Chapter Ten
Lord Kendrick, Duke of Alton
I paused outside the Alton box at the theater and inhaled a stabilizing breath.
Whenever my mother asked me to meet a potential bride, I flinched.
It was my duty to marry, and I knew it had to eventually happen.
I was still hesitant for one reason; I wasn’t ready to make adjustments to my current lifestyle.
Colt’s suggestion would eliminate that fear.
Lady Lillian knew about my unusual household and hadn’t recoiled. That was a plus.
Regardless of my intentions, I had to meet the heiress to appease my mother.
Or I could simply tell her I was considering proposing to Lady Lillian.
I wasn’t sure how she’d feel about the match.
As the daughter of an earl, Lillian was a desirable catch.
She had a dowry, but it was a mere stipend compared to Miss Belinda Cameron’s.
There were rumors that Cameron made his money in trade, but he was also from an old, respected family with ties to the royal family, which saved his reputation.
Perhaps a miracle would happen, and Miss Cameron and I would bond.
Shoulders back, I entered the box. The occupants turned their heads at my entrance.
“Kendrick, you have arrived.” My mother stood and reached out a hand to me. I took it, the silk glove slick against my palm. “Let me introduce you to Mr. Cameron and his daughter, Miss Belinda Cameron.”
Cameron, a short, plump man with no hair to speak of, held out his hand in greeting. I shook it and tried not to wince as he squeezed mine with more force than necessary. “Your Grace, it is a pleasure to meet you at last. I have long been an admirer.”
The cynical side of me wished to ask him what exactly he admired about me.
It wasn’t unusual to receive empty praises for deeds I hadn’t accomplished.
I kept my sarcasm to myself. I was here to meet his daughter.
Of course, he wished to make a good impression, and flattery was a part of the laborious process of courting. “The pleasure is all mine,” I said.
“I have a marble statue of a horse you carved. It sits on a plinth in my foyer, right Belinda?” Cameron stared pointedly at his daughter.
“Yes, everyone who visits has nothing but glowing praise for your sculpture,” Miss Cameron said in a pitchy voice that was at odds with her cherubic visage.
My mother said she was on the cusp of turning sixteen, but she looked much younger.
I had no interest in courting a mere child, no matter how rich she might be.
“I thank you for your admiration.” I’d had countless chats like this over the years, small talk with little substance.
My conversations with Lady Lillian had veered out of the polite realm from the start.
Although she was reserved in her manners during some of our discourse, our discussions were absorbing.
The kiss we had shared was firmly planted in my imagination.
There was definitely a physical connection between us, one I was eager to explore.
Another mark in Lady Lillian’s favor. “Are you fond of art?”
“She is an accomplished painter,” my mother said, her smile somewhat forced. She had arranged the meeting, but she didn’t look enthusiastic.
Interesting.
“I learned how to paint watercolors at finishing school,” Miss Cameron said.
“It is a lovely medium.” It was an acceptable activity for a genteel lady, unlike Lady Lillian, who wished to write a salacious book. I suppressed a grin at the memory of our exchange on the subject.
The box had two rows of seats overlooking the second tier of the theater. The noise increased as more patrons crowded their boxes for the upcoming production. I glanced down at the stage, my pulse racing at what or who I would see.
Gavin was the lead in the play. If it wasn’t for my mother, I would have snuck backstage to see him.
He had ignored every one of my notes, which was not unusual when he was in a snit.
I wasn’t sure why I let Gavin, of all my lovers, manipulate me.
Well, that wasn’t entirely true. He put a spark to the dull tinder my life had become.
With Gavin, I was always on my toes. It was a love/hate relationship.
When it was bad, it infuriated me. When it was good, I was on top of the world.
Perhaps it was for the best that it ended the way it had. Maybe it should stay that way.
“Lady Helen, Lord Kendrick,” a familiar voice said from behind me. I turned to see Lady Tapper. Lady Lillian stood to her mother's right, towering over the older woman.
My mother’s face brightened as she made the introductions to the Camerons before turning to me.
“Kendrick, I believe you know Lady Lillian,” she said, angling her head in a sobering manner. Since she and Lady Vivian met, they had become fast friends. I had paid a call on Lady Lillian, but my mother hadn’t quizzed me on why.
Yet.
“Of course, we are neighbors,” I said, offering her a nod in acknowledgment.
Lady Lillian’s honey brown hair was upswept in a fashionable style, a few artful curls enhancing her heart-shaped face.
