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

Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Ben stared out the library window of Hedlund Hall.

As promised, he’d arrived before breakfast to eat with Mia and her father. It had not escaped his friends’ notice that he had abandoned them first thing in the morning. But Ben did not have the mental fortitude to explain why he must be at Hedlund by first light.

And it had all been for naught.

Mia had missed breakfast—claiming a headache—which rather vexed him. Little did she know the trouble coming his way because of the particular attention he had paid her. And the party had not even begun. What would they say when he did as he promised and entertained her each day?

It had been a long morning with Lord Minton, the only person for conversation—not that he did not prove diverting. But Ben always preferred Mia’s company to her father’s. More than anyone’s, if he was being honest.

Thankfully, the gents were staying at Tweed until dinner that evening because the first scheduled activity wasn’t until the following morning. Which was for the best. Ben did not need his every action and word scrutinized.

The door opened, and Mia stepped inside. “Ben, I had not heard you were here.”

He turned and looked at her. His pulse ticked up bringing a frown to his lips. He was glad to see she was well, that was all. “Did I not promise to be here for breakfast every morning? You were not to realize I was staying at Tweed, if you’ll recall.”

Her face lit up and she clasped her hands in front of her. “But the party does not start in earnest until the afternoon. I had not expected you at breakfast, else I should have come down.”

He leaned against the bookcase. “We were told you had a headache. Or was that just a bouncer?”

She looked up and to the side. “It was not a bouncer. But I’m certain my headache would have cleared quickly had I known you were here.”

He shook his head, but the sound of crunching gravel captured his attention. He looked over his shoulder. “It looks as if your first guests have arrived.” He lifted his brows.

“I thought our first guests arrived two days past. Is that not when your friends turned up at Tweed?” she asked sweetly.

“That was unofficial. And they have not yet come to Hedlund.” He inclined his head toward the window. “That makes those two carriages the first arrivals.” The first carriage stopped in front of the house. The footman dismounted and pulled trunk after trunk to the ground, forming a rather impressive barrier. Another carriage appeared at the end of the drive.

Mia came over and stood next to him. “Three? Are we to be invaded by everyone all at once?” There was a tightness in her voice.

“I thought that is why you stayed in your room so long this morning. Were you not resting up for battle?” He teased.

“There isn’t enough rest in the world to prepare for the next fortnight.” She scowled at him. “I hope you’re happy.”

He rested his hand on her arm. “Indeed, I am.”

Her head shook. “I’ve wondered countless times if it was your way of expressing your hatred for me.”

He gave her arm a gentle squeeze. “On the contrary. I did it because I like you. I want you to see what you’ve been missing all these years.”

She did not respond as her mouth drew down more with every person alighting from the carriages.

“We should meet them in the entryway. There are too many of them to admit at once. We’ll send the first group to their rooms and make room for the next.”

The third carriage rolled to a stop. The occupants stayed inside until it was their turn at the front. But a footman Ben did not recognize stepped forward and pulled the first trunk off the top. Hmm. Lord Minton must have already brought on extra help.

Lady Grenville and her daughter, Lady Charlotte, stepped out of the first carriage. Both women looked around timidly before moving toward the front door.

Ben did not know Lady Charlotte well, but he had spent enough time with her to know that she was much like her mother and not the type of girl to speak her mind. She was not the type of girl to speak much at all. In that respect, she was Mia’s complete opposite.

He grinned. No one questioned what was on Lady Amelia’s mind. Most people likely wished Mia would keep more of her mind to herself—not that she gave them much of an option.

But not Ben. He loved that she was an open book.

He waited for Lord Grenville to emerge from the carriage, but the footman shut the door and rapped for the carriage to move on. Hmm . Where was the good earl?

A single brow arched.

If the on-dit was true, the man was probably coming from one of his other estates where he was entertaining someone else.

Ben’s mouth pulled downward, his nose flaring slightly. He did not have the patience for such behavior. He hated making civil whiskers with a libertine—acting as though nothing was amiss.

He shrugged it off. The man was not there yet. Perhaps it would be some time before Ben had to put on airs for him. But he had to wonder at Minton inviting the earl. Was it prudent to associate with that sort of gentleman? But then, politics often acquainted men with strange bedfellows.

He lifted his arm and smiled down at Mia. “Shall we, my lady?”

“Is it too late to cancel?” She asked in a small voice. It was not one he heard often.

“I’m afraid it is. We best attack it directly; do you not agree?”

She sighed in reply.

