Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

“ A nother visitor?”

Lloyd’s lips twitched as he offered a nod before lifting a vase of lilies. “Indeed. And these have come for Lady Charlotte as well. Where should I put them?”

Checking his pocket watch, Adrian scowled.

There was no reason for a suitor to come by when visiting hours were about to come to an end. Lloyd had told the man, but apparently, he was adamant about spending whatever time he could with Charlotte.

“And they’re in the gray receiving room?”

“Yes, just up the stairs to your right,” Lloyd said in a teasing tone, since they both knew Adrian was familiar with every room in this house.

However, Adrian had to admit that he wasn’t familiar with the gray receiving room. Neither the gray nor the blue receiving room, really. He didn’t typically stay behind for visiting hours when he was in London. It would be ridiculous for anyone to call on him.

Which is why they are here for Charlotte.

Adrian knew this, and he tried to drill it into his mind. This wasn’t about him. It was all for Charlotte.

This was what he wanted. What they all wanted.

His stomach clenched at the thought of her giving her full attention to other gentlemen, smiling at them and laughing at their jokes and accepting their flattery. She was smart enough to know it was all false, wasn’t she? Certainly, she was too clever for every other man in London. None of them deserved her. Why she wasted her time with them…

Those thoughts of his were leading him into dangerous and unfamiliar territory. Yes, Adrian wanted those other gentlemen to court her. It wasn’t as though he were about to court her. Simply because he had grown used to her company didn’t mean he felt any differently than when he had grudgingly agreed to help his aunt.

Besides, he had spent a lot of time with Charlotte of late. It was good to put some distance between them.

For the past week, since the ball, Adrian had found himself teaching Charlotte more about navigating the layers of polite conversation and what to do about veiled threats or insults.

Clever, little chit absorbed it quickly once she understood what she could get away with saying in polite company. A natural, along with so many other fine talents of a proper lady. She’ll easily be able to marry a peer. An earl, perhaps. A duke if one was available.

Adrian supposed he was the only unmarried duke at the moment and banished the connection from his mind as he treaded quietly to the gray receiving room and looked through the slightly open door.

There sat Charlotte, looking lovely as ever, though he noted the tiredness in her eyes and the strain in her smile.

She was tired. It made sense; they’d spent much of yesterday practicing riding a horse sidesaddle, and she had been busy receiving suitors for the past couple of days. In came one gentleman the moment another was taking his leave.

This wasn’t the first day that Bradford House had been swarmed by suitors. Nor did Adrian expect it to be the last. Charlotte had begun garnering attention; there were even columns about her in the gossip rags. All complimentary, of course. He couldn’t imagine what he would do if they dared print something that disparaged her and all the hard effort he had put into making her a proper lady.

“Your Grace.”

He met her gaze, caught. He hadn’t meant to join them, but his attempt at hiding in the shadows had not been enough.

Adrian composed himself and entered, letting the three men and two matrons quickly go through minute introductions and greetings that he paid little mind to.

“Good afternoon, everyone,” he offered quietly in return. One of the men, Lord Henry Treefall, was sharing the same settee as Charlotte. Adrian glared at the man until the rotund scoundrel bounced to his feet. “The hour grows late, I’m afraid. I believe visiting hours are coming to a close, are they not?”

An observation that no one dared counter.

Those not already on their feet darted up, nodding about like ducks as they squawked their farewells and began to take their leave. The noise only further exacerbated his annoyance.

Charlotte too must be annoyed based on her pursed lips. She said her farewell before crossing the room to Adrian. As the others disappeared and Lloyd arrived with a maid to clear away the tea service, Charlotte crossed her arms over her chest.

“That was too much,” she said tartly.

“The tea? I agree. Next time––”

“No, you. You just scared them all away!” she huffed in exasperation.

Taken aback by her attitude, Adrian couldn’t help but scoff. “Don’t be absurd. I merely stated a fact.”

“No, you as good as ordered them out the door. They had only just arrived, Your Grace,” she added acidly. “Why do you do this every day? Every time I catch the attention of a decent gentleman, you are here forcing him out the door.”

“I’m only ensuring they observe decorum,” Adrian argued. “One of them didn’t even bring a chaperone. It’s unseemly.”

“You’re unseemly,” she shot back.

“No, that’s not possible. I’m a duke.”

“Yes, a duke scaring away anyone who might wish to be my friend, let alone court me,” she drawled, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “You told me on Monday not to smile so much. Tuesday, you told me to stop finding an excuse to touch a man’s arm. Now, what? You won’t let them have a minute of my time?”

