Page 31 of A Duke's Overlooked Spinster
He looked at himself in the looking glass, studying the effect of the outfit. He had dressed carefully for the music concert that they would attend in Bath that evening. He had chosen a blue velvet coat, fashionably cutaway in front and with long tails. His knee-breeches were a darker blue and they were fastened over clean white stock. His shirt-collar was high, reaching his jawline, and the wide cravat filled the space in the opening of the coat. He looked quite fashionable.
“Not bad,” he said.
He shook his head at himself, amused, and went to the door that led into the central room of the suite. It was empty. His mother had started dressing half an hour earlier, and she was already prepared and sitting in the drawing-room with the other guests, waiting for him. He tiptoed to the room where Henry slept and peered in. Mrs. Wellman was sitting in a chair by the fire, and Robert guessed she had fallen asleep, because she did not see the door open. Henry was in bed, his eyes shut, his breath steady.
“Goodnight, little one,” he whispered from the doorway, and then closed it as silently as he had opened it and tiptoed away.
As he wandered to the drawing room, recollections of the morning filled his mind. He recalled Henry, presenting his gift to Miss Brooke, and how delighted she had seemed with it. Seeing the way she accepted—no, cherished—his son filled him with tenderness and joy. He had not realized how much he had missed that; how much he had wanted that for his son. Mrs. Wellman was excellent at taking care of him, but she was strict and distant in ways that Miss Brooke never was. Miss Brooke opened her heart to the boy without reserve and Henry clearly opened his heart to her, too.
And she is good company, too,he thought with a grin. He had enjoyed talking to her at the Baths, and at the Pump Room as well. She was amusing, intelligent and intriguing. He blinked as the thought of Elizabeth filled his mind and he hastily pushed the images of Miss Brooke away. Despite a feeling that perhaps Edward was right, and that Elizabeth would truly not mind, he could not allow the feelings permission. Not yet.
“Son! There you are!” his mother greeted him as he wandered into the drawing room. She was sitting by the fire on the chaise-longue, Lady Marina on her left and Lady Bardwell on her right. Lord Bardwell was seated beside her. Robert drew in a breath and bowed. He itched to look around the room to see if Miss Brooke was there, but his mother commanded his attention.
“Good evening, Mama,” he said quietly. “Good evening, Lady Marina. Lady Bardwell. Lord Bardwell,” he added, bowing to each of them in turn.
“Good evening,” Lady Marina greeted him.
“Well, we’re all here,” Lord Bardwell said, good-naturedly. “Shall we go down to the coach?” He looked at Robert, one brow raised as if awaiting a reply from him.
Robert looked at his mother confusedly.
“Mama...should we not travel in our own coach?” Robert asked swiftly, his heart thudding. If they went with Lord and Lady Bardwell, he would miss the chance of perhaps being seated beside Miss Brooke. He would have no chance to look for her, since his mother—and Lady Bardwell—would ensure that he could not wander off.
“Oh, no, son!” his mother smiled. “Lord Bardwell has a Landau. There is more than enough room in there for all of us.”
Robert bit his lip. There was nothing whatsoever that he could reply to that. He inclined his head to Lord Bardwell.
“It is very kind of you to take us,” he said politely.
“Oh, it is nothing, Your Grace. Think nothing of it.” He smiled.
Robert tried to ignore his anger at his mother and stood back for the ladies to exit the drawing room. They all wandered down the stairs to the front garden.
“I cannot wait to see the Assembly Rooms!” Lady Marina said with a wide smile. “Bath is so fashionable. And very beautiful too.”
“It is,” Robert agreed. He wished he could think of something to say. It was simple, talking to Miss Brooke. He never even had to try. But with Lady Marina, who never really said anything other than make polite comments on the scenery or the destination, he had no idea what was appropriate. He felt as though she had a script, and he was supposed to know his lines.
“Well, here we are!” Lord Bardwell said, gesturing them to the waiting coach. “The sooner we alight, the sooner we will be at the concert.”
“Oh, Papa! I am filled with anticipation!” Lady Marina gushed. Robert could not help thinking she sounded a little insincere.
They drew up at the Assembly Rooms just twenty minutes later. The chandeliers were lit, the candlelight intense after the evening darkness. Robert blinked and stared up, marveling at the grandeur of the place. He was largely inured to the exquisite details of luxurious interiors—he had been in so many. But the Assembly Rooms, he had to admit, were impressive. They were led by a man in black livery into a room with a chandelier suspended high overhead, a pianoforte set out at the front of a semicircle of elegant wooden padded chairs. Robert allowed Lady Marina to guide him to a seat, aware of his mother on his right, ensuring that he remained at Lady Marina’s side.
“This is the best seating,” Lady Marina said swiftly. She led them to the second row from the front, directly behind the pianist. “Here, we shall be able to hear—but not too loudly—and to see her hands on the keys.”
“You are right, Marina,” his mother said warmly. “How well-versed you are in these things.”
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Lady Marina said humbly.
Robert ignored the interchange, which he was sure his mother had instigated to show how socially aware Lady Marina was, and sat down beside Lady Marina. His mother settled on his other side, and Lord Bardwell sat on the aisle seat. Robert twisted his head, looking to the door for Miss Brooke. He still had no idea if she was going to attend the concert.
He saw a group of people come through—Victoria and James, Philipa and Charles, and Lady Amelia and her parents were among them. His heart sank. Miss Brooke was not there.
“Mama! Robert,” Victoria greeted them, grinning as she took the seat directly behind Robert. “I take it you are looking forward to the music? Good evening,” she added, acknowledging Lady Marina and her parents. Victoria was wearing a blue dress, the muslin decorated with gauze and the neck a low “v” shape. Her dark hair was styled into a chignon and decorated with tiny sparkling silver-ended pins that caught the candlelight discreetly. James, sitting beside her, grinned at Robert.
“You weren’t too impressed by the Bath water, eh?” he asked. “Bath water,” he added, laughing. “By which I do not mean the water out of a bath.”
Robert shrugged. “I was impressed enough,” he added.