They strode from the library and down the stairs, arriving in the entryway just as Lady Grenville and Lady Charlotte handed off their bonnets to the waiting footman.

Mia continued toward the ladies, holding her hands out to them. “Lady Grenville, Lady Charlotte, welcome to Hedlund Hall. We are so honored you accepted our invitation.” A smile graced her face, but he could see she did not mean it. There was no small crease at the side of her eye, nor did her lids close in the slightest. A sure indication that the pleasure was feigned.

Lady Grenville returned the smile and dipped her head to Mia. “Thank you for the invitation, Lady Amelia. We were happy to come north. Although the weather in Yorkshire is more temperate.”Ben leaned forward, barely able to hear the near-whispered conversation with Lady Grenville.

Lady Charlotte dipped a curtsy. “It is a pleasure to see you again, Lady Amelia. We have not met since London, if I recall correctly.” Her voice was scarcely louder than her mother’s, but not by much.

Mia nodded and motioned to Ben, her eyes lighting and the corner of her lip curving ever so slightly. “Lord Berwick, you need not hover in the corridor.” She motioned to Lady Charlotte. “You know Lady Charlotte, do you not?”

Ben moved to stand next to Mia. “Indeed, we met in London last spring. Was it not, my lady?”

Lady Charlotte nodded as she curtsied to him. “It was, my lord.”

Mia nudged him slightly forward. “Then you know what an accomplished lady she is. I heard her play the pianoforte several years ago, and I have yet to hear anything it’s equal.” Perhaps it was because Mia had heard no one else play since. But he kept that thought to himself.

He nodded. “Yes. I believe I have had the pleasure.” He glanced at Mia. He smiled, but like Mia, it was only for pretenses.

Lady Charlotte dropped her gaze to the floor. “Thank you both. Your approval is most welcome.”

Ben had to strain to hear her words. He dipped his head to the young lady’s mother. “Lady Grenville, it is a pleasure to see you again. I hope your journey was not too taxing. We’d hoped the weather would improve.” He looked toward the front door. “Was Lord Grenville delayed? He sent his acceptance, did he not, Lady Amelia?”

Both ladies’ faces pinked, but he would concede it could be because of the cold rather than his question. Perhaps the gossips were wrong. For the ladies’ sakes, he hoped they were.

Lady Grenville cleared her throat, but her eyes did not meet his. “My husband had business ahead of us. We expect him within a day or two.”

Ben smiled. “Ah, I am glad to hear it. In this weather, illness is always a concern.” He glanced at Lady Charlotte to gauge her reaction. She merely smiled at the floor.

“Your journey must have done you in.” Mia motioned to a maid standing nearby. “Heddy, please show Lady Grenville and Lady Charlotte to their chambers.”

“Yes, m’lady.” The maid curtsied. “This way.” She led them down the long corridor toward the staircase.

“Supper is at seven. You’re welcome to rest until then,” Mia called to their backs.

Lady Grenville paused with one foot on the first stair. “Thank you.” She then turned and continued following Heddy and her daughter up the stairs until they disappeared.

“And so it begins,” Mia growled. “We are to be overrun with near strangers, and I’m expected to act pleased about it.” Her head shook slowly, her mouth set in a firm line. “I’m already tired to death.”

Ben laughed. “I thought you were fond of Lady Charlotte. You seemed excited by her presence.” He clasped his hands behind his back.

“She’s a lovely girl, and were it just her visiting, I should not mind it too much. It’s everyone else that I loath to entertain.” She glanced from side to side. “You have heard tales of her father, have you not?” her voice dropped to a whisper.

Ben raised a brow. The rumors must have been widespread if Mia had heard of them.

The front doors swung open, and a young woman stepped inside, an older woman following close behind.

Mia stepped forward to greet the women. “Miss Newsome. Welcome to Hedlund Hall. It has been such a long time since last we met. I feared you would not remember me and reject my invitation.”

The younger woman smiled genuinely. “How could I forget our time in London? You were the highlight of my Season.”

Mia made a face. “Lawks, it must have been a dreadful Season, indeed, if our acquaintance was the high point.”

Miss Newsome chuckled. “I fear you underestimate your influence, my lady.”

Mia shook her head. “Such flattery will get you everything,” she let out a chuckle of her own, but it was false.

Mia’s level of acting surprised Ben. Indeed, he thought her ready for the stage, it was so believable. He doubted anyone she had received so far would know of her insincerity.

“Do you remember Miss Cartwright from that same season?”

Miss Newsome put a finger to her lips and gave a slight nod. “I believe I do, vaguely.”

