CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Giff was surprised, but not overly so, to see the same members of Alice's family as he had the first time he'd been invited to breakfast. She flashed him an apologetic smile while everyone said their greetings. Apparently, this gathering hadn't been planned. Still, he was happy they were all present. It would give him an opportunity to do what he had not done the last time. Come to know her better and her family. He might also have a chance to show her he deserved her notice as more than a friend.

The little boy—was his name Hugh?—who was always getting into trouble proudly escorted Alice into the breakfast room. However, he not being tall enough to pull out the chair ran into a bit of a problem in helping her take her seat.

"Allow me to assist you, if I may." Giff pitched his tone to be appropriately sober.

"Thank you, sir." The child inclined his head. "I will have to grow taller."

"I have no doubt that in a few years you will be as tall as your father."

Hugh's grave demeaner slipped as he grinned. "I will leave you to it."

The adults at the table as well as Ladies Mary and Theo were doing a credible job of not laughing.

"I had no idea everyone would be here this morning. I do not even know why they are here," Alice whispered as Giff held Alice's chair and he pushed her toward the table.

Worthington helped his lady take her seat, and said, "In my study after we break our fast."

"What will you be discussing?" Alice asked.

"The Enclosure Acts. Another one has been introduced," Worthington said. "There is a vote in the Lords this afternoon. We have been assembling supporters to defeat the bill."

Interesting. Naturally, Giff knew they took their positions in the Lords seriously, but he hadn't really understood how politically active they were and how they worked together gathering votes for their causes. He recalled Montagu telling Giff that it was a shame he was not a member of the Lords. He finally understood what his friend had meant. From some of the things Alice had said, Giff surmised she and her sisters were active in not only charities but politics as well.

As before, footmen came around with pots of tea for each of them, various types of eggs, meats, cheeses, fruits, and racks of toast. Alice selected a baked egg, ham, and a bowl of berries. He took a dish of buttered eggs, rare beef, and berries as well.

"Lord St. Albans," Lady Merton said. "I am having a political soirée next week. Would you be interested in attending?"

He swallowed a piece of toast. "I would. Although, I don't know what I can contribute."

She gave him a sly look. "You would be surprised. Lord Hawksworth, another duke-in-waiting, has become extremely politically active. He and his wife are attending. I will introduce you." She raised one black brow. "After all, you need not wait for your father to die to contribute to society."

"Dotty is known for plain speaking," Alice whispered.

Her ladyship looked like the type of person who would be straightforward. "That is good to know. Will you be at her soirée?"

"I do not know yet. Balls and other more social events are being given priority."

"These Enclosure Acts have got out of hand," Lady Kenilworth said. "There are thousands of them."

Giff knew how badly the laws had affected small farmers in Scotland, but he'd had no idea it was the same in England.

"You are correct, my lady." Giff was glad he could contribute. "The new farming methods have made them profitable for landowners and their tenants. The larger problem is that they are supposed to have been publicly debated and agreed to at the local level. I understand that requirement is being bypassed."

"Indeed, it is," Worthington said. "That is the case with this bill."

At the same time the adults were discussing politics, the children were holding their own conversation apart from the adults. But, somehow, neither discussion interfered nor interrupted the other. Occasionally, one of the adults would drop into the children's conversation to explain something or correct a misapprehension.

Alice pressed her lips together. "Forcing families to leave their homes because of these acts ought not to be allowed. There must be a way to pass a bill requiring landlords and even villages and small towns to take into account the harm the enclosure would cause and require them to ensure a family does not lose their home."

"That would certainly alleviate the hardship many of these acts are causing," Merton said.

"An excellent idea." Kenilworth lifted his cup to her. "Draft something, and we will see what can be done."

Giff was dumbstruck. He knew Alice had opinions on a number of subjects, but it never occurred to him her points would be taken so seriously by the gentlemen in her family. And to expect her to write up a proposal was a complete surprise.

