Chapter Fourteen #2
Ophelia pulled her into a hug. ‘Thank you. I am off to ready myself and then we can set out.’
Lucas had all but given up on seeing Miss Granger this week.
It was now Wednesday, and she had cancelled their Monday lessons over some trifling illness, and he’d heard nothing from her since then.
He furrowed his brow. This withdrawal wasn’t like her, and despite himself he had grown concerned.
Had she been harmed by the attack in the garden?
Had he done something to offend her? Or put her off in some way from finding a match for him?
He stilled.
Perhaps she’d realised finding him a match was a hopeless endeavor, but did not wish to tell him so.
But she did not seem like one to give up on anything.
He shrugged off his jacket as he entered the front door of the manor and loosened his cravat after a successful weekly venture to the shops.
Now he could relax and try to paint…again.
He’d even splurged and bought a few gifts today, which was unlike him, and handed off the parcels to the footman.
One was for Diana to mark her upcoming wedding, another was a wooden toy soldier for Nicholas and of all things, there was a gift for Miss Granger, if he ever saw her again.
The delicate enamel card holder with its winding blue flowers had reminded him of her, and he’d purchased it on a whim.
While he had to admit he’d missed seeing her, he did not miss the outings, the lessons and all the other fussiness that had so far accompanied his journey to finding a bride.
If anything, meeting so many women at once had rather overwhelmed him.
What did he even desire in a woman anymore?
To his frustration, a vision of Miss Granger formed immediately in his mind. Why was he so enamored with her? Was it because he was not supposed to be? Was it merely due to all the time they had spent together? He frowned and scrubbed his hand through his hair.
He needed to nip his infatuation in the bud because it was a distraction he didn’t need. What he needed was a wife of convenience. A contractual endeavor free of the complications of emotions and love and…her.
‘You have guests awaiting you in the parlour, my lord,’ Yates announced as he came into the entryway, pulling Lucas back from his woolgathering.
‘I have sent in tea and refreshments for them. They have not been waiting long for they knew of your habit to shop today.’ There was a twinkle in Yates’s gaze which made the hair stand up on Lucas’s arms. Why was Yates being so obtuse? Worse yet, why did the man seem happy?
‘Thank you,’ Lucas replied. The hesitation in his voice made his words sound like a question rather than a statement. Yates came over and straightened Lucas’s cravat without being prompted. Was the man smirking? He disappeared before Lucas could ask.
Perplexed, Lucas came to the threshold of the parlour door and opened it. He stopped cold at the sight of his unexpected guests.
He was shocked and stood speechless to see his worlds had collided.
‘Uncle Lucas!’ Nicholas called out, rushing to him and crashing into his legs. Lucas bent to pick him up and gave him a crushing hug, revelling in the joy he felt at seeing him and Diana again. Even though it had only been two weeks, he had missed them dearly.
‘What a surprise! How are you both?’ he asked.
‘I did not expect to see you until the wedding.’ He stopped before asking if all was well in case something had happened to disrupt their planned nuptials.
He studied Diana’s face and saw no hint of worry, which sent a quick wave of relief flooding over him.
‘We have the best news, Lucas! I told Thomas we had to come and tell you in person rather than send you an updated invitation. We have decided to marry here, in Mayfair. It seemed silly to have all our guests travel so far, when all of them resided here. We shall marry on the 1st of October, and you shall not miss it.’
‘I would not miss it for the world,’ he replied, pulling her into a brief hug before releasing her.
‘Good! And imagine my surprise at arriving here and meeting Miss Granger and Lady Buchanan and hearing of your own recent adventures. While I was not surprised to hear of your gallantry in rescuing Miss Granger’s reticule when it was stolen on the streets of Mayfair, I was shocked to hear you have attended a ball and taken to walking in the park.
’ Her gaze was bright; her eyes full of unshed tears.
‘I do not know what has caused this change in you, but I am so, so happy for you, Lucas, for choosing to live again.’
He couldn’t help but feel the rush of joy at seeing her so pleased with him. ‘And I have your encouragement, as well as my mother’s, to thank,’ he said gruffly as he kissed her cheek.
‘And to hear that you had such a favorable write-up in The Times,’ she added. ‘Miss Granger has shown me. It is wonderful.’
