Chapter 11

Violet waited patiently for the carriage to come and collect her. She had chosen a simple blue dress with long puffed sleeves and a silver shawl to finish off the look. That moment between her and Greyson the evening before made her stomach flutter with nerves.

He'd outright said to her that he found her attractive. The thought made her blush again. Had he wanted to kiss her again before her mother had announced her presence?

Her thoughts were immediately drawn to the door as a lavish carriage rolled to a stop outside, causing her heart to skitter.

"He's here!" Her mother appeared out of nowhere, rushing to the window like a girl about to come out into Society.

"Honestly, Mama, you would think that he's here to pick you up," Violet drawled and then gave her a peck on the cheek, before tightening her shawl around her shoulders.

"Your mother is just excited to see you happy, as am I." Her father hiccupped slightly before coming to her mother's side and hugging her close.

"I feel like our baby girl is all grown up." Lady Blackwood dabbed at an invisible tear on her cheek, causing Violet to roll her eyes.

The show Lady Blackwood was putting on was worthy of a Covent Garden theater. It had, after all, been her idea that Violet use the services of Marie Webster. The theatrics were all entirely unnecessary now, in Violet's opinion.

She waited for the butler to open the door for her before stepping into the cool evening air. The sun was just about to set over the horizon, and the lamps hadn't been lit yet.

Her breath caught in her throat when she caught sight of Greyson in his evening tails. His black coat matched his black breeches and complimented the crisp white shirt he had chosen for the occasion.

His hungry gaze swept over her, lingering on her hips and chest, where she knew the cut of her dress fit perfectly. The rush of attraction came back to her as she recalled their passionate kiss and the way his hands roamed over her body. They'd have to be careful not to overstep the boundaries again while alone in the carriage.

A tall, lean man suddenly alighted from the carriage right after Greyson and greeted her with a bow. "You must be Lady Violet."

Disappointment washed over her as she looked to Greyson for an explanation.

Greyson tore his gaze away from her. "May I introduce my good friend, Stuart Whitworth, the Baron Arlington."

"I apologize, Lady Violet, I didn't mean to hide. I was momentarily distracted by something I had seen on the street."

Stuart seemed friendly enough as he bowed again, with one hand over his abdomen and the other behind his back.

Violet couldn't help but question her motives after feeling disappointed that Greyson had brought someone along with him. But she covered her disappointment up with a smile.

"Please, call me Violet. Greyson does." She offered her hand in a greeting, but Greyson stepped between them, holding her hand in his.

"I think Lady Violet will do," he said quickly, keeping her hand in his.

Stuart gave his friend a humorous look, as if he wanted to laugh. But he simply smiled instead. "Lady Violet it is, then. Shall we get going?" He walked around the carriage while Greyson helped her inside.

The pit of her stomach fluttered again when Greyson held her hand a little tighter and whispered in her ear, "I hope you don't mind, I thought having someone who could act as a chaperone would be a good idea."

Her lips parted slightly as his hot breath tickled her ear.

"That is quite all right."

She took the empty seat opposite Stuart, thinking that Greyson would sit beside him. To her great surprise, he sat beside her.

His friend seemed as if he were struggling so hard not to laugh as Greyson shot him a defiant look. Stuart cleared his throat and looked out the window just as tears began to well up in his eyes.

Violet felt a little strange and nervous after witnessing the interaction. Had Greyson said something to him about their kiss? Or was there another joke that she wasn't aware of?

"My mother is overjoyed to finally make your acquaintance," Greyson ventured after glaring at his friend.

"I'm sure I will love her company." She tried to relax in what seemed like a very tense situation.

Stuart continued to stifle his laughter, clearing his throat at regular intervals. "I think that Greyson will enjoy the evening more than anyone, won't you, Greyson?" His cheeks had begun to turn pink.

Clenching his jaw, Greyson narrowed his eyes. "I just hope you don't suddenly fall ill during the course of the evening, or else you'll need to be excused." His voice was stiff as he raised his eyebrows in a warning.

Turning her head away from them, Violet checked her reflection in the carriage window. There was some kind of joke that she wasn't privy to, and it was making her self-conscious.

* * *

Greyson regretted his decision to ask Stuart to join them. The carriage ride had been awkward and stiff, with his friend stifling his chuckles like a prepubescent boy at Eaton. He wasn't sure why Stuart was acting like that, but he would put a stop to it as soon as he had the chance to speak to him alone.

Violet looked like a vision in her dark blue dress. The color brought out the blue in her eyes in an intoxicating manner. The cut of her dress had inflamed his desire the second he'd seen her. He couldn't help but think of their kiss and his hands on her body. Stuart, however, was serving his purpose as a distraction.

The carriage eventually came to a stop in front of Montclair Manor. Greyson could see that Violet was impressed by the building, but she still seemed a little nervous. Waiting for her to alight from the carriage with the help of their butler, Greyson placed his arm over the door and stopped his friend.

"Just what are you doing?" he asked through gritted teeth.

Stuart shot him a puzzled look. "Getting out of the carriage. Was I supposed to be doing something else?"

"You know very well I was referring to your childish chuckling. What was so amusing, if I may ask? You were making Violet quite uncomfortable." Greyson narrowed his eyes at him.

