Matchmaking the Marquess (The League of Eligible Bachelors #3)

Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Ben strolled into the Rufus parlor, tugging his waistcoat into place. He smiled to see all of his friends. Cort had finally joined them after they’d all returned from their ride.

Ben looked around the room and frowned slightly. Mia and her father had not yet arrived. She had sent their acceptance, so he knew they would be coming. But he’d hoped she would already be there. He neglected to mention in his missive that all his friends would join them for dinner. It would only provide her with an excuse to cry off.

His mother laughed, and Ben looked over to see her sitting between Lady Stoke, Lady Heatherton, and Charlie’s sister, Miss Bancroft. He was glad the women had come. It would be good for his mother to enjoy the company of ladies for the evening. He worried over her lack of social interaction. It was something she and Mia had in common.

Ben walked over and sat on the couch across from her. “Good evening, mother. I see you are enjoying our guests.”

She turned slightly and looked over at him. “Very much. Why have you waited so long to invite them all to Tweed?”

Ben put a hand on her shoulder. “Heatherton has only been married a year, Mother. And more than half that was spent in London. Perhaps if you’d joined me last Season, you would have enjoyed the ladies’ company sooner.”

She sighed. “I suppose. But I am happy to have it now.” She frowned. “Did you not invite Lord Minton and Lady Amelia?”

Ben nodded. “I did. I expect them any moment.”

As if summoned, Peters stepped into the room. “Lord Minton and Lady Amelia.”

His two neighbors stepped into the room, both with wide smiles on their faces. “Good evening Be—,” Mia stopped mid-sentence as her eyes traveled around the room. “I’m sorry if we kept you waiting, my lord.” Her voice lowered, as did her grin. She took a small step back, glancing at the corridor behind her. Was she to make a run for it?

Ben shot out of his seat. Charlie and Cort lounged with their legs out in front of them. With little thought, Ben jumped over the back of the sofa and hurried over to his newly arrived guests. If he did not stop her before she reached the corridor, he might not catch her at all.

“Benjamin, really?” His mother gasped behind him.

But he ignored it. He knew that look in Mia’s eyes.

The rustle of fabrics behind him told him everyone now stood, and he need only have waited a moment longer for his impediments to move. But with Mia, even a moment might have been too long.

“My lord,” he dipped his head to Lord Minton as he gripped Mia’s elbow lightly. “And Lady Amelia. We are so pleased you could join us. Is it not a great surprise? All of my friends have arrived.”

Mia looked up at him. Her lips pressed tightly and her gaze narrowed. She likely knew he had purposely omitted the information about the gents’ arrival. But her look held more apprehension than outright anger. “Thank you for the invitation, my lord,” she mumbled.

“Yes, yes. Thank you, indeed.” Lord Minton’s smile only grew. “Your friends have arrived. Capital,” he nodded, as if this were all a part of his plans. “You see, Amelia. It was well we did not cry off just because of a slight chill.”

She smiled, but it was tense. “It was more than a slight chill, Papa. The ground is nearly frozen.”

“Pish,” he waved her worries away.

Ben tugged Mia toward the grouping of chairs and couches. “Come, let me introduce you.”

Mia pulled her hand off his arm. “I’ve met all your friends before, my lord. They were all at Lord and Lady Heatherton’s house party last summer, were they not?”

Ben nodded. “Ah, yes. That they were. I’d nearly forgotten you were there.” He gave her a look of challenge, even as his lips twitched. Some might argue that he was provoking her. And perhaps he was…a little. But she was so lovely when her temper flared, he could not regret his actions.

“Yes, well, I did not make Papa ill. You can hardly blame me for leaving the party early,” she said through clenched teeth and a smile.

Lady Stoke stood and came around the couch. “Lady Amelia, it is a pleasure to see you again.” She nudged Lady Heatherton with her foot. “Is it not, Mariah? And your gown. It is exquisite. I’ve seen nothing it’s equal even in the parlors of London.”

