Chapter Six
A riadne joined her brother for breakfast the next morning and said, “Will you take me to the park this morning?”
“I’d be happy to, Sis. Would you prefer walking or riding?”
She considered his question a moment and then said, “I wish to walk Hyde Park this first time. I would like to see how close we are to it.”
“Not far at all,” he told her. “I think you will enjoy it. The park is quite large.”
She had Tally bring her a spencer and bonnet, and they set out from the townhouse. Just as they were about to leave the square, a hansom cab turned the corner and came to an abrupt halt. From it leaped a nice-looking man in his mid-twenties, and Val called, “Con!”
So, this was her cousin Constantine, Aunt Charlotte’s and Uncle Arthur’s eldest child.
He paid the driver and then came to greet them. Smiling at her, he said, “You must be Ariadne. I remember your vivid hair color more than you. It has been much too long since we saw one another.”
“I have been jealous all these years, with Val getting to be friends with you and see you at school. It is good to finally be with you again, Con. If I may call you that.”
“Please do. Mama insists on calling me Constantine, which I loathe. Papa calls me Dyer. I prefer Con.”
Ariadne laughed. “We were about to go walk in Hyde Park. Would you care to join us?”
“I am happy to do so,” Con replied, falling into step on her other side as they continued heading toward the park.
“Did Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Arthur come with you to town?” asked Val.
Their cousin chuckled. “Mama and Papa have had one of their usual falling-outs.”
“Oh, no!” she said.
Con laughed. “It is nothing, Ariadne. This happens with great regularity. My parents argue over the smallest of things and won’t speak to each for days. Even weeks. It is always over trivial matters. Mama asked for me to escort her to town early because of the tension between them, and I was only too happy to honor her request.”
“Will Uncle Arthur follow?” she asked.
Her cousin shrugged. “Perhaps. Papa has never been one who enjoyed the Season or sitting in the House of Lords. I suppose he will find his way here sooner or later, but Mama is always eager to come to town and be with her friends.”
“Then you and Aunt Charlotte must come for tea this afternoon,” she told him. “I would love to talk with her.”
“She will like that.”
They entered Hyde Park, and Ariadne fell silent, content to walk in nature and listen to the conversation between Val and Con. They talked about friends from school and told her a few stories about the mischief they had gotten into during their days at Eton.
“You sound like two rascals,” she declared. “Hopefully, you acted in a more mature fashion while at university.”
The two men looked at one another and then burst out laughing, causing her to do the same.
“I am certain you have more stories you can entertain me with about your days at Oxford.”
“We could,” Con said, “but they would not be fit for your delicate ears.”
“Why does everyone insist upon treating me as a child?” she asked testily.
Val looked to his cousin. “Ariadne expressed a strong opinion yesterday, and Papa put her in her place. His Grace is like most men of Polite Society, Sis. Papa believes women only have one purpose, and that is to provide heirs and spares to their husbands.”
“I am more than a brood mare,” she said grumpily.
“I like that you are opinionated and spirited, Cousin Ariadne,” Con told her. “It will take a special gentleman to wed you. Unfortunately, most bachelors of the ton hold the same beliefs as Uncle Charles.”
“I have told my sister that you and I will scrutinize—even investigate—any gentlemen who wish to court her.”
Con smiled. “Between the two of us, we will make certain the match you make is a good one.”
Quietly, she said, “My greatest fear is that Papa will take it upon himself to decide who my husband should be, and that gentleman will be cut from the same cloth. Being the first woman to wed in our family, I do not know exactly what to expect. I also want to smooth the way for Lia and Tia.”
“Mama will be easy,” Val told her. “She will be looking for you to wed a man with the highest rank. Money will come next in her consideration. Looks and character would not be something she would ever consider.”
“You are right,” she agreed. “Mama can be quite shallow in that regard. But what of Papa?”
“He is a duke,” Con pointed out. “A duke’s daughter cannot wed simply anyone, Ariadne. Uncle Charles, too, will also be interested in your potential husband’s title and wealth.”
