a curricle through Hyde Park in the middle of the afternoon?"
Emmett laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "I was trying to impress Lady Miriam and got carried away by the sporting spirit." "It's true? I knew you were reckless but foolish?" said Pandora as she sipped her tea.
Emmett’s eyes narrowed. "No one was harmed."
"I heard that Lady Huntington was so frightened when you nearly rode her down that she had to convalesce for the next week under the care of her daughter-in-law."
Emmett set his tea down and crossed his arms. "You certainly seem to hear a lot of things."
Pandora sniffed. "I am well connected."
“So I’ve heard. But let us not get sidetracked. Has Grandmother told you about the awful decision she’s made?”
“The party on Friday? Yes, she just informed us,” said Pandora.
“It’s not an awful idea, your wife needs to meet her neighbors! You are a married man now, you can hardly expect to carry on as you have been.”
Emmett’s chin jutted forward. “I rather thought that would be the case, actually.”
Agatha laughed. “So did your Grandfather. I disabused him of that notion right fast. A woman is allowed to throw a party in her own home.”
“Yes, Emmett, a woman is allowed to throw a party in her own home,” said Pandora as she fluttered her eyelashes at him.
Emmett threw his hands in the air as Edward laughed. “Just what I need, a pair of you to heckle me into throwing parties,” said Emmett in a morose voice. “Next you’ll be expecting me to stay at home every evening and never see my friends again.”
Agatha sniffed. “I’ve already forbidden you from seeing that Brexley boy, and look how well that’s turned out.”
“I wish you and the Viscountess could put aside your differences and become friends,” said Rose in a small voice.
Edward nodded. “Wouldn’t that be nice? Your properties border each other, do they not? It would be pleasant to have a friend so close.”
Agatha’s mouth tightened. “You can hardly expect me to befriend that, that,thief.”
“Rose, you’ve gone and riled her up again,” said Emmett with a twinkle in his eye.
“Riled up? I should think not. This is righteous rage! I was harmed, personally taken advantage of!”