"Don't you mean Lady Violet?" Stuart allowed an amused chuckle to escape his lips before he could help it.

He thinks I was jealous.

Greyson suddenly caught the joke and found himself even less amused. Stuart was laughing because he thought that Greyson had feelings for Violet.

"Don't make me send you back home in this carriage. You don't understand the situation. I can't have you calling Violet by her first name in front of my mother," he explained.

However, the truth was that he'd acted out of protectiveness more than anything else. Violet allowing his friend to call her by her given name was entirely too familiar for him.

"I'm all ears if you'd care to explain." Stuart pushed the tip of his tongue into his cheek the way that he did whenever he found something utterly amusing.

Greyson narrowed his eyes at his friend and hissed through his teeth, "I will explain when the time is right."

Lifting his eyebrows, Stuart smiled. "If that explanation is anything other than you have finally found a woman who has stolen your heart, then I will denounce you as a liar." He smirked and pushed past him, exiting the carriage.

Greyson took a deep breath and closed his eyes before shaking his head. Bringing his oldest friend along as a buffer may have been a mistake. Stuart could never resist a joke when he thought something amusing.

"Is anything the matter?" Violet asked from just outside the carriage.

Greyson looked back to see her standing alone in front of the steps. Stuart had hurried on ahead and now stood in front of the doors, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at Greyson.

I will kill him when I get my hands on him.

Greyson climbed out of the carriage and offered his arm to Violet, who seemed rather uncomfortable with everything. "Just a little friendly banter between old friends. You must forgive Stuart, he knows not how to behave in civilized society."

"Have you known him for very long?" She seemed to relax a little as she accepted his arm. The heavenly scent of her lavender perfume filled his nostrils once again.

This woman would honestly be the death of me.

He resisted the urge to lean closer and kiss her neck. The elegant dress she had chosen exposed the nape of her neck and a bit of her slender shoulders in a very alluring manner. Violet was honestly one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen, if not the most beautiful. He cursed fate for bringing her into his life as a match instead of a fling.

"We met at Eton when we were both gangly prepubescents. At least he was, I've always had a way with the ladies." He winked at her in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Violet smiled and bit her bottom lip so seductively that Greyson felt his breeches tighten.

"Is anything the matter?" She gave him a curious glance as they made their way up the stairs.

"Not at all, just a cramp in my leg from the carriage ride. Here's my mother." He quickly cleared his throat and drew her attention to the open doors, where his mother was waiting with open arms to welcome them.

"It's so lovely to finally meet you." She took Violet's hands in her own and kissed her cheeks as soon as they reached the threshold.

Blushing a little, Violet smiled. "Thank you for welcoming me into your home, Lady Montclair. Your estate is breathtaking."

The Dowager Countess swooned a little in the same manner that Violet's mother had done with Greyson. He could already see that she liked Violet a great deal more than what was good for their arrangement.

"I can see that my son's description of you didn't do you justice. You aren't just breathtakingly beautiful, you're kind and gentle. I can't tell you how much good it does my heart to have my son courting a lady like you." A few tears of gratitude brimmed in her eyes before she could blink them away.

"Come now, Mama, let us not overwhelm Violet before the food is even served."

Greyson stepped forward and took Violet's hand. He wondered if the contact had been too much when Violet gasped. The sound had been barely audible, but Greyson had heard it all the same.

His mother glanced from one to the other, a discerning look in her eyes, but she quickly plastered a smile on her face. "You're right, I'm not used to Greyson bringing such lovely company to see me. Let us go inside and have a glass of champagne to toast your arrival." She gestured for Violet to go inside but held her son back with a look.

"Is something the matter?" he asked her with a frown, hoping that she didn't secretly disapprove of the match.

"Nothing at all." Her smile grew warmer as she took his arm and led him inside. "You did good with this one. Hold on to her, I can already tell that she's a keeper," she whispered in his ear before letting go of his arm and joining the others.

Violet stood beside Stuart in the hall, laughing at something he had said. Acting on the same strange compulsion that had overtaken him in front of the carriage, Greyson instantly went to stand between them.

His mother seemed a little taken aback, and Stuart bit back his laughter.

"I… I think we should go into the dining room. The food is just about ready to be served if I am not mistaken?" She glanced at the butler, who gave her a polite nod in confirmation.

"Wonderful!" Stuart made them all jump as he clapped his hands together. He then turned to Violet with a teasing smile before glancing at Greyson. "I think that Violet can sit beside me. I promise to make you laugh all evening."

"I think my mother has already laid out the seating chart, Stuart. Don't let us mess up her plans." Greyson placed his hand on Violet's elbow and led her into the dining room before Stuart could come up with any more clever plans.

His friend's voice reached his ears even though he was whispering. "I think this is going to be a fun evening, don't you, Lady Montclair?"

"I really think it will," the Dowager Countess agreed, to Greyson's great annoyance.

He could understand that his mother was excited about meeting Violet, but his friend was being deliberately obtuse. Whatever had gotten into him would have to be snuffed out before things got out of hand. He glanced at Violet, who seemed to be enjoying herself, and he was once again struck by her beauty and elegance.

Why doesn't she want to be married?

He found himself wondering more about her, wanting to ask her about her past and what dreams she had for the future. Perhaps there would be an opportunity throughout the evening where he could have her all to himself.