Chapter Two
Constantine Alington, Viscount Dyer, dressed for tonight’s ball. He had no valet, so he had shaved himself and donned his black evening wear on his own.
He looked about the rooms he lived in, which seemed a bit forlorn ever since his cousin and best friend had moved out last year.
Val’s father, the Duke of Millbrooke, had died, making Val the new duke.
He had left their shared, rented rooms for his ducal townhouse and country estate.
It was at Millvale that Val had meet Eden, who had since become the Duchess of Millbrooke, and provided Val with William, his heir.
While Con was pleased at the happy turn of events, he couldn’t help but feel his cousin had moved on.
Val now had a wife and child and was head of the Worthington family.
He also had access to unlimited wealth, while Con continued to live frugally.
His own father, the Earl of Marley, was in excellent health, so Con did not expect to inherit for years to come.
He and Val had made a pact that they would not look for a bride on the Marriage Mart until they had claimed their titles.
It made sense. What woman would want to come and live in these dark, dusty rooms, especially on the pitiful quarterly allowance given to him?
Mama was to thank for his lack of funds.
She was the true power in the Alington family.
His kind-hearted father may have had the title, but Lady Marley ran the family and made decisions both large and small.
Her word was law. She did not want Con becoming a lazy, worthless rake.
While she did pay his tailoring bills, wanting him to appear fashionably dressed at events in Polite Society, he lived frugally the remainder of the time.
Walking to many places to save the hansom cab fare.
Not visiting gaming dens because he would not have the funds to pay off his debts if he lost.
At least his membership at White’s gave him a place to visit with his friends.
He could read the newspapers there, saving on any subscriptions, and drink all the coffee he wished.
Oftentimes, he dined at White’s for his evening meal since that, too, came with his membership.
He did not mind living carefully. In truth, he had few needs.
Except for his growing need for companionship.
Female companionship, to be specific. He had plenty of men he was friendly with.
In addition to Val, Con was also close to several of his sisters’ and cousins’ husbands.
Julian, Marquess of Aldridge. Judson, Marquess of Huntsberry.
Rupert, Viscount Cressley. Hugo, Earl of Merriman.
He was just getting to know Lord Forsythe and the Duke of Reddington better.
Both men were friends of Merriman’s and had joined his circle.
Con also looked forward to making his sister Dru’s husband, Perry, a part of their group when the couple came to town next Season.
No, his group of friends was more than adequate.
What he now wanted was what he saw amongst all those married men.
They each carried an air of happiness which surrounded them.
They were not only husbands to their wives, but best friends and lovers to those wives, as well.
It stirred a bit of jealousy within him. He wanted that shared closeness.
Of course, what his friends had in common—and which he lacked—was a title.
Con could not purse a woman of quality until he possessed that.
For now, he tried to keep himself occupied with brief affairs with a variety of women, usually pretty widows.
He knew he could be a bit of a flirt. The fact he was handsome and very willing to couple with a willing woman also was to his advantage.
He was able to move from one lady’s bed to the next with no consequences.
But even he understood there was something lacking in his life.
Especially with Val no longer a bachelor and living with him, Con grew lonely at times in his rooms. It had caused him to take to the streets, walking for hours, even heading toward Hyde Park and walking there.
He wished he had the funds to stable a horse here in town, but that cost would be prohibitive.
Instead, he carefully saved his coin and would rent a horse upon occasion.
What he wouldn’t give to be able to peruse the Marriage Mart this Season and find love for himself.
Of course, others in the ton might laugh at him for seeking a love match, but Con had seen both his sisters make one, as well as all four of his Worthington cousins.
He had witnessed the power of love and knew it existed.
Yet he would never wish ill of his father.
Papa, along with his aunt Agnes, mother to his Fulton cousins, were the two most popular members of their large family.
The day Con lost his father would be a dark day, indeed.
For now, he needed to be happy with what he had. He might not be rich in material goods, but he had loving siblings and good friends.
He finished tying his cravat and set out for Lord and Lady Purlington’s townhouse.