The unflattering white evening dress was high-necked and overly embellished with ruffles.
She looked uncomfortable and kept her head down.
I wanted to say something to rally her spirits.
Inside her meek facade beat the heart of a lively woman.
“It is a pleasure to see you again, Lady Lillian.”
“Thank you, Your Grace.” The words were a mere whisper, and I barely heard them over the ever-increasing din of the theater patrons. Everyone attending was there to see and be seen. Cameron was no exception. He waved at a passing gentleman and stood near the rail to speak to the newcomer.
My mother looked from me to Lady Lillian, and unease triggered frown lines between her eyes. Lady Lillian’s shyness was painful to behold. With a gentle smile, my mother said, “Lady Vivian, would you and your daughter like to join us?”
“Oh, my dearest Lady Helen, what a kind offer, but my son and daughter-in-law are in our box waiting for us to join them. I just wanted to stop by and tell you we reached our fundraising goal. We can thank Alton for his generosity.” Lady Vivian beamed at me.
I tried not to flinch at the use of my title. In my mind, Alton was my father. “The foundling house will benefit from your hard work,” I said.
Colt had made a sizable donation on my behalf.
“Alton is all that is good,” Miss Cameron said, speaking up for the first time.
She gazed adoringly up at me, and my unease grew.
It was hard enough to contemplate courting such a young woman, but having her fall in love with me was beyond the pale.
When I got married, it wouldn’t be a love match.
A marriage based on mutual respect and admiration sounded just the thing for me. I would have that with Lady Lillian.
“Yes, very kind,” Lady Lillian said, lifting her head and meeting my gaze. She offered a strained smile, a flush enhancing the apple of her cheeks.
Despite our rough beginning, we had developed a truce since she had been using my library. Another mark in her favor. Coupled with the fact that she not only encouraged me to take a male lover but wished to take part, it was an added boon.
A warning bell rang, signaling for people to take their seats.
“I believe the curtain is about to go up.” Miss Cameron placed her hand on my arm and gave Lady Lillian a tight smile bordering on a sneer. “I suggest you run along and find your box.”
I stiffened at her rude manner. The color drained from Lady Lillian’s face, and her expression fell.
She seemed to draw into herself. My hands curled into fists.
I wanted to scold Miss Cameron and comfort Lady Lillian simultaneously.
Once again, her fragility was on display, and it pricked my temper to see her bullied.
“Lady Lillian is my friend, and she is welcome to stay as long as she wishes.”
Miss Cameron's pinched mouth spoke of her displeasure over my rebuke. I didn’t care.
“Oh dear, we’d best hurry. I’m sure we will see you all at intermission,” Lady Vivian said, slipping her arm through her daughter’s and leading her from the box.
My mother seated herself in the second row. Cameron said goodbye to his friend, and with a sly smile in my direction, he took the seat next to my mother. They left me to sit beside Miss Cameron in the front row.
After a tense moment, she adjusted the skirts of her modest white gown over her knees.
She laid a hand on my sleeve, chin lifted before she withdrew it.
Miss Cameron might look innocent, but a calculating gleam lit her eyes.
“I wanted to thank you for your kind invitation tonight. All of my friends are envious of my good fortune to attend the theater with the handsome Duke of Alton and his benevolent mother.”
I disliked toadies with a passion, and it required all of my skills at subterfuge to remain civil.
Arms crossed, I leaned back in my chair.
Best to focus on the mundane and keep a cool head.
“I enjoy the theater. Tonight’s production of Hamlet is said to be outstanding.
” Gavin played the part exceptionally well.
“I will defer to your opinion on such matters.” She brought out her fan and waved it before her face. “If you say it is exceptional, then it must be.”
The last thing I wanted was a wife with no curiosity or thoughts of her own. “Why don’t you wait until after you see the play before you offer an opinion?”
“My father says that as a woman, my opinion is secondary to my future husband’s.
He says my place is to make him happy, see to his every need, and keep his household under a stern thumb.
” She moved the fan faster, the breeze ruffling her hair.
“I can assure you, none of the staff will steal under my watch.”
The lights faded, and the music swelled, cutting off the conversation.
I was grateful for it. Beneath Miss Cameron’s innocent facade lay the heart of a lady bent on cruelty to those less fortunate.
If I had a single hope about a potential union with her, it was dashed.
Her behavior toward Lady Lillian was unacceptable.
No matter how many roads I went down, they all seemed to lead to one lady.
Lady Lillian Tapper.