Chapter Twelve #2
‘Indeed. Although with two wards and a baby on the way, I feel that is too much to ask of her. Do you not agree?’
‘Sophia,’ said Tobias.
‘Given how complicated these evenings are to organise it seems a little unfair to give the role to our newest family member when she has only just joined our ranks. Also, one must consider her age. She is barely past one and twenty. I think a lady of more maturity would be better suited for the role.’
Tobias fought the urge to roll his eyes.
Freddie was becoming even less subtle. Realising there was a way to knock the wind out of his brother’s sails before he truly got going, Tobias leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table.
Gesturing to Freddie, he indicated that his brother should lean forward too.
‘If you are referring to Mrs Wilmott,’ said Tobias, quietly so that the other guests did not hear, ‘she has expressly told me that she does not wish to marry me.’
The way Freddie’s jaw dropped open was remarkably enjoyable. ‘You… you… you asked her?’
Freddie could not have sounded more incredulous if Tobias had told him he had flown to the moon before breakfast. ‘No. I did not.’
‘So, she just informed you of this?’
‘She did.’
Tobias enjoyed watching Freddie’s mouth open and close as his brother clearly fought to find the words to express his shock at this statement. Before Freddie could find anything further to say, Edward joined them.
‘Has something happened to him?’ asked Edward, nodding towards Freddie. ‘He is doing a rather outstanding job of impersonating a fish.’
‘I think I broke him,’ said Tobias, feeling far prouder of himself than perhaps the situation warranted.
‘Goodness,’ said Edward. ‘Christopher and I have tried that on many occasions, but we have been unsuccessful. Perhaps you can show me the trick of it sometime.’
‘I should be delighted,’ said Tobias, not missing the looks of shock that passed between his two brothers. ‘Do you think we have lingered long enough over port?’
Edward paused, which was fair given that the drinks had not long been poured. He glanced down at Tobias’ glass. ‘Possibly, but you do not appear to have touched yours.’
Tobias hadn’t, but he wasn’t in the mood for it.
There were perks to being a duke and one of them meant that when he told everyone it was time to leave, they would follow without question.
Another one was that he would lead the men towards the sitting room.
If he was quick enough, he would be able to reach Grace’s side before Beauvarlet.
Standing up, he ignored Freddie’s confused frown and announced that it was time for them to rejoin the ladies.
He was gone before the others had finished the remainder of their drinks.
His hopes were dashed as soon as he entered the room.
Not that he would call them hopes, not really.
It was just that, for some reason, his words did not become stuck when he spoke with Grace.
They flowed freely, naturally, and it would have been pleasant to spend some of this long evening with the one person with whom he could converse easily.
However, Grace was deep in conversation with the dowager marchioness and he could not interrupt.
When his secretary appeared at the door of the sitting room forty minutes later, he was incredibly grateful for a reason to excuse himself.
Simon had a quick query for him, but once it was resolved, Tobias chose not to return to the evening soiree and headed towards his study instead.
There was only so much being around other people that he could take, and Grace was probably back to talking to Beauvarlet, something he did not particularly want to watch.
Settling behind his large desk, he lit a candle and pored over a report from one of his agents.
It was regarding his northernmost property and a problem that had been troubling some of his tenants.
It was a thorny issue and one which, thankfully, required all of his attention.
Hours later, he straightened, rubbing his neck where his muscles ached.
Glancing at his carriage clock, he saw that it was gone midnight.
The guests would be gone by now and any remaining obligation to speak with them would be over.
He let himself out of his study and into the room beyond.
The house was in darkness, but that didn’t bother him; he often worked late and knew his way around.
As he moved towards the next connecting door, a heaviness settled in his stomach.
In the stillness of the night, he could admit that this feeling of discomfort had nothing to do with the lateness of the hour, and everything to do with the sinking realisation that his evening’s behaviour was not up to the high standard he required of himself.
It didn’t normally bother him if he left a social function early.
He didn’t enjoy them and there was no need to force himself to endure them for longer than he absolutely had to.
But this evening, he couldn’t help feeling as if he had been somehow lacking, that by allowing himself the indulgence of excusing himself from an unpleasant task, he had let himself down.
Through another set of doors, he heard the faint noise of a slippered foot scuffing against a tiled floor.
He paused, tilting his head to see if the sound would come again.
It was quite possible some of the guests had not left yet.
While many would have gone on to another entertainment, a few may have stayed for cards or an informal chat.
He heard it again, louder this time, as if the person was moving about in his entrance hall, although there were no voices to suggest a large group.
Perhaps it was a servant, who would ignore his presence.
Even if it was a guest, Tobias could manage a brief interaction with another human being.
He passed through the last set of doors and began to make his way towards the bottom of the staircase, before coming to an abrupt halt. Standing in the entranceway, bathed in light streaming in from the large windows, was Grace, almost otherworldly beautiful in the moonlight.
‘Ahh,’ she screamed, her hand flying to her chest.
‘It is only me,’ he said, stepping towards her so that she could see his outline, but not close enough to cause her further alarm.
‘Oh,’ she said breathlessly. ‘I feel as if I am having an apoplexy.’ She patted her chest a few times before dropping her hand. ‘Why were you lurking in the dark like that?’
Only Grace would have the nerve to speak to him as if he were a naughty schoolboy. It was sobering to realise she was the only person from whom he would take it. ‘I was checking that you were not an intruder,’ he said. ‘What are you doing?’
‘Intruding.’
Despite himself, he laughed. ‘What are you hoping to gain by said intrusion?’
‘I have been looking for something to pilfer. Something big enough to give me means to support myself, or some document that might help me discover the inner workings of your mind.’ She shrugged. ‘Whichever is easier.’
‘I see.’ From the way her mouth was twitching, he guessed she was teasing him, but the idea that she wanted to understand him better, even in jest, disconcerted him.
What if she did not like what she found?
He wasn’t always sure that he liked himself, and if he didn’t, what hope was there that anyone else did?
‘Well, perhaps I can interest you in this piece.’ He gestured towards a gaudy gold vase that stood not far away from the doorway.
‘It was a gift from Sophia’s mother on the occasion of her marriage to Christopher.
I am not overly fond of it, but I do believe selling it might keep you in fruit cake for a good few months. ’
Her smile was wide and infectious and something warm spread through him at the realisation he had amused her. All these feelings caused by one woman could not be good. He should bid her good night and continue up the stairs to his suite, but his legs refused to carry him any further.