Lady Heatherton smiled, but Ben could see it was not of the genuine kind. “Indeed, we’ve been looking forward to becoming reacquainted since receiving your invitation to the house party.” It seemed the lady still rankled over Mia’s early departure from Ravencliff last summer.

“We could not have been happier to receive your acceptance.” Mia smiled back, equally as false as Lady Heatherton. Lud, the draft of the castle was not the only thing chilling the room.

The evening was not starting as he’d hoped. He had thought the ladies’ presence would help Mia enjoy the house party more. After all, they were of a similar age. Surely they had things in common. Things they could discuss and do together. Was it asking too much that they become friends?

They all sat down, and Lord Minton wasted no time starting a conversation.

Mia, who sat next to Ben, settled back into the cushion and watched. She did not participate in the conversation, but her eyes flicked back and forth among those talking—assessing each of them. What did she discover? And how would it affect their evening? Or even the next fortnight?

“Are you unwell, Mia?” Ben whispered.

She kept her gaze on those across from her. “No, I am well. Why do you ask?”

Ben twitched his mouth to the side. “You have said very little, which is counter to your personality. I’ve never known you to be without an opinion.”

“Perhaps that openness is only with you.”

He grinned. “And what have I done to earn that honor?”

“You give your opinion so freely. Even when it’s wrong. Who else will correct your thinking if I do not?” She paused. “But there seems to be an abundance of people to correct you this evening, relieving me of the burden for once.”

Ben nodded. “You make me out to be completely daft.”

Her lips pinched tightly together, and Ben suspected she was trying not to laugh. “You said it, my lord. Not I.”

Ben raised a brow and leaned in closer. “Have you always felt this way? Or is it a new revelation?”

“I confess, I had not thought you completely daft until tonight.”

He turned and looked down at her. “What precisely did I do tonight?” As if he didn’t know.

She released a breath and crossed her arms over her middle. Not in her normal defensive way, but as if she were trying to embrace or comfort herself. But why should she need comforting when she was among friends? “You led me to believe it would be a quiet, intimate dinner with just the four of us when, in fact, you invited a gaggle of people to join us.”

“A gaggle? I do not think of them as a gaggle,” he said, eyeing his friends, as if seeing them in a new light. “They are my friends. Not just any people.”

“They are your friends. To me, they are just people.” She sounded much as she did when she was a little girl and had been chastised by her mother.

Ben crossed one knee over the other. “I hoped they could be your friends as well. I’m certain you would find them very amiable if you’d give them a chance.” He glanced over at her. “Especially Lady Stoke. I cannot imagine you will find an objection to her.”

“I need no more friends, Ben. I have plenty.” She hissed back at him.

His brows darted up. “Oh? And who are these numerous friends of yours?”

She looked straight ahead, but her eyes narrowed. “There is you,” she paused. “And Francis.” She paused again, and he waited for her to list more names.

When she didn’t, he scoffed. “Miss Cartwright? She and I are your only friends, and you do not see the need to add more?”

“Why should I need more?” Mia finally looked over at him.

“I don’t even know how to answer that question.” He frowned. “But Miss Cartwright?”

Mia nodded. “Yes. Why do you act so surprised? You know Francis and I are dear friends.”

He shook his head. “Actually, I did not. I knew you were friends when you were younger, but now? She is not of the same standing as you. It would serve you well to develop friendships among those of your same class. What will you do when you go to London? Who will you rely on while you are there?” He motioned with this head to the ladies across the low table. “Those ladies will receive invitations to the same parties as you. Miss Cartwright, even if her family had the money to attend, would never receive the same invitation that you will. You must expand your social circles.”

“I see no problem with my society. Here or in London.” She looked away, her arms crossed over her chest. She’d gone from uncertain to angry. That was not exactly what he’d been aiming for.

“Miss Cartwright is perfectly lovely. I see no problem in continuing our friendship.”

“I was not inferring you should not be friends with her, Mia. I was pointing out that she should not be your only friend.”

“But she is not my only friend. I have you also. And you will be invited to all the same parties as me.” She lifted her shoulders in a patronizing victory. “Your worries are for naught.”