"No, Wellington was the younger brother," Lady Mary said quietly correcting an assertion one of the children had made. She glanced up. "I find it shocking that such requirements can be disregarded."

"I agree," Lady Theo said.

Apparently, they had been following both discussions at the same time. Then again, nothing they did should surprise him.

Giff felt as if he'd entered a different world. At one point, Kenilworth caught Giff's eye and gave him a look that seemed to say he knew what Giff was feeling. It was no wonder Alice had not been interested in his attempts at gossip when she was engaged in much more serious subjects at the breakfast table. If all families did this, society would be in much better shape. He glanced around the table. If he could convince Alice to marry him, this is what their breakfast table would look like.

Ladies Mary and Theo were the first to rise. "Gideon, Elizabeth, and the rest of you must get ready for your lessons."

The children rose and started wishing their parents a good day. Lady Mary passed by Giff and Alice and under the guise of hugging her sister, slipped him a folded piece of paper. He'd like to know how she learned that trick.

Worthington stood. "It is time for our meeting."

The rest of the gentlemen kissed their wives, stood, and headed for the door.

"Do we have anything we need to discuss?" Lady Worthington asked.

The ladies shook their heads.

"Not at present," the Duchess of Rothwell said.

Lady Worthington rose. "In that case, we should be about our days."

Giff stood at the same time as Alice and held out his arm. She escorted him to the front door. "If you are going to Hatchards later this morning, I will see you there."

"I will be. I must become knowledgeable about the selling of produce and other things."

She grinned. "As long as you are not concerned with whisky, I have some expertise."

He bowed and took her hand. "Excellent. I'll see you there."

Having sent his carriage home, Giff decided to walk back to Cleveland House.

As soon as he entered his chamber, he opened the note Lady Mary had given to him and unfolded it.

Intelligent

Kind

Like house animals

Like children

Make us laugh, and think we are funny

Interested in the plight of the poor and unfortunate

Must support us in our charities and other ventures

Passable looking

Allow us to be ourselves

Be able to support a family

Must love us in return

Be a friend

Alice's list!

She'd been telling the truth when she said being a duchess or marrying a duke, or any peer for that matter, was not important to her. Giff fancied he met all the qualifications but one. Was he in love with her. He'd been in lust for a while, but even he knew that was not the same thing as love. How would he know? And could she love him? The only person he could talk to about it was his mother. Even though they didn't always agree, his parents did have a love match. That gave him pause. Why had he not wanted one when everyone in his family had married for love? He folded the paper and put it in a secret drawer in his desk, then went to his mother's parlor and knocked.

"Enter."

"Madainn mhath, Mamma."

"I see you are practicing your Gallic." She grinned. "Madainn mhath, bhobain."

He never knew if she was calling him her darling or her rascal. Both could apply at different times. "I need to know how I'll know if I'm in love."

She raised her brows. "Could we start at the beginning?"

He told her about being invited to breakfast and the conversations. "It was unusual, but right at the same time."

"Well, I am not surprised. If you were paying attention, you would have noticed the same thing going on at meals at your grandparents' table. Although, the voices were probably a great deal louder."

That was true. Everyone had their say at the tables. "You're right. I just took it for granted there. It seemed so different here."

She pressed her lips together. "I apologize for not setting the example. It was one of the subjects your father and I did not agree upon."

Although Scotland and England were supposed to be one country, it really was mixing two different cultures. "How did you decide whose traditions to use?"

"We sorted it out as we went along. For example, there is no point in trying to keep much of Hogmanay in England when one is doing it by oneself."

But they opened windows and burned herbs in the fireplaces. "We do chase out the evil spirits."

"Aye, that we do, but there's no dark-haired man to come to the door at midnight to give us luck."

Giff grinned. He usually remained home for Christmas and went to his grandparents for New Year's, and as a redhead, he was kept far away from the front door until the dark-haired man appeared. "We celebrate Christmas more than they do at my grandparents."

