Chapter Two

S ilas readied himself for dinner with the help of his valet. He had enjoyed the first gathering of the guests at tea and made certain that he joined the small group seated with Miss Lyric when the teacarts arrived. Lord Lamkin and Lord Tillings had joined him, as had Miss Markle and Miss Bancroft. Lamkin was cheerful as always, and he and Miss Markle seemed to be drawn to one another. Silas had danced with Miss Markle twice during the Season and found her a bit too talkative for him.

As for Tillings and Miss Bancroft, they were both very quiet when tea began. He and Miss Lyric had spent teatime trying to draw each out of their shells. He had known of Tillings at Eton, but the future viscount had chosen to attend Oxford, while Silas had gone to Cambridge. The past few years, the crowd Silas had run with was far too boisterous for the likes of Tilling. Yet Silas now enjoyed the conversation he had with the viscount, as well as Miss Bancroft.

He had never seen her before. Or rather, he had never noticed her before. She mentioned that she had been out for three Seasons now. He assumed because of her looks that she had gathered with the other wallflowers at the far end of ballrooms, a group he had always avoided. Yet, Miss Bancroft surprised him. She was quite witty and well-read. Silas regretted having been so shallow as to judge women strictly on their attractiveness.

At least she and Tillings opened up some, and he hoped they might find common ground. Miss Markle began telling the pair of a carriage ride gone awry in Hyde Park.

Which allowed him time to speak with Miss Lyric.

He had boldly declared his interest in her when she escorted him to his bedchamber and was glad he had, especially seeing the gentlemen the Duke and Duchess of Seaton had invited to the house party honoring the duke's cousins. All the men were intelligent and handsome. Silas knew, despite his reserved nature, Tillings would be on the hunt for a wife. He assumed the same of Motley, who had been widowed when his wife died in childbirth.

As far as Lamkin was concerned, the earl was always popular at gatherings and may well have been invited merely for his outgoing nature and sense of humor, though Silas had heard rumors that Lamkin's mother wanted her son to wed. The guest who surprised him most was his former close friend, Lord Carroll, who was known for seducing women and his abilities to tell a story better than most. Carroll was the last man Silas would have expected at a house party, simply because they had the reputation of being a hotbed for betrothals. The last thing the Earl of Carroll searched for was a wife.

While Carroll might not be interested in settling down anytime soon, it was a strong possibility with the other three gentlemen. All had good qualities and would make for respectable husbands. If they vied for Miss Lyric's hand, he would have stiff competition. It made him doubly glad to have let her know of his interest in her.

Silas did not expect to make a love match with Lyric Strong, but he was definitely attracted to her. He thought they could make a solid marriage and be respectful of one another. She had a large family who obviously supported her, and he—being an only child—was curious to witness the dynamic between her and those family members present. Miss Lyric had spoken of her aunt's desire for her niece to wed her choice of gentleman.

Silas wanted to be the man she selected.

He tied his own cravat now, something he preferred to do, and then dismissed his valet. At tea, he had learned tonight would be a typical evening, dinner followed by the ladies entertaining them in the drawing room with their musical prowess. He hoped if he were not seated next to Miss Lyric at dinner, that he could sit with her later in the evening.

Tomorrow, they were to go riding and see a bit of the area. Tea would take place that afternoon on the terrace, and then Her Grace had mentioned they would break into pairs for an evening of card play.

Silas intended to be by Miss Lyric's side every step of the way.

He wouldn't make a pest of himself, but he wanted to take every opportunity he could in order to get to know the serene beauty, as well as allow her to learn about him.

In the corridor, he came across Lord Motley and Lord Tillings, both leaving their bedchambers. The three of them went to the drawing room together, where they were to gather for a drink before going into dinner each night.

Motley explained, "I just came from seeing my daughter put to bed."

"You brought your child to a house party?" he asked, surprised by the admission.

"Viola and I are very close," the earl explained. "I have been both mother and father to her since I lost my wife. I think it was generous of the Seatons to allow me to use their nursery while I attend the house party."

"Are you looking for another wife?" Tillings asked quietly.

"I have made no secret of it," the earl said. "I am afraid I found too many of the women in town to be blinded by wealth and titles. While I do have both, I did not come across one whom I believed would accept Viola as her own."

"You must admit, Motley, that would be hard for a young woman," Silas pointed out. "Naturally, a woman would favor a child she birthed over a stepchild."

Motley's mouth set stubbornly. "If a woman cannot accept Viola completely, then she has no business being my wife."

Silas turned to Tillings. "Are you hoping to make a match at Shadowcrest, Lord Tillings?"

The viscount nodded nervously. "I am hoping to do so, my lord. I will confess that I do not care for the Season at all. Too many people. Too much noise. Too many judging others too quickly. My greatest hope is that in this type of environment, I might truly get to know a few ladies and see if one values privacy and family as much as I do."

Silas already knew Miss Lyric cherished family. She would look after Tillings and make certain he participated fully in the events planned during the house party. He seemed a decent sort, even if he were a bit too reserved. As for Motley, he was kind and intelligent. The fact he thought enough of his daughter to want to bring her with him spoke of how he, too, valued family. That would appeal to Miss Lyric, as well.

