Page 7 of The Uncompromising Marquess
“Must?” Joseph frowned. “Is there something the matter?”
Lord Wickton blinked, then frowned. “No, not in the least.”
“Then why must she be wed so quickly?”
The gentleman’s frown burrowed deeply into his forehead, only for his expression to clear as a smile spread across his face. “Ah, I see what you are thinking. No, it is quite the opposite of that. It is not because she has done anything wrong or becausethere is anything improper or the like. It is only because I myself am only just wed and should like very much to have my house and home kept for only my bride and me.”
“Ah.” Joseph gestured to Lord Stirling and Lord Chester. “It seems that both of these gentlemen are seeking a match this Season.”
“As are you!” Lord Stirling exclaimed, a red hue coming into his face. “Do not pretend we are the only ones seeking a match!”
Lord Wickton tilted his head as he regarded Joseph for a moment, only for him to shrug and smile. “I will let my sister make her own choice when it comes to who she marries.”
“You will say nothing about whichever gentleman she chooses?” Joseph asked, more than a little surprised that this gentleman would be so heedless of his own responsibilities. “When my sister was to marry, I made certain that I knew everything about the gentleman she was considering.”
Lord Wickton only smiled. “I trust her judgment. She is wise enough to know which gentlemen seek only her dowry and her fortune, for she does have one of her own. I will, of course, make certain that whoever she chooses is quite solvent and has a good character, but I will wait for her to come to me with her own thoughts on the matter. I want her to be happy, and this is the best way for such a thing to happen.”
Joseph was not certain what to make of this. When it came to Emily, he had told her which gentleman she was permitted to consider and those she was to stay back from. Never once had he thought to let her use her own judgment, believing her to be quite inept about such matters. She had even spoken about falling in love, which Joseph had considered to be nothing short of ridiculous. To hear Lord Wickton state that he trusted his sister’s wisdom was more than a little astonishing. Did he not fear that his sister might choose poorly? That her future would be tainted and broken because of his lack of oversight?
“I think that you must disagree with my desire to allow Prudence to do just as she thinks best, given the expression on your face,” Lord Wickton said lightly, as Joseph tried to quickly rearrange his look to one of nonchalance. “That is quite all right, Lord Applegate. I will not be insulted by your lack of approval.”
Was it just his ears or was there a hint of mockery there? A scowl threatened, but Joseph forced himself to remain outwardly steady, not wanting to make an enemy of Lord Wickton. “But of course.”
Lord Wickton’s expression brightened, and for a moment, Joseph thought that he had responded to him with that look, only for three ladies to come to join them. Joseph was forced to take a step back, his eyebrows lifting in surprise as he noted that two out of the three ladies were ones he had met previously. They were the ladies who had been standing about most irritatingly when he had been trying to reach Lord Chester. The flicker of recognition in one of the lady’s eyes told him that she knew precisely who he was as well.
“Lord Applegate, might I present my wife, Lady Wickton?”
The lady curtsied, although her smile was a little thin.
“My sister, Lady Prudence,” Lord Wickton continued, as a lady with light brown curls and sparkling blue eyes smiled and then curtsied beautifully.
“And my wife’s cousin, Lady Florence, daughter to the Earl of Grangemouth. To you all, this is the Marquess of Applegate.”
“Good evening,” Joseph murmured, bowing low and finding a sense of niggling embarrassment in his chest that refused to go anywhere. It was not often that he felt any sort of humiliation, but being introduced to the ladies he had spoken to so sharply was making him feel a little ill at ease, although there was no reason for him to feel so. Trying to cast it aside, he cleared his throat, noting how Lord Chester was smiling lightly at Lady Prudence. Inwardly, he set Lady Prudence aside as someone hemight consider, thinking to himself that she would have been best not to return Lord Chester’s smile with such a warm one of her own. That might be considered a little forward, a little flirtatious, even.
“Should you like to dance this evening, Lady Florence?” Lord Stirling smiled at the lady, but there was no corresponding look in return. Instead, Lady Florence appeared almost terrified, given the way her eyes rounded and her face paled.
“I – I… why yes, of course.” A trembling hand took the dance card from her wrist as she handed it to Lord Stirling, who did not appear to be in the least bit aware of the worry that was in the lady’s voice. Joseph’s lip curled. Lady Florence clearly lacked confidence in dancing, which meant that she was not someone that he wouldeverconsider.
“And might I have your dance card thereafter?” Lord Chester asked, before turning his attention to Lady Prudence. “Lady Prudence, might I beg for your own dance card? I should very much like to dance with you both this evening.”
“Oh, how very kind.” Lady Prudence slipped her card from her wrist with ease, composed and calm. “Thank you, Lord Chester.” She handed it to him quickly, only for her gaze to cast itself upon Joseph himself.
He frowned.
There was, of course, the societal expectation for him to ask the ladies to dance also. It was, no doubt, what the ladies here were now waiting for, but Joseph was not inclined towards dancing, not when he had no interest in either Lady Prudence or Lady Florence. Pulling his gaze away from Lady Prudence, he looked over Lord Wickton’s shoulder to the crowd beyond, hoping his disinterest would make it quite clear as to what his intentions were.
“Oh, I am sorry.”
His attention was caught by Lady Florence, who had managed to drop her dance card to the floor. Her face filled with color.
“Forgive me, Lord Chester, it was my fault, I – oh!”
Joseph’s eyebrows threw themselves towards his hairline as Lady Florence smacked her head off Lord Chester’s forehead, for they had both bent to pick up the dance card from the floor. Lady Florence was scarlet-faced now, her hand pressed above her eyebrow as Lord Chester rubbed at his forehead. He was apologizing profusely whilst Lady Florence did the same, being comforted by Lady Wickton. Without waiting to see more, Joseph turned on his heel and walked away from the group, making his way through the crowd and far from the unfolding scene.
Lady Florence had been in the wrong, of course. She ought not to have bent to pick up the dance card, although she had been quite careless to let it drop to the floor in the first place! Joseph shook his head as he picked up a brandy from a footman’s tray, choosing to make his way to the shadows of the ballroom so he might contemplate on what he had just witnessed and on the challenge that now faced him. In one evening, he had been introduced to two eligible young ladies but had found both to be quite unsuitable. Lady Prudence had been interested in Lord Chester’s attentions – a trifle too overtly for Joseph’s liking – and Lady Florence had been ungainly in her manner, injuring both herself and Lord Chester. Neither young lady could be considered, he decided, for both were not at all suitable.
I must admit that she was rather pretty.
