Nicholas nodded. “Grandmother, may I ask you a question?”
“Why! Of course, Grandson. Please, ask away! There is nothing that I wouldn’t tell you, should I be endowed with the right knowledge to do so.”
“Thank you, Grandmother.” Nicholas smiled. Ever gracious and elegant, Grandmother’s way of putting things was always somewhat exaggerated. He knew her and appreciated it.
“Well? Nicholas?” she asked promptingly, pouring more teafor them both.
“Thank you,” he murmured as she filled the cup in front of him. “It’s about Grandfather and what he said yesterday when he requested a private talk with me. Would you know anything about what he told me then?”
His grandmother bit her lip, evidently thinking. She tilted her head. “It depends,” she hedged. “I know it ought to have something to do with the future Lady Lockwood. But more than that, I cannot tell you, Grandson. I do not know.”
“Oh.” Nicholas felt his frown deepen. “I thank you,” he added, grateful she had known that much and chosen to divulge that fact to him. “Grandfather hasn’t...planned anything for me, has he? Anything big?” Nicholas tilted his head, thoughtfully. She frowned.
“Big? No, I don’t think so.” She leaned back in the chair, her lovely face suddenly more deeply lined as she frowned. Her eyes were grayish-brown, somewhere between the hazel of Father’s and Grandfather’s deep brown. She looked at Nicholas, a line between her brows as she thought. “No. Nothing I know of, Grandson,” she said after a long moment. “I know he wants you to attend more parties.”
“I know.” Nicholas sighed. “He told me. I don’t know what he wants from me.” His hands twisted in his hair as he leaned forward. He felt desperate.
Grandmother smiled. “A fine young fellow like you should have no trouble with the ladies. A titled, noble young man with wealth and a fine reputation? You will bowl the ladies over atAlmack’s, I tell you that.”
Nicholas smiled sadly. Even Grandmother hadn’t said that he was handsome. In a way, he was reassured. He could believe what she said, since she was clearly not trying to comfort him.
“Mayhap, Grandmother. But precious few of them have been bowled over. And Grandfather is angry with me about it.” He sighed again. It was not exactly fair. What was he supposed to do? Ladies were intimidated by his scar. He had to do twice as much work to secure dances at the Assembly than anyone else he knew, and even then, some women claimed their dance-card was full before he’d even had a chance to do more than introduce himself.
“Your grandfather has a temper.” She shook her head, as if she was speaking of a minor, if annoying, fact like the day being too warm.
“He does,” Nicholas agreed sorrowfully. He leaned back, his gaze moving around the drawing room.
“Do have some more tea, Nicholas, dear. And tell me about the ball. I want to hear all about it.”
Footsteps in the hallway interrupted his stammered description of the ballroom and the guests. Nicholas turned round to see the butler in the doorway. The butler bowed, looking uncomfortable.
“My lady? My lord? The earl has returned from Town.”
“Oh. Send him in, do!” Grandmother commented, giving aregal gesture with her hand. “Tell him Nicholas is here and wishes to talk with him.” She turned to Nicholas. “That is so?”
Nicholas swallowed and nodded.
“Agatha?” Grandfather’s voice called from in the hallway. “Grandson!” Grandfather strode in, his eyes wide and round in a look that meant either anger or surprise—Nicholas was never sure, though he’d seen it used for both eventualities often enough. “Why! Nicholas. This is unexpected.”
“I wanted to speak with you, Grandfather.”
“Well, that’s a coincidence, because I wanted to speak with you as well.” Grandfather inclined his head. Nicholas thought the look was surprise rather than anger.
“Rowell...let Nicholas drink tea,” his grandmother interposed gently. “Then you two may speak as much as you like. I’ll retire to my parlor to sew, and you may speak as freely as you wish.”
“In a moment, Agatha,” Grandfather grunted.
Nicholas drank his tea, watching his grandmother smile and talk about the theater. She could almost have been doing it to annoy Grandfather—he could see the older man becoming more red-faced and impatient with each second that she stayed there. But nobody could have said for sure whether she was deliberately annoying him or not.
“Well, excuse me,” Grandmother said after a conversation about the latest performance ofHamletat the HaymarketTheater. “I will go upstairs and rest. I’ll see you soon for tea,” she added to Nicholas, who inclined his head politely. Grandmother drifted out, leaving an awkward silence behind.
“So, Nicholas,” Grandfather said after a moment, leaning back on the wingback chair to Nicholas’ left. “I have some good news for you.”
“What news, Grandfather?”
“I have found a lucky woman. Miss Rowland will be your new countess. You’ll meet her tonight.”
“What?” Nicholas spluttered. He couldn’t have heard correctly. Grandfather couldn’t have meant it. He must mean he wanted Nicholas to meet his new countess soon. He didn’t mean...what Nicholas had thought he meant. “What did you say?”