Mia raised her brows and nodded. “I’m so glad to hear it. She will join us later this afternoon and stay on for the party. I’m certain she will be relieved to know someone else in attendance.”

Miss Newsome smiled, but Ben could not decipher if she was acting just as Mia was. “I’ll be pleased to renew our acquaintance.”

An older woman shuffled up behind the young lady, nudging her with her elbow.

Miss Newsome cleared her throat. “Oh, yes. Please forgive my manners, Lady Amelia, Lord Berwick. I neglected to introduce my companion, Mrs. Ludlum.”

The woman stepped forward and curtsied to them. “It is a pleasure to be invited to your lovely home.” She glanced around the small entryway as if that would show how much she admired it. But the entry gave little away as to the grandness of the house.

Mia plastered on another smile. Ben could see her spirits were waning. It was only a matter of moments before she would completely fall apart. He was certain of it. And there was still another carriage of people to greet.

“We are glad you could accompany Miss Newsome. I hope you’ll have a pleasant time here.”

Mrs. Ludlum nodded and smiled—both a bit too enthusiastically. “Indeed, I can see nothing to prohibit it.”

Mia waved a hand at a maid standing off to the side. “Jenny, please take Miss Newsome and Mrs. Ludlum to their rooms.”

The maid dipped a curtsy. “Please, follow me.”

Miss Newsome cast a wide-eyed look over her shoulder. But Ben did not know the woman well enough to understand what she meant by it. Did Mia? That was giving her a great deal of credit for her socializing skills during that one London Season.

The ladies disappeared down the long corridor and up the stairs. Mia sagged against him. “Gracious, Ben. How am I to maintain this pretense for the next two weeks?”

As if on cue, the front door opened, and Ben heard a soft growl beside him.

Miss Cartwright stepped inside, her cheeks pink with cold.

“Franny,” Mia brightened, and Ben felt slightly put out that the woman received a similar welcome to what he had when Mia saw him. “I’m so glad it’s you.” Mia leaned into her and Ben did the same. “If I have to pretend to be happy to see another person, I think I may go mad.” She hissed into her friend’s ear.

Miss Cartwright smiled in sympathy. “It will get better, Amelia. I’m certain of it.”

Ben smiled and a light chuckle escaped his lips.

Mia turned on him, her hands on her hips. “And what do you think is so funny, Lord Berwick-upon-Tweed?”

Ben’s brows rose. She had used his full title. She only did that when she was truly mad. Or pretending to be. Sometimes it was hard to differentiate.

He lifted his hands in front of him as if the action could protect him. “Not a thing, my lady. I’m just thrilled to see you at a house party. That is all.”

Mia fixed him with a stare, and he wondered what thoughts were flying through her head. But at last, she turned her back to him and focused on Miss Cartwright. “I’m glad your parents agreed to let us act as a chaperone for each other.” Mia linked her arm through the young woman’s. “Come, I will show you to your room, and we can decide how we wish to proceed with the rest of the afternoon.” She glanced back at Ben. “I shall send word to you regarding tea. Where shall I send it?”

Ben crossed his arms. “If you are to be with Miss Cartwright, why do I not return to Tweed and check on my guests? Send word when you wish to have tea, and I shall bring all the gents over.”

Mia stared at him, pulling her lip between her teeth. “If I invite Miss Newsome and her companion and Lady Charlotte, that will be a rather large gathering for tea.”

Ben waved her concern away. “Nonsense. It will simply be more people to divert the attention away from you. I would have thought you’d prefer that.”

Mia shrugged. “In truth, I would. But the number feels rather daunting.”

Ben reached up and pinched her chin lightly between his thumb and forefinger. “I know there is little you can’t handle, Mia. But if you prefer the gents and I remain at Tweed—” He waited and watched as indecision flitted through her gaze. He had made the offer, believing she would decline. But what if her need for smaller groups caused her to refuse him?

Mia shook her head. “No, you are likely correct. It will be better if there are more people. I will send word to Mrs. Handley. I do not wish to catch her off guard by the large request.”

Ben scoffed. “As if you could ever ruffle Mrs. Handley.” He brushed his hand against her arm. “You see, Mia? You are up to the challenge before you.” He winked at her as he sketched a bow. Winked? He’d done it again. Before last month, he could not recall a single time he’d winked at anyone. And now he’d done it three times in as many weeks. What had possessed him? He shook it off. He simply wished to keep—or encourage—a playful mood. That was it. It was the only thing that made sense.