Page 4 of Tutoring a Lady into Sin
Uncle Felton shook his head. “Your mama and brother are much too busy to send the same bit of correspondence twice. Go on and open it. See what they want from you.”
“So aptly put,” Phineas said as he reached for the letter. “They alwayswantsomething, do they not? But I suppose you understand that better than most.” Uncle Felton was not Phineas’ uncle at all, in fact. He was the Earl of Linfield, and all his nearest relations had long since been buried beneath the earth. But Lord Linfield was a consummate friend to all who were associated with Bixby Hall.
He spent vast amounts of time in the country with Phineas and Percy when they were children, and he, even now, served as Phineas’ best friend and confidant. He only lived a block away from Radcliff Lodge, and that meant the two men saw each other regularly. It had been Felton who encouraged Phineas to pursue his studies and train to become a physician.
Just as it had been Uncle Felton who helped Phineas first make his way in Society and secure a working relationship with several well-respected members of theton. And so, it stood to reason that if there was something amiss at Bixby Hall, Uncle Felton would be called upon to bring Phineas back home, as he was one of the only people who truly knew how to reach this obstinate young man.
Phineas unfolded the letter and scanned the contents quickly. “I told you this news was worth reading,” Uncle Felton chided.
“So, my big brother is to be married,” Phineas said as he finished reading the details. “At long last. My mother must be delighted.”
“She has chosen a winning young lady for Percy and….”
“Mama selected Percy’s bride?” Phineas scoffed.
“Naturally,” Uncle Felton replied as his smile lit up his features. “You know how your brother’s behaviour has vexed your mother these last few years. When Lady Christianna entered the marriage mart this year and made her interest in Percival known, your mother could not be expected to sit on her hands and do nothing. She needed to act at once to secure the lady’s hand on behalf of your brother.”
Phineas laughed lightly as he tossed the letter back onto his desk. “And this Lady Christianna? Is she such a prize that she must be scooped up at once?”
Uncle Felton nodded enthusiastically. “She may be the loveliest young lady I have ever beheld, barring your mother, of course.”
“Of course,” Phineas murmured as he rolled his eyes gently.
Uncle Felton’s devotion to Mama is confounding. I will never understand how he tolerates her fickleness or her contrary manners. He, on the other hand, is always so agreeable. They have the most unlikely friendship.
“And aside from her beauty, Lady Christianna is exceptionally prim and proper. When she and Percy wed, the gossip columnists will need to find someone new to hound,” Uncle Felton explained the situation succinctly.
“Ah…yes,” Phineas said as he tapped his fingertips on the edge of his desk. “Now we come to the real reason their betrothal has been announced. My cad of a brother must tie himself to a respectable female to balance out the atrocious whispers that are currently circulating.”
“You should not listen to the rumour mill, my boy,” Uncle Felton cautioned. “Read your mother’s words again. Percy and Lady Christianna are to be wed in a little more than two weeks’ time.”
“Ha!” Phineas laughed again. “They will never get married. My brother is not ready to settle himself, and he…”
“Oh, but he is,” Lord Linfield protested. “That is why your mother sent me to you. I am to bring you to Bixby Hall so you may meet your future sister-in-law and stand by your brother’s side.”
Phineas furrowed his brows as he looked at the letter on the desk. “Is this your way of saying my family needs me?”
Uncle Felton avoided answering the question and instead mentioned, “It is the middle of summer, Phineas. Would it not be pleasant to visit the countryside…drink in the fresh air? Is that not a remedy you prescribe for many of your patients?”
“You wish for me to view this removal to Bixby Hall as a holiday then?” Phineas jested.
“It is not as if you will be expected to work while you are there,” Uncle Felton replied lightly.
“But it will be work,” Phineas argued. “I have a busy practice…here in London. Not only will I be neglecting my patients should I choose to go to Bixby Hall, but I will be expected to stand by Percy’s side and bear witness to his farce of a marriage.”
“Farce?” Uncle Felton questioned. “Why do you speak so uncharitably of the match?”
Phineas shook his head despairingly. “As much as I would like to see Percy find his way in this world, I know him too well. Even if his betrothed is Helen of Troy herself, Percival will never be satisfied.”
“Your brother may have changed. Lady Christianna and his betrothal to her…that very well may prove to be the catalyst.” Uncle Felton paused, and his slow smile stretched once more across his features.
“Do not pretend you are not fascinated, Phineas. For purely academic purposes alone, I would have thought you would be interested to see your brother again. Do you truly not wish to see your family? Are you not tempted to see for yourself this great beauty, who we all have pinned our hopes on as the one who will finally wrangle your brother?”
“Ah…now you have gone and appealed to my curious nature,” Phineas answered as a laugh burbled from his lips. “I fear I will not be able to stay away from Bixby Hall now.”
“’Tis well that you should be there, Phineas,” Uncle Felton said as he came forward and put a hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “You may not believe that this marriage is right for Percival, but you should see how overjoyed your mother is by the prospect. She has arranged everything just so and is expecting a rather large, merry party. But our family will not be complete unless you agree to join us.”
“I shall endeavour to leave at once,” Phineas assured him. “I must make arrangements with the staff and of course, push appointments that have been scheduled with my practice, but I shall retire to the country, so I may celebrate my brother’s marriage. Ha!” He paused and shook his head. “It sounds so ridiculous. I can barely believe such words just flew right out of my mouth.”