She looked to her brother. “Do you think I will be given any choice in the matter? I worry that Papa will wish to be rid of me quickly since I am opinionated and marry me off to someone controlling and domineering. Or worse, someone ancient. I have heard that happens more often than not.”
“I will not let that happen to you, Sis,” Val vowed. “I have Papa’s ear. He confides in me since I am his heir, and he is also willing to listen to my opinions. I will protect you the best I can.”
“Thank you,” she said fervently. “I am fortunate to have you—and Con—looking out for my interests. I know not every girl making her come-out shares my circumstances.”
Looking to Con, she asked, “Are you interested in the Marriage Mart? Val does not seem to be in the least.”
Her cousin laughed. “Val and I are only four and twenty, Ariadne. There is no societal pressure on us to wed anytime soon, especially because we merely hold our fathers’ courtesy titles now. We will be much more appealing to anxious mamas seeking husbands for their husbands once we come into our own titles and wealth.”
She couldn’t help but pout. “At four and twenty, I would be considered long on the shelf if I were not wed. It does not seem fair how men and women are treated in such a different manner in Polite Society.”
“We will help you make the best match possible,” Val promised. “We will look into all the men interested in you. Actually, only those you are interested in instead. That will be a much smaller group.”
Con asked, “Are you interested in making a love match?”
“I do not expect to make a love match. None of our parents did so. All I ask is that my husband is considerate and respectful of me. It would be nice if he could pay more attention to his children than our parents have to us, Val.”
“You have high expectations, Ariadne,” Con told her. “Val and I will do our best to see you taken care of, however.”
She already liked this cousin of hers a great deal and understood why Val trusted Con so much.
They returned to the townhouse, Con promising he would bring his mother to tea with him this afternoon.
Val said, “I was going to head to White’s now. Do you wish to accompany me?”
“Yes. It would be good see who is already in town. Until later, Cousin,” Con said, taking Ariadne’s hand and kissing it.
She went inside and informed Parsons that they would be entertaining her aunt and cousin at tea.
*
Julian sat at his desk, having already breakfasted and gone through the morning’s post. He was thinking of going to White’s again this morning. Lord Claibourne had told him most gentlemen went to their club at least once a day. With no social events to attend and no estate matters to handle, Julian was already growing bored in London. He had only come at the urging of his valet to see his tailor in order to be fitted for a new wardrobe. He was toying with the idea of returning to Aldridge Manor now the fittings had taken place, until it was closer to the beginning of the Season.
For now, though, he decided he would go to White’s. Claibourne might be there, and he would enjoy talking with the marquess again.
He asked for his carriage to be readied and half an hour later, he approached the door to White’s. There, he was warmly greeted by Pollard and told that once he took a seat, his coffee and newspapers would be brought to him.
As he walked through the ground floor rooms, he spied Claibourne sitting with another man close to the same age. As Julian wondered if he should approach them uninvited, Claibourne saw him and waved him over.
“Aldridge, it is good to see you again. May I introduce to you my cousin, Viscount Dyer? Con, this is our neighbor in town, Lord Aldridge. He inherited the marquessate last summer.”
Viscount Dyer offered his hand. “It is an honor to meet you, my lord.”
Shaking the offered hand, Julian said, “Likewise, my lord.”
“Won’t you join us?” Claibourne asked, and Julian took a seat with the pair.
“I do not recall Lord Aldridge having any offspring,” Viscount Dyer remarked.
“Yes, he wed multiple times and remained childless,” he replied. “I am a distant relative of his.”
Julian once again used the story he had planned to share with others, but he immediately felt guilty since he had promised to share his background with Lord Claibourne.
“Aldridge has a country estate in Surrey,” Claibourne said. “Tell my cousin about your property.”
As Julian spoke, coffee and newspapers were delivered to him, the coffee doctored exactly as he liked. It amazed him how such small details were adhered to by those who served titled peers.
The three men spent a pleasant hour talking about the land and a few issues coming up in the House of Lords. Dyer asked who Julian’s tailor was, and he shared the name, saying he was waiting for his wardrobe to be made up.