He shied away from her talk of the gossip sheets and focused back on why she was here. ‘And where will you marry?’ he asked.
‘St George’s Church, of course. With their crush of weddings, it shall be quick, which will please everyone and leave more time for a reception to celebrate.’ She laughed.
‘I can hardly wait. I will be there,’ he replied.
‘With a guest, I hope?’ Lady Buchanan added, lifting her brow.
He glanced over to Miss Granger, who was nodding. He conceded with a sigh. ‘Yes. I will bring a guest with me. Surely, by then I will know who might be an acceptable match for such an event.’
‘What am I missing?’ Diana asked, glancing back and forth between him and Miss Granger.
‘You did not tell her?’ he asked, meeting Miss Granger’s gaze.
‘It was not my news to tell, my lord,’ she replied with a sweet smile that made his knees turn soft. To think that she could have seized this moment to share about her business, but did not do so to protect his privacy. It was endearing and reminded him of his rapport with Diana.
Perhaps if he could ever push through this heady attraction to her, they could be friends. Good friends. And lord knew, he needed far more of those than he had.
He nodded and cleared his throat. ‘I have enlisted Miss Granger’s skills as a matchmaker. She is currently set on finding me a future wife, so I can live the life you are so keen for me to have.’ He smiled at Diana and put his hands in his trouser pockets.
‘That is delightful to hear. How does it work, this matchmaking of yours, Miss Granger? I am enthralled.’
‘It requires a great deal of observation and patience, as you might expect. I also make many lists of items to gauge compatibility, and there must be a physical attraction between individuals of course. That goes without saying. There must be a palpable pull for a potential match.’
Her gaze slid to his, and for the hundredth time he wished she could be his match.
His attraction to her was more than a palpable pull these days.
He cleared his throat to try and dash the unseemly thoughts about his ‘attraction’ to her aside.
Any attempt at a love match would only end in disaster and ruin, and he cared too much for her to subject her to that.
‘The paper and ink she has been through working on this match has been…extensive,’ Lady Buchanan added. ‘I have seen it. Bins full of crumpled pages. And then there is the calendar,’ she began and shook her head.
‘A calendar?’ Diana asked, her brows lifting. ‘I did not know you owned one, Lucas.’
‘I didn’t,’ he retorted. ‘As you well know. We made one.’ He nodded to the calendar which had been set out on the writing desk by Yates for Lucas to consult this afternoon.
Diana’s mouth hung open as she went over to it, her hands skimming over the inked squares. ‘Vauxhall Gardens,’ she murmured and met his gaze with wide eyes.
‘Yes. That is the next adventure, and the most challenging one yet.’ He shuddered.
‘Why does it only extend into mid-October?’ she asked as she continued to study it.
Miss Granger smiled prettily in his direction, waiting for him to answer.
‘I have made a thirty-day stipulation for finding my match.’
Diana laughed, but then her expression fell when he did not join in. ‘You are serious, Lucas?’
‘Yes.’
She shook her head and walked to him. ‘Miss Granger may be a miracle worker, as she has already talked you into attending a ball, but even that may be beyond her capabilities. Why must an end date be applied to your successful match?’ She crossed her arms against her chest.
Lucas hesitated and finally said a truth he had been holding on to for some time, even from Miss Granger.
His heart thundered and all eyes were upon him save Nicholas’s, who was busy eating a large slice of cake.
‘Because I cannot endure another failed betrothal. Thirty days for a match, then the reading of the banns and the marriage will be completed the month after. It shall be a mutually beneficial contract between two parties this time, not a love affair. I have learned my lesson well from my first betrothal.’
Rebecca had ground in his ‘learnings’ from such a lesson so finely that the reminder subdued the thoughts of Miss Granger he’d possessed only moments ago. The silence that followed his words was expected, and he dropped his gaze. But pity would not do for him. Forward motion would.
Another moment passed in silence before he faced his matchmaker and turned the topic to action. ‘Any prospective matches for our event on Friday, Miss Granger? It would be a fine time to see if one of the women I have met so far would be a compatible wife.’
‘I am glad you asked, my lord,’ she replied cheerfully, helping to shift the mood of the room.
‘I have a list of candidates based on who I saw you dancing with at the ball that may serve as a suitable companion for this next event.’ Miss Granger beamed at him, so much so that he felt a hitch in his breath.