22. An Aunt Suspects Something is Afoot
CHAPTER 22
AN AUNT SUSPECTS SOMETHING IS AFOOT
L ater that night
The half-hour it took for Randy to make it back to Engels Mansion gave him an opportunity to rehearse what he planned to say to Barbara.
“Might you be so kind as to send word to Miss Diana that you would like to have her join us in our carriage for our trip to Cape Sounion?” he imagined asking. “I’m sure she would appreciate having a female with whom to speak”, he added to himself as he made his way.
What a wonderful idea, Randy. I shall write her a note right now and send it with a servant, he thought Barbara would say in reply.
His lantern dangling from one hand, Randy entered the vestibule and opened the glass door on the lantern. He blew out the meager flame before giving it to the butler. “Has Lady Bellingham retired?”
“She has not. She is in the parlor with Lord Bellingham, Lord Penton, and Master Thomas.”
Randy resisted the urge to curse. It didn’t bode well that all three of them were still awake. He made his way up the stairs and ducked his head around the edge of the doorway to discover the family was seated around a gaming table. “Are you playing whist?” he asked, joining them to stand next to the table.
“We are, and your aunt is winning. Again,” Will replied, the complaint in his voice belying the grin on his face.
She played a card and all three men moaned loudly. “And she has won,” Tom said on a groan, tossing his cards onto the green felt. “Did you find Marcus?”
“I did. He is planning to go to Cape Sounion the day after tomorrow with the Fitzsimmonses,” he said, his attention going to David. When his cousin didn’t react, he turned to Barbara. “I wondered if you might be so kind as to send word to Miss Diana that you would like to have her join us in our carriage for the trip? I’m sure she would appreciate having a female with whom to speak.”
Barbara blinked. “I should think Miss Jane would like her company in their coach,” she reasoned, turning her attention to her son, David. “Besides, if we host both Miss Jane and Miss Diana in our carriage, you boys will have to beg for rides with Marcus Henley in his coach, or we’ll have to find another.”
Randy gave a start, realizing David had already put in a request for Diana to invite Jane.
Damnation !
“Perhaps we should put all the men in one coach and allow the ladies to ride in the other,” Will offered as he collected the cards and began shuffling them. From the bit of humor he displayed, it was evident he was teasing.
Her face lighting in delight, Barbara said, “Well I shouldn’t like to intrude, but that is a most excellent idea. Do you suppose it would be acceptable for me to propose such an arrangement? I could write a quick note and have it delivered in the morning.”
It was Randy’s turn to blink. This was not going at all as he had imagined. “I suppose,” he hedged.
“Given the size of their skirts, it’s best if they do ride together,” Tom said. He motioned with his hands to indicate the shape of bell skirts in close confines. “I’m always afraid I shall be accused of wrinkling the fabric or stepping upon toes because I’m unable to see their feet due to all that… gown volume ,” he complained.
“But shouldn’t there be a man with them? Someone to provide protection?” Randy asked, attempting to insert himself into the all-female coach. “If all the men are in one coach, that would be six... seven of us,” he said, remembering to include Michael Henley. He realized too late that desperation sounded in his voice, for Barbara aimed a curious expression in his direction.
“If the carriages travel together, we should be fine,” Will said. He lifted the back of his hand to his mouth to hide a yawn. “I’ll see what I can arrange in the way of a traveling coach in the morning. In the meantime, I am off to bed.” He leaned over and kissed Barbara on the forehead.
“Me, too,” David said.
“Me, three,” Tom added as the two stood and joined Will as he made his way out of the parlor.
“Aren’t you going to retire?” Randy asked, surprised when Barbara remained in her chair.
Her attention on the parlor door, Barbara waited until everyone else had left before she turned to regard him with an arched brow. “Are you sweet on Miss Diana?” she asked, crossing her arms on the tabletop as she leaned forward.
Randy felt the heat of a blush and knew his ears were probably bright red. “Maybe,” he murmured. “Probably.”
From the way his aunt regarded him, her brows furrowed as if in worry, he thought she was about to scold him. He was instead surprised by her response.
“Oh, this such good news,” she murmured.
Randy blinked. “It is?”
She chuckled softly. “Well, to have a son supposedly betrothed to Miss Jane and a nephew wishing to court a viscount’s daughter is not what I would have expected for our first week in a new country,” she said, grinning.
“Courting might be a bit... unlikely ,” he stammered. Before she could ask why, he took the chair his brother had abandoned and sat down. “She doesn’t wish to wed, Aunt Barbara,” he blurted. “She claims she wants to be a spinster.”
Barbara angled her head to one side and sighed. “What is she? Twenty years old?”
He nodded. “Her father has said she can have her dowry when she turns one-and-twenty.”
Boggling, his aunt rounded her eyes in disbelief. “So soon?”
Randy nodded. “She believes she can live comfortably on those funds for the rest of her life.”
“Doing what? And living where?” she asked in alarm.
Randy inhaled to answer and realized he didn’t know. Diana had never actually mentioned where she intended to live. Surely she wouldn’t give up archaeology, though. She apparently loved what she did, even if it did seem to vex her.
She was too invested in solving the puzzles of the past.
“I don’t know. She didn’t say if she planned to go back to England, but Marcus intends to, I think after his father and mother are settled here in Athens,” he explained. “Perhaps you can learn her thoughts on the matter whilst on the way to the cape?” he suggested.
“Oh, I intend to,” she said, although she displayed an expression of resignation. “It’s too bad there’s nothing for her to dig up in England.”
Inhaling sharply, Randy stared at her for a moment. “That’s not true,” he countered. “The country is full of Roman sites, not to mention evidence of older inhabitants. Why Father says he’s fairly sure there was a Roman villa near the river.”
When Barbara merely grinned at him, he scoffed quietly. “You were being facetious,” he accused.
“I merely wished to provide a suggestion that might have her more amenable to returning to England,” she claimed. “As for marriage...”
“The promise of becoming a countess is not much of an incentive for her,” he warned. “I don’t think she likes London very much.”
“I can certainly agree with her on that point,” Barbara said sadly. She dipped her head. “You haven’t done anything?—?”
“No,” he replied, shaking his head. “I admit I have been tempted to kiss her, but I haven’t.” He didn’t mention what else he had wanted to do to Diana earlier that evening, when they were lying side by side watching the shooting stars. He was sure Barbara would blister his ears if she knew.
“Do you have reason to believe she would welcome such an act of intimacy?”
The query was so quiet, Randy almost asked her to repeat it. “Uh, no. In fact...” He crinkled his brows in frustration. “No.”
Barbara sighed. “Well, I shall discover what I can from the young lady. Your uncle tells me it might take us five or six hours to reach Cape Sounion,” she said. “I’m sure part of that time will be spent discussing men.”
Randy visibly winced. “No doubt,” he murmured.