Page 38 of Under the Seductive Ladys Charm
As he rode through the streets, Graham’s expression dipped into a worried frown. Lord Stanhope had been visiting Miss Browne. That bothered Graham. It was not unheard of for a young man to be visiting several ladies, or to even be cordial before he settled down into a pairing. However, to think that Miss Browne and his sister were among those women did not sit right with Graham.
He chided himself for being so ridiculously protective. They were grown enough to make their own decisions, but he was the only male of a reasonable rank and age to look out for them. It was his duty to be protective, was it not?
No amount of warring thoughts brought Graham any closer to the truth of the matter, which he frankly did not know. He sighed and put his thoughts firmly back on the present. Miss Browne was a clever young woman and he felt certain she would not fall for any shenanigans from Lord Stanhope.
*
James sat in the parlour looking at the penny portrait that Miss Browne had gifted him with. He had seen the same portrait hanging at the studio on Bond Street, and he thought it looked so uncannily familiar that he had bought a print. It was apparently very popular and James could see why. There was just something about the curves of her silhouette that drew the eye.
Sometimes those dreadful penny portraits were hardly recognisable, but this one was clearly Miss Browne through and through. She would be the talk of the town with a portrait like this. James smiled.
As he sat at the table with some paper that he was writing a guest list on, James absentmindedly began drawing on the penny portrait. On a whim, he painted a mask over her face, much like the one his mystery heiress had worn.
“That is a very striking resemblance, Miss Browne,” Lord Stanhope whispered to the portrait. “I do believe that I have found my mystery woman.” It fit. Miss Browne clearly knew Lord Easterly, as he had met the rather stern man as he had come out of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lennox.
Yes, it all clicked into place in Lord Stanhope’s mind. She was his mystery heiress. Why had she lied about having met him?
Several things came to mind that might stop a young lady from acknowledging an acquaintanceship. James pondered if it was because she had gone to the ball without a chaperone or some other such thing? He did not hold that against her. He rather liked her spirit if that was the case.
His eyes went back to the guest list he was putting together for a tea party. It had been his brother’s gentle nudging toward such a mundane get-together that had spurred James into actually going through with such a thing. However, the idea of inviting his heiress now intrigued him. Oh, to have all of his lovely ladies over to a splendidly polite tea. What fun would that be?
James could think of a few different ways that it might be rather amusing, and it allowed him to socialise with both Miss Browne and Miss Easterly at the same time, which was a treat. Oh, the wonders of society, James mused with a smile.
He rang for a servant. When the maid came into the room, he thrust the piece of paper at her. “Take this paper to my brother. It is the guest list for the tea party. I am sure he will want to approve it.” He rolled his eyes at the last part.
The maid took the paper with a look of apprehension. If she had been bolder, perhaps the maid would have asked why he did not take it himself. As it was, the young woman curtseyed and was swiftly gone to do as James asked.
James stretched out in the chair and smiled to himself. This was going to be a very interesting tea party. Women were a fickle lot, and Miss Easterly seemed rather flighty at times. Yet, there was something intriguing about both Miss Easterly and Miss Browne. Of course, Miss Browne was even more enticing now that James knew who she really was.
All he had to do was figure out why she was hiding her identity from him and others. Did Mrs. Lennox know? Surely she must.
James frowned as he leaned back and looked up at the ceiling with its ornate moulding. Was it her status as an orphan that made her so bashful? It would be wise of those close to her to keep her somewhat cloistered to protect her fortune.
James supposed that must be what it was all about. There were footsteps, loud clanging footsteps that James knew could only belong to his brother. A moment later, Branson came through the vaulted opening that connected the parlour to a sitting room.
“Why did you send a maid to bring this to me? Do you not think you should have done so yourself?” Branson’s irritation was evident in his voice, and the way his shoulders leaned forward as if he might just want to snatch James up by the collar, as he had done when they were children.
James looked at his brother’s display of aggravation through bored eyes. “Come now, it is merely a list of guests. Do I honestly need to bow and curtsey every time I need some little favour from you? You were the one who came up with this idea.”
“You invited half of London to a tea party, James,” Branson said as he waved the paper around dramatically.
James lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “So, cut the numbers down. I only really care about Miss Browne and Miss Easterly being in attendance.”
Branson sighed and pinched his nose. “No. You will cut the list down. No more than ten people, James. It is a tea party, not a banquet.” Branson tossed the paper onto the table. “Do not mistake my kindness for meekness, Brother.”
James watched Branson storm back out of the room and pursed his lips as he eyed the paper. He sighed and drew the paper to him as he sat up straight. It was a simple enough thing to pare the list down, and making that vein bulge out on Branson’s forehead had been reward enough for James.
*
“Lord Easterly has sent a letter asking when or if you would like to return to their household, if only for a visit?” Mrs. Lennox smiled as she handed Charlotte the letter.
Charlotte read over the neat script. “He is dear man,” she said with warmth. “I do not know how his sister will find me now that I have abandoned her.”
“Friends often go through trying times,” Mrs. Lennox said with a frown. “Do you still consider her a friend?”
Charlotte thought about that. “I want to say yes, but she has not acted much as a friend to me. I do not wish her any harm, but I do not know that I wish her the best either.”
Mrs. Lennox chuckled. “At least you are honest about it. Still, Lord Easterly is an influential man and up until now a fair benefactor.”
