Page 50 of The Most Eligible Lord in London
“I understand.” Lord Quartus bowed as they took their places in the set. “They are happy tears. My sisters get them as well.”
“Yes.” She was relieved when the dance began. Still, what Will had said made her feel much more secure. For the first time in a long while, she was glad he was her brother. Maybe rakes were not as horrible as she thought. Perhaps Will could explain more about them. “I do not remember seeing you before. Have you just arrived in Town?”
“Actually, yes. I was assisting one of my brothers, and Hawksworth, my eldest brother, invited me to visit him for a while.”
“He is married to Meg Featherton, is he not? Her sister is my very close friend.”
“Indeed he is. I have to say, I think the Feathertons are an excellent family.”
Adeline did not know much about the rest of the family, but Georgie and her parents were wonderful people. Then Adeline remembered what her friend had said about her sister helping her husband’s family.
When Lord Quartus returned Adeline to her circle, Littleton was there, and for some unknown reason, her heart beat faster.
“Lady Adeline.” He smiled and bowed. “I hope you are having a delightful evening.”
“I am.” He was up to something. She knew it in her bones. As much as she enjoyed his company, she could not bring herself to trust him. “What are you doing here? Our dance is not for more than another hour.”
“I saw Miss Hanson and Miss Tice, and I decided I was safer in your company.” She half-expected he was joking, but the dimple did not appear in the strong, lean planes of his face, and his eyes were not twinkling.
“I see.” She let him take her hand and kiss it. His lips touched the thin kid of her gloves, and she could have sworn they burned through to her skin. Why did he affect her like this? “Were you able to find another gentleman for Miss Tice?”
The dimple came out as the corners of his lips rose. “I did. I found two. One to the north of Turner’s estate and one to the west. But only Mr. Fitzwalter is in Town. He is the heir to Lord Fitzwalter.”
Adeline had never heard of the man, but that did not mean much. “Is he here this evening?”
“At this ball?” Lord Littleton shook his head and appeared regretful. “No. Although I have it on good authority that he will be at Lady Wall’s entertainment.”
“Let us hope he and Miss Tice take a liking to each other.” Then Adeline would only have to worry about Miss Hanson.
“I’m not at all sure it matters to Miss Tice who she weds.” His voice was drier than dust. “As long she resides close to her friend.”
“I believe you are correct.” Adeline felt her nose wrinkling and rubbed it. “Still, one can be optimistic about the matter. After all, she will have to live with whoever she marries and not Miss Martindale.”
“Well said,” Lord Littleton drawled. “If only he’d done something horrible to me, I wouldn’t feel bad at all about sacrificing him. But needs must, and it will not hurt him to attend a few”—he seemed at a loss for words—“more sedate entertainments.”
“Now we just have to find someone for Miss Hanson.” Adeline thought back, trying to remember with whom the lady had recently danced. One gentleman stood out, but she did not think she could recommend him even to a lady as coldhearted as Miss Hanson. Oh, well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. “What do you think of Lord Lytton?”
“Not much.” The distain on Littleton’s face took her aback. “Aside from that, he’d never marry the daughter of a Cit.”
“Are you certain?” Many gentlemen felt the same, but it did not make sense. “He has danced with her more than once.” Unlike ladies, gentlemen did not have to dance with a lady.
He shook his head. “I don’t know why he has, but he is too puffed up in his own consequence to marry her.”
“Well, bother.” Adeline scanned the room for other likely prospects. “We will have to think of someone else.”
“I have no doubt her father wants to buy her a title. From what I understand, he was surprised that when he married so far above his station it did not provide him the entrance into Polite Society he wanted.”
“I do not understand why he thought it would.” That was it. Adeline was going to stop trying to make sense of what people did. “Was she ostracized?” That is what usually happened when the daughter of a peer married out of her social class.
“No. Her father didn’t have a feather to fly with, and she did not take during her two Seasons, as her family wished. I don’t know exactly how the marriage was arranged, but I believe it had something to do with a friend of the earl’s who knew Hanson. To make a long story short, they wed, and her family benefited greatly. Lady Cornelia’s younger sisters were able to marry well, and esteemed her for their good fortune. Despite everything, the marriage turned out well. Miss Hanson is a considerable heiress as well, having a large dowry.”
That explained why the lady was accepted by Polite Society. Not for her money, of course, but her family connections. But what a font of information Littleton was. “How do you know all this?”
His eyes twinkled and he grinned. “My mother.”
“How very helpful.” He placed Adeline’s hand on his arm and moved her a little away from her circle . . . actually, their circle. He knew and was accepted by all the gentlemen. “My mother could recite the history of a bill being presented to the Lords, but has no real interest in other matters.” Such as marital prospects. Though Mama would discover all she needed to know if anyone asked for Adeline’s hand.
“It is satisfying to be able to have one’s questions answered.” He’d moved closer to her, and warmth radiated from his large body. “My interest in bloodlines and other matters tend to be limited to animal husbandry.”
