The laughter faded in an instant. “As I was to hear of yours,” came the reply. “I have my sister to aid me in the running of the estate, however. I am indebted to her, in fact. I do not know what I shall do when a handsome gentleman steals her away to be his bride! I shall be left confused and alone at my manor house, desperate to find some semblance of order and having no ability to do it!”
Miss Jeffries had turned her attention to her brother as he had spoken, her eyes warm and her lips in a gentle smile.
“You shall simply have to marry then also, brother,” she said, elbowing him gently as Lord Dennington winced in a most overt fashion before he grinned at his sister’s good-natured jesting. Her bright eyes turned to Jonathan. “Now, shall you do as you ought and introduce me to your friend?”
Again, her gaze turned towards Jonathan and he bowed quickly, even before the introductions had been made. The lady’s smile made her eyes sparkle and, with her gently flushed cheeks, Jonathan thought her very beautiful indeed.
She is Lord Dennington’s sister.
The warning took root in Jonathan’s heart and he did not allow himself to have any further thought about the lady. “How very good to meet you, Miss Jeffries,” he murmured, once Lord Dennington had finished the introductions.
“Delighted to make your acquaintance, Your Grace.” Miss Jeffries curtsied perfectly, lowering her gaze for just a moment before she smiled at him again. “My brother tells me that you were both great friends to each other back in Eton.”
“Then he is exaggerating, Miss Jeffries,” Jonathan replied, throwing a wry look towards Lord Dennington. “Lord Dennington was a much greater friend to me that I ever was to him. Even though he will deny it, I am certain that he knows it to be the truth.”
Lord Dennington chuckled. “Regardless, I am glad to see you again – and I hope I can be of further assistance!” he said, as Jonathan forced himself to tear his gaze away from Miss Jeffries. “You have not recovered as yet from your past difficulties and interactions, then?”
The statement brought a flush of heat to Jonathan’s cheeks as he cleared his throat, a little embarrassed to have been asked such a thing so directly and in front of Miss Jeffries also. Did she know of his situation? Had Lord Dennington told her?
“Tell me, Your Grace, is your estate very far from London?”
Jonathan frowned, a little confused as to what Miss Jefferies meant in changing the subject so dramatically.
“It must be very grand, I am sure. Do you have stables? My brother has the most excellent pair of greys which he is very proud of indeed!”
Blinking, it took Jonathan another moment to realize what Miss Jeffries was doing. Perhaps sensing – or maybe seeing – his embarrassment, she had sought to take it from him by asking him a question about something entirely unrelated. A glance at Lord Dennington told him that he was frowning in obvious confusion as well though, as his eyebrows lifted, Jonathan wondered if the Viscount had realized what he had done.
“Thank you for your question, Miss Jeffries. Yes, my estate is some three days journey from London – longer, if the roads have become impassable with rain and mud.”
“I do hope there are plenty of inns and the like you can reside in, should you come upon such difficulties.” The soft smile on her lips was a further balm to his embarrassment, and he looked back at her with a quick smile of his own.
“Indeed, there are. Though this is my first time in London in some years, Miss Jeffries. However, I made the journey without difficulty. Do you know how long you will be residing in London for?”
“That will be up to my brother,” Miss Jeffries answered him. Giving her brother a slightly severe look, which made Jonathan frown, she shook her head. “He is still recovering though and he is meant to be listening to me a good deal more than he is!”
“Recovering?” Jonathan looked from the lady to Lord Dennington. “From what, might I ask?”
Lord Dennington shook his head as though to dismiss the sharp look his sister sent him. “I have been having megrims for the last few months.”
“Ever since he has taken on the title,” Miss Jeffries added, putting a hand on her brother’s arm. “He did not say in any of his letters, I know.” Her eyes flashed to his for a moment and then looked away, a slight pink in her cheeks.
“I am sorry to hear it. Even though you mentioned you needed rest, I had not thought of an illness or so plaguing you.” Jonathan frowned. “Are you sure you ought to be in London? That does sound rather difficult.”
With a small shrug, Lord Dennington smiled just a little. “My physician has suggested that I shall recover a little more quickly amongst society. If I do not consider business and letters and the like and spend some time enjoying myself, then his hopeis that the megrims will fade. It is merely a suggestion to see whether or not it brings me any relief.”
Jonathan nodded. “All the same, I am sorry to hear you have been unwell.” A slight flush of guilt captured his heart. “I do hope my letters have not made your megrims any more severe.”
“Oh no, indeed not!” Lord Dennington grinned broadly, glancing at his sister before spreading out his hands. “I will not always be as present in society as I am this evening, however. And I certainly will not always be able to speak as openly as I might like so should you desire to keep writing, then that might well be best.”
Jonathan clasped his hands behind his back, seeing how Miss Jeffries looked away, perhaps unaware of what they were speaking and showing that she had no desire to involve herself in her brother’s affairs. “Yes, I quite understand. Though I do hope these megrims are nothing overly serious.”
With a small lift of his shoulders, Lord Dennington sniffed. “It is only a pain in my head.”
At this, Miss Jeffries let out a small exclamation and then grasped her brother’s arm with one quick hand. “It is not merely a pain in your head, brother.” There was a flicker of something in her eye, something that Jonathan could not quite make out. “Let us not pretend, otherwise I will appear to be an overly cautious sister always seeking to curtail you! If you are to be truthful, then you would say that you are rendered practically unconscious by the pain.”
Jonathan’s eyebrows lifted.
“It can be a little trying.” Wincing, Lord Dennington set his hand over his sister’s. “She is quite right, of course. Your Grace, you will find that my sister always has my well-being at the forefront of her thoughts. She is truly better here than any physician might be.”