Struggling to find a more reasonable excuse, Adrian huffed. “I didn’t like them. They either have too many debts or too many chins. You wouldn’t have cared for them.”

“I don’t care for any of them because I don’t wish to marry,” Charlotte pointed out. “But aren’t these supposed to be my decisions to make?”

His mouth opened and closed. She did have a point. Only, he didn’t wish to admit that. Grunting, he noted how close they were for him to see the light blush on her cheeks as she stared back at him. He took a step back, taking with him the scent of her sweet perfume—roses and cardamom.

Perhaps she has a point. I don’t want her here forever, do I?

“Fine,” Adrian said, at last. “I’ll keep my distance. Tomorrow, I won’t even make an appearance. If that is what you wish.”

“Of course, it is what I wish!” she cried out.

He scowled. “Fine.”

“Fine.”

“I said, fine,” he uttered and left the room before she could throw any more words back in his face.

He thought he heard something hard hit the door once he reached the hall, but he kept walking and didn’t look back.

He didn’t want her, after all. He didn’t care who she married. She could wed a butcher or fishmonger for all he cared.

But Adrian was still trying to tell himself this the following day when visiting hours began again.

There were three carriages waiting in the street from the moment the hours began, the gentlemen vying to be the first visitor with Charlotte that morning.

Adrian saw it from his window and paced back and forth in disgust.

Half-dressed for the day, he had already attended to several matters in his study before bathing and beginning to dress for the afternoon. Over by the bed stood his valet, barely suppressed impatience etched on his brow. Lionel had already prepared the lengthy cravat to tie around Adrian’s neck like a noose. But upon hearing the commotion at the front of the house, Adrian had needed to take a look out the window.

“Your Grace?” Lionel prompted after watching him pace back and forth for a good minute. “Shall I dress you so you might join your guests?”

“They’re not my guests,” Adrian said shortly.

His valet had the decency to still sound polite. “Certainly, Your Grace. If you are not needed, why don’t you enjoy a brisk ride about town? Perhaps your energy could be put to good use. It might put you in a good humor.”

The very notion made Adrian snort and shake his head. A good humor? That was a terrible jest. No, he couldn’t very well manage that. Not at a time like this.

Can’t he see I’m busy? Aunt Theodosia is hardly paying these suitors any mind. I told her she must be in attendance today, but what if she isn’t? What if she ignores what is said to Charlotte or what they might insinuate? She’s clever, but she doesn’t understand everything.

The minutes dragged on. Lionel took his leave at one point, deciding to polish his Hessians while Adrian made his decision about which waistcoat to wear. Everything remained as it was until Lionel returned.

Huffing, the valet stepped in Adrian’s path, pausing his pacing. “There is no one outside at the moment,” he pointed out. “Whatever are you doing, Your Grace?”

Merely stepping around him, Adrian replied gruffly, “Pacing, am I not?”

“Pouting is more like it,” Lionel muttered under his breath, but Adrian was too consumed by his thoughts to bother with a sharp retort. “Your Grace, surely you cannot stay here forever. These visitors are surely among the last to leave. Mr. Lloyd already reassured the staff that these were the last guests Her Grace and Lady Charlotte would host today. He’s taken the knocker off the door.”

That made Adrian pause. “Really?”

The servants spoke to each other and had a way of knowing everything. Why hadn’t he thought of using them before?

Turning to Lionel, he demanded, “How is the current visit going?”

“I didn’t ask for that information. I only wanted to ensure you wouldn’t wear a long hole in your rug. Your Grace, you cannot mean to hold me captive here all day. Do you wish to dress today or not?”

Grumbling, Adrian glanced out the window to see nothing new. He ran his hands through his hair. “I’m going mad. Aren’t I?”

“Most likely.”

“I should go for a ride. That would clear my head.”

“Most likely, yes. Come, we’ll have you ready at once.” Lionel nearly dragged him over to where the rest of his garments were laid out. His movements were sharp and forceful, more so than usual, and Adrian shot him a dark look. But it didn’t deter the valet from dressing him in record time. “There! You’re finally dressed and shaved. Is there anything more I can do for you?”

“No, no, I don’t think so.”

But before the words were entirely out of Adrian’s mouth, his valet had already hurried out of the room.

It simply made him roll his eyes. The man had plenty of time to attend to other matters. He’d only slowed them down by an hour or two this morning. His back was stiff as he ran his hands over his waistcoat and, at last, left his bedchamber, determined to put foolish suitors and a certain young woman out of his mind.

And yet his feet didn’t exactly lead him out to the stables.