He realized the competition for her hand would be greater than he realized. He only hoped she wouldn't be drawn to the cheerful Lamkin, who made everyone feel special. Silas also felt the need to warn her about Carroll's wicked reputation, despite the fact they had once been close. It was because he knew Carroll so well that he wished to keep the earl away from Miss Lyric. How his former friend had been invited to such a party still seemed odd to him.

In the drawing room, he made a point to speak to the duke and duchess, who were talking with Mrs. Andrews and another fellow Silas recognized from the wedding.

"Good evening, Your Graces. Mrs. Andrews. And it is good to see you present, Mr. Strong."

"Likewise, Lord Blankenship," said Caleb Strong, cousin to His Grace and the steward at Shadowcrest. He had spoken briefly to Strong before he departed the wedding and liked the man a great deal.

Even though he wanted to focus on Miss Lyric, he said, "I was hoping I might spend an hour or two with you, Mr. Strong. My uncle, who served as my steward at Chase Oaks, passed away in early February. I have hired a new fellow, but he is a bit green. Might I ask you a few questions about how you manage things here at Shadowcrest over the course of the house party?"

Strong smiled. "While I would be happy to answer whatever you might ask, my lord, I do not want you to miss out on any of the festivities."

"I don't plan to," he said. "But there is always time before breakfast or even during breakfast itself. Do you take it at the house?"

"I do. Why don't we plan to meet in the breakfast room tomorrow morning. Is seven-thirty too early for you?"

Mrs. Andrews had told the guests that breakfast would be served buffet style in the drawing room each morning between nine and eleven. Meeting Caleb Strong even earlier and away from the others would be even better.

And still allow him to keep company with Miss Lyric during the meal.

"Not at all," he assured the steward. "I will see you at seven-thirty. Be prepared to be peppered with questions," he joked.

"It is wise to take an interest in your affairs in the country," the duke said. "Fortunately, I have my cousin to watch over things for me. It allows me to spend more of my time dealing with matters at Strong Shipping Lines."

He turned to the duchess. "I hear Your Grace has continued to run your own shipping line, even after marriage to His Grace."

The duchess smiled. "I have." She patted her belly. "But as you see, Lord Blankenship, I will soon have a little one who will keep me occupied a great deal. Thank goodness Her Grace here recently wed Captain Andrews. I have placed him in charge of Neptune Shipping and have begun teaching him everything Mr. Grant, my first husband, helped me to learn. I am passing along all my knowledge, and the captain is like a sponge, soaking it up. Soon, he will take on the brunt of the decisions and run Neptune for me."

"My husband will arrive at the end of the week," Mrs. Andrews said, love for him shining in her eyes. "He will meet with Her Grace about business, and he has promised to stay several days. Then we will return to town together once the guests depart."

"Will you spend most of your time in town now that you have wed?" he asked.

She nodded. "A good deal of it. Of course, we will always visit at Shadowcrest and retreat to my country estate, which is but ten miles from here. Thank goodness my twins wed men who live fairly near Shadowcrest. Hopewood is the next estate over, and the two properties share the lake we will be visiting later this week. Edgefield is in Surrey and only about an hour away."

"That is convenient for you, Mrs. Andrews," Silas said.

She laughed. "I only hope the rest of my four girls will make love matches with men who are a day's carriage ride away. Or less."

He couldn't help but wonder if that had been part of the criteria for being invited to this exclusive house party. If so, it was the only reason to explain Lord Carroll's presence, with Carrollwood being located in East Sussex.

"I do thank you, Your Graces, for including me as a guest this week."

The duchess smiled fondly at him. "You are August's friend, so you are almost like family to us, my lord. We are happy you could visit with us during this time, but please, go and converse with some of the other young people."

Silas excused himself and headed directly to Miss Lyric, who stood with her twin, Lord Carroll, Lady Lida, and Miss Markle. He slipped in next to her, listening to the conversation. A footman circulated, distributing flutes of champagne. When everyone had one, the Duke of Seaton claimed their attention.

"Thank you all for coming to our house party honoring my cousins, Allegra and Lyric Strong. They were raised in this very household, alongside my four sisters, and they are looked upon more as siblings than cousins. If you have need of anything at all during your stay at Shadowcrest, please let Her Grace or Mrs. Andrews know."

The duke raised his glass. "To family—and my beloved cousins, Lyric and Allegra."

Silas downed his champagne, understanding more and more how family was at the center of the Strongs. He had been ignored by his own mother and father and never felt they loved him. He had seemed more of an inconvenience to them. Yet this family he now visited treasured their family connections and seemed to pull in others to their orbit, as they had August when he wed Lady Georgina.

Could he be comfortable in such a situation? Would Miss Lyric even consider him marriage material with his lack of family?

The butler announced it was time to go into dinner. Without hesitating, he offered his arms.

"Miss Allegra? Miss Lyric? Might I escort both of you to dinner?"

The twins placed their hands lightly on his forearms. When Miss Allegra touched him, it was as always when he politely guided a woman to a room, a buffet line, or the dance floor.

He felt nothing.

Yet when Miss Lyric's fingers grazed his sleeve, Silas came alive, an electricity filling his body. Heat surged through him, and the need to kiss her completely filled him.

He only hoped she felt a smidgeon of what he did. If so, he was bound to find success in his pursuit of her.