They were the host and hostess of tonight’s ball.
The Season would conclude in another couple of weeks.
He might as well enjoy the social whirl while he could.
Tonight, he needed to seek out a Miss Rowena Stanhope, the daughter of Viscount Samuel.
His cousin Tia, who had wed only yesterday, had asked him to do so as a favor to her.
Tia had briefly made Miss Stanhope’s acquaintance and had liked the young lady so much that she hoped by Con dancing with her, that Miss Stanhope’s chances of escaping her time with the wallflowers might come to an end.
It was true. For all that he lacked in wealth, both Con and Val had always had the eye—and favor—of the ton.
If he danced with this wallflower, other gentlemen would take notice and wonder what Con saw in her.
It could lead to Miss Stanhope finding herself dancing quite a bit this evening, and her drawing room might actually become the home to a few suitors in it tomorrow afternoon.
He could easily do this favor for Tia, whom he thought of more as a sister than the cousin she was.
The Purlington townhouse was crowded outside. He stopped to talk to a few others, everyone asking after Tia and Merriman.
“They should be present this evening,” he informed those who asked.
While Tia and Hugo had left yesterday’s wedding breakfast and gone to his townhouse for their wedding night, both had assured him they would attend tonight’s ball. Con had a feeling, though, that the couple would depart after the midnight buffet—if not before.
He joined the receiving line, which was considerably smaller than it had been for weeks.
It seemed now that July had arrived, members of Polite Society had had their fill of social affairs, as well as the heat of London.
The heat brought about the stench, making that much more noticeable.
He usually ignored it since he lived in town most of the year.
Though he would have liked to be at Marleyfield more, he did not wish to infringe upon his father, who enjoyed having a hand in running his estate.
Con wouldn’t have known what to do with himself in the country with no duties to see to, and that caused him to remain in town.
Occasionally, he did go to visit one of his cousins in the country, but he avoided house parties like the plague, knowing they were hotbeds of sudden engagements.
Perhaps he could visit with Dru and Perry once the Season came to an end.
His sister was about to give birth sometime in the next couple of weeks.
He would enjoy meeting his new nephew or niece.
It would also give him a chance to visit with Lucy and Judson and their new babe, Elizabeth.
Con envied his sisters, who had wed men who had estates close to one another in Surrey.
Their cousin Ariadne also lived nearby. When Con inherited, he would be far away from his sisters, Marleyfield being in Somerset.
Reaching Lord and Lady Purlington, he greeted them. Lady Purlington eyed him with interest.
“We attended your cousin’s wedding yesterday, Lord Dyer,” the countess said. “I believe your two sisters are also wed. When might you consider taking the plunge into marriage?”
He laughed easily. “The parson’s mousetrap is not for me, Lady Purlington. At least not for several more years.”
“Bachelors are becoming scarce in town with so many weddings occurring,” she told him. “You must pay special attention to all the still available ladies, my lord. I do not want to see you ducking into the card room this evening.”
Always one willing to please a hostess, he said, “Very well, my lady. I shall make a point of dancing every set. Only because you asked it of me,” as he employed the smile that he knew made feminine hearts flutter.
Moving away from his hosts, he entered the ballroom. Right away, he saw his parents standing with Tia and Hugo, and so he made his way toward them.
“Good evening,” he greeted. “How are the newlyweds?”
“The newlyweds are here reluctantly,” Hugo told him. “I would have preferred staying home, but I did want Polite Society to see how happy my countess and I are with one another. We plan to make it an early evening, though.”
“Will you be around for the midnight buffet?” he asked. “If so, I thought I could ask Miss Stanhope for the supper dance, so that we could sup with you and Tia.”
“We might be here. We might not,” his cousin said, mischief dancing in her eyes.
“Apparently, you have taken to the marriage bed, Tia,” he said, causing his mother to swat him with her fan.
“Dyer, watch what you say. You are in public. You would not wish to embarrass your cousin.”
“Were you embarrassed?” he asked Tia, who burst out laughing. “Where is everyone else?”