"I must confess, I did not mind adding the Christmas celebrations," she mused. "Enough of this for the moment. Tell me what has been going on?"

"We see each other at Hatchards a great deal and have been talking and helping one another. She knows a lot about estate management. Yesterday, she had questions about sheep I could answer."

His mother fixed him with a look. "This is a very strange courtship. You should send her flowers."

He returned her look. "I did. She was allergic to them." Thankfully her sister had told him. "I think I made it up to her by explaining how they came about."

With a wave of her hand, she asked, "What else do you do?"

"When it's not raining, we ride in the Park early in the morning. We both like to race."

"Do ye let her win?" Mamma's brogue became more pronounced indicating she was taking more interest.

"I don't have to. Her mare is equal to Hector." As Alice was equal to Giff.

"Ye have nay mentioned feelings. You have them aye? The sort a mon has for a lass?"

They were going to be speaking in Gallic if this kept up. "Most definitely."

She nodded. "Here's the most important question. Do ye want to see her every day even when yer angry at her?"

He'd never thought of that. His parents could have massive arguments and later he'd see them kissing. One time his father had searched the house until he found her just to ensure she was well. Giff knew he wanted to see Alice at the breakfast table. Each morning when they rode, he felt as if the day would be better. Even when she'd given him that set down, he wanted to see her again. "Yes. Yes, I do."

Mamma nodded sharply. "Then it seems to me you're in love with the lass."

"Thank you." He just needed to discover if she could love him in return. "I'll be at Hatchards."

* * *

Charlotte caught up to Alice as she reached the hall. "Lord St. Albans seemed to enjoy himself. I was rather shocked to see him here."

Considering the way she had felt about him before, that was not surprising. "He is much different than I thought he was."

Her sister linked arms with Alice, and they started toward the morning room. "What happened?"

That was a good question. "I am not quite sure. One day I told him he was not qualified to be my husband. The next day, he was in Hatchards. He was looking for a book, and we started talking. For the first time, he was not trying to tell me all the gossip he'd learned." He had, in short, been himself. "He told me he was glad I gave him a set-down. He had not liked reading the gossip either. We've started to become friends."

They entered the morning room and stood at the window watching Zeus and Posy play. "Do you see him frequently at Hatchards?"

Alice turned around and leaned against the window. "Yes. He recently inherited an estate from an uncle, and he needs to understand how to run it."

Her sister smiled. "And, naturally, you helped him."

Alice returned the smile. "It was the least I could do."

Con strolled into the parlor. "I thought I'd find you here." He kissed Charlotte on the cheek. "Take the carriage home if you wish. This meeting will take a while."

She nodded. "I will. We were discussing St. Albans."

"He made several good points on how we could combine the new farming methods without running off small farmers." Con rubbed his jaw. "We might not get them repealed. In fact, the Tories want to pass more enclosure laws. But at least we can limit the damage by talking with other landowners." Con glanced at Alice. "He was much more relaxed than the last time he was here."

"He was trying to find his way forward." Charlotte's attention was fixed on her husband.

"I know that feeling." Con raised her hand to his lips. "Sometimes it takes a while to get the lay of the land with this family." He turned to Alice. "Speaking of this family. Did you know that Mary and Theo are taking pickpocketing lessons?"

They had decided it might be a useful skill and one of the boys the family had taken in had made his living that way. "Yes. How did you know?"

He raised a brow and, in a tone as dry as sand, said, "She gave me back my watch."

"Oh, dear." Charlotte started to laugh. "I taught her how to pick locks as well."

"Good Lord." Con dropped his head into his palm. "There will be no stopping her."

"That is what you said about us," Alice reminded him.

"It is indeed." He headed for the door. "I will see you later, my love."

A marriage like theirs was what Alice wanted. Which reminded her she had to test Lord Normanby on the rest of the list. Unfortunately, she would not see him until tomorrow.