Page 51 of Under the Seductive Ladys Charm
When he returned home he was greeted by a most unwelcome sight. A carriage pulled in just behind him. Lord Stanhope’s voice carried out of the body of the carriage. “Lord Easterly, just the man I wanted to see!”
Graham did away keep himself from groaning. This day seemed to be getting continuously worse. Graham dismounted as Lord Stanhope stepped down out of his carriage.
“I do hope that I am not inconveniencing you.” Lord Stanhope said as he waved his hand at the horse.
Graham straightened his jacket. “Not at all. I was just returning from a visit. What was it that you sought me out here for? We are a long way from London, Lord Stanhope.”
“Quite true,” Lord Stanhope said with a smile. “May we talk over some brandy, perhaps?”
Graham could not really protest that request. For one thing, he could use a brandy himself. “That sounds like a very good idea,” Graham said as he turned toward the house.
Once they were in the study, Graham poured two brandies and passed one to Lord Stanhope, who took a sip and sighed in exaggerated relief. “That is more like it. The liquor selection at the inn on the way here was dismal.”
Graham did not even acknowledge his words. It could have been the man trying to bait him about the current scandal, or it could have been an innocent observation. Graham wagered it was the former, but he had no inclination to find out which for sure.
Sipping his brandy, Graham eyed the younger man. Lord Stanhope was one of those beastly dandies that had returned from the war with little more than borrowed stories and a scratch that they proclaimed a battle scar. Men like that rubbed Graham the wrong way.
The fact that he was involved with both Miss Browne and his sister did nothing to soften Graham’s opinion of him. Lord Stanhope’s own past seemed to hold more than a few sins, if Graham’s enquiries were true. “What is it you wanted to speak of so urgently that it could not be contained in a letter, Lord Stanhope?”
“Marriage,” Lord Stanhope proclaimed the word grandly. “I have come to humbly bow before you Lord Easterly and ask your permission to marry your sister.”
Graham stared at him. He took a sip of his brandy. His life may be out of control at the moment, but Graham had no intention of having Lord Stanhope for a brother-in-law. The very idea sickened him.
He swirled the brandy over his tongue as he eyed Lord Stanhope. The man looked to be getting nervous the longer Graham took in answering. Finally, Graham said, “My apologies for your wasted trip, Lord Stanhope, but I have decided that my sister should wait before seeking marriage to anyone.”
“May I ask why?” Lord Stanhope seemed incensed.
Graham nodded. “You may ask, but I am not obliged to answer. She is my charge and I do what is best for her. If you also see what is best for her out of love and caring, then I should think that waiting a while would be acceptable to you.”
The look on Lord Stanhope’s face was all the reward Graham needed. He sat back in his chair and eyed the younger man. Lord Stanhope finally bobbed his head up and down. “Of course! What is a wait to marry such a beauty?”
Graham inclined his head. “Then we are in agreement.”
“Yes,” Lord Stanhope said hastily. “In agreement about?”
“That my sister shall not wed yet,” Graham said with amusement.
Lord Stanhope ventured, “But when she is ready, shall I be given every consideration before other suitors?”
“If you are still interested, then we shall talk then,” Graham said with a nod. He hoped fervently that he lost interest. Amanda seemed to have set her hat to have the man, but Graham thought it would be a disastrous match.
Lord Stanhope finished his brandy and sighed. “I shall see about getting a room at the local inn to rest for my journey home.”
If he had been fishing for an invitation to stay at Berwick Manor, Graham acted oblivious and did nothing but nod. “The inn here in Dallington is quite lovely.”
Lord Stanhope tipped his hat to Graham and Graham inclined his head before the young lord was out of the room in a flurry of ruffles and pomp. Graham pinched his nose and rang the bell. When a maid popped into the room he sighed, “Bring me some lemon tea.”
*
James left Berwick Manor and went to the inn that Lord Easterly had proclaimed lovely. It was quaint, at best, James judged. The innkeeper was a stubby, fat man who eyed James as if he might not be good for a pence.
When he finally had his room key in hand, James enquired, “Do you know a Miss Browne?”
“Why you want to know?” The innkeeper’s lip rolled up and James wondered if the man was trying to be intimidating or merely disturbing.
James sighed and handed the man a gold coin. “I am a friend of hers from London.”
“I’ll say ye are,” the innkeeper said. He rubbed the coin on his dirty shirt as if the filth there might clean the coin somehow. “She used to stay at the vicarage. Can’t say she is there though. Thanks for the coin.” The man gave James a broad grin before he went into the back room.