Ben released an exasperated sigh.

She nudged him in the arm. “I wonder at you not informing me of your friends’ arrival in the invitation you sent to Hedlund. Why is that?” She tipped her head to the side and looked at him from the corner of her eye. She was not smiling but nor was she frowning.

Ben was cautious. He did not like it when he could not read her thoughts.

“If I’d included that information, would you still have sent your acceptance?” He already knew the answer.

“I cannot say.” She lifted a shoulder. “But I suppose we’ll never know, will we?”

He grunted a laugh. “You may fool everyone else with that answer. But I know the truth. You would have sent your regrets. Which is precisely why I didn’t inform you.”

“If you knew I would not come, why did you trick me into it? I have my reasons for declining. As it is, you have simply made the situation uncomfortable for everyone.”

He leaned closer to her, his leg pressing up against hers. Their clothing could not prohibit her warmth from buzzing along his thigh. “But I wanted you here. You’re my dearest friend, Mia. But so are they. Is it wrong I should like to be with all of you?” He ran a hand down his leg, his little finger lightly grazing her thigh. He pulled his hand back and straightened. “Promise me you will at least try to like them?” He lifted his hands. “Please, give them a chance.”

She rubbed at her eyes. “Why is it so important that we all be friends? We are rarely together. Why can you not be friends with me separate from your friendship with them?” She shifted away but then leaned back toward him. “I’m certain they are fine gentlemen. And we will all be together for the house party. But did you have to force it tonight?” Her smile was tight. “Could we not have had a quiet dinner before the hordes arrive?”

Ben grinned. Only Mia would refer to her guests as hordes.

“I’m sorry, Mia. When you say it like that, it makes me sound rather selfish. Can you not forgive me and enjoy the evening?”

She looked up at him, and her shoulders relaxed, but only slightly. She reached up and brushed her thumb over the wrinkle between his brow. “Now, Ben. There’s that crease again.”

His eyes fluttered shut, but when he opened them, he nudged her leg. “I’m certain it will go away now that you are not frowning so deeply.”

She smiled at him, and it was only then that Ben noticed the surrounding conversation had ceased.

Mia must have noticed as well, because her fingers dropped away from his brow, and she clenched them tightly in her lap.

Ben turned his attention to the eight pairs of eyes staring at them. Only Lord Minton and his mother did not look shocked. Slightly disapproving perhaps, but not shocked.

Ben cleared his throat. “I wonder what is taking so long with dinner.” He glanced over his shoulder toward the doorway, willing Peters to appear.

Mia scooted as far away from him as the couch would allow.

He lifted his hand to run it through his hair, but stopped when he remembered everyone was watching him. Thunder and turf! Perhaps Mia was right and a quiet dinner with the four of them would have been preferable—if not incredibly rude.

Peters stepped into the room and bowed. “Dinner is served.”

“It’s about time,” Ben muttered under his breath as he stood up and held out his hand to help Mia up.

She looked at it and then behind him at the group of ladies as if she didn’t know what to do.

He frowned. He’d always assisted her in standing. Why should she question it now? He cast a glance to the side and noticed Lady Stoke watching them. Her gaze was far too penetrating, far to probing, but it answered his question. His guests—because friends would not be so brazenly nosy—seemed intent on scrutinizing their every move.

His hand dropped to his side, and he turned to help his mother instead. But Cort had already done the honors. He gave his friend a tentative smile.

His mother looked around the room. “As the ladies are in rather short supply, we will suspend with formalities this evening and eat as friends.”

Ben nodded in agreement. Those had been his thoughts exactly.

“A capital idea, Marjorie,” Lord Minton nodded. “Formality will begin soon enough. I dare say we will all be grateful for the informality tonight.”

Ben looked over at Mia. Normally, he would escort her into the dining room. But he held back.

She glanced at him. He saw a flicker of hurt, but then resignation crossed her face.

The whole situation was deuced uncomfortable and without merit. He would simply need to tell his friends to turn their attention elsewhere.