“I have been a bit bored, though, being in town,” he admitted. “I prefer the country,” he revealed, surprised that he truly felt that way, wondering if after this Season he would ever be interested in returning to London again.
“I feel the same,” Claibourne said. “Of course, I come to town for the Season each year. Some of the events can be amusing, and the company can range from dull to delightful.”
“Are either of you ready to take a wife?” Julian asked.
Both men laughed aloud, and Dyer said, “Not in the slightest, Aldridge. We are still sowing our wild oats. We hold courtesy titles from our fathers and are given quarterly allowances by them. Some bachelors in the same position take rooms of their own here in town, but my cousin and I prefer to save our coin and live in our families’ townhouses during the Season. I doubt either of us will consider marriage until we come into our own titles and have full control of our estates and holdings.”
Claibourne said, “You are in a much different position than the two of us, my lord. I assume you will be on the hunt for your marchioness this Season.”
Carefully, Julian said, “I have considered doing so,” knowing he was interested in Claibourne’s sister, but not ready to reveal that to anyone just yet.
“With Ariadne making her come-out this Season, she will get to know many of the other girls doing so,” Claibourne continued. “My sister is an excellent judge of character. If there are any particular ladies you are interested in, simply ask Ariadne’s opinion of them. She would freely share it. She might even help you in finding a wife.”
From Claibourne’s words, Julian took to understand that the marquess did not consider him a candidate for his sister’s hand, which disappointed him. While he already respected him, Julian determined to prove to Claibourne and his parents that he would make a good husband for Lady Ariadne.
Viscount Dyer said, “You must not discount Aldridge here, Val. Why, he might be interested in Ariadne.”
Claibourne studied him a moment. “Yes. I could see the possibility of that match.”
Hope sprang within him. “Lady Ariadne is a lovely woman,” he praised. “She seems to have not only beauty, but also a kind heart.”
“You will need to meet the other girls who are making their come-outs,” Claibourne said, his gaze boring into Julian now. “And I would need to know you much better before I would consider you courting my beloved sister.”
Again he recalled his promise to Lady Ariadne yesterday. Julian had told her he would tell her brother of his humble beginnings.
“I spoke to Lady Ariadne about my background in the conservatory,” he began. “Her concern was that I share it with you. She told me that you were a man of honor and that whatever I said to you would go no further.” He looked to Viscount Dyer. “The two of you seem quite close.”
Lord Dyer nodded. “We are not only cousins, but also the closest of friends. I, too, am honorable. If you have something to share, it will stay between the three of us. That I can promise you.”
Since they were in a far corner and no one could overhear their conversation, Julian decided to bare his soul. He shared the same details he had discussed with Lady Ariadne, with no interruptions from either of his companions.
He finished by saying, “Lady Ariadne told me you were a fair-minded man, Claibourne. I do hope you and Lord Dyer will keep to yourself all that I have discussed with you.”
The marquess looked at him in approval. “You may have humble beginnings, Aldridge, but your father was a marquess. You are now the same, despite the circumstances in which you grew up. I am a decent judge of character, as is my cousin, and I find you to be a good man. An honest one. You could have kept your past a secret from us, and no one would have been the wiser. I admire you for your openness.”
“This will go no further,” Lord Dyer promised. “No one need know how you came into your title. Your parents were legally wed, and you are the rightful heir. You have a wonderful opportunity, Aldridge. Not many men have a second chance in life to remake themselves.”
“I plan to do good with my wealth,” he told the pair. “I never dreamed of being in such a position, and I am grateful for it, but I will help the less fortunate.”
How Julian would do so would take some thought, however. The sheer number of those who needed assistance was overwhelming. After all, he had been one of those in need not that long ago. While he could use his position in the House of Lords to possibly address some issues, he knew pressing needs such as food and clothing should take precedence.
“Then you will make for an excellent peer and addition to Polite Society,” Claibourne declared. He smiled at Julian. “I think the three of us are going to be very good friends, my lord.”