To Catch A Suitor (Dalton Family 2)

Oliver looked up, knowing that feeling helpless was probably killing his friend. “And what would that be?”

“To go visit your home.”

“Pembroke?” No. That’s definitely not what he needed. He had planned to write to his father’s solicitor and demand that the cursed house be sold immediately. Oliver never wished to step through the front door of his childhood home again. “Definitely not.” The wake and funeral were set to take place in the next few days and Oliver had already decided he would not go.

“Hear me out,” said Kensworth, leaning forward in his seat. “You never got the chance to say a final farewell to your father, so it probably feels as if he’s not really gone. But if you go, and see for yourself, you will get the closure you need. Trust me. I wish I had faced my grief sooner than I did, rather than simply trying to push it away.” But this was much different than Kensworth not being willing to face his fiancée's death. He was talking about a man who had caused Oliver nothing but a lifetime’s worth of emotional and physical scars. The man who had made Oliver feel so little and unsure that he couldn’t even allow himself to pursue the woman he loved.

No. This was different than needing closure. This was different than never being able to admit to himself that his father was dead. If he were being honest, he mostly felt relieved that his father could no longer plague him. And that made him feel so utterly guilty and unchristian.

“I’m not going back to Pembroke.”

“But—”

“No.”

Kensworth shut his mouth and nodded. He sank back against his chair. “All right. I won’t force you. I just thought it might also be a good excuse for you to help me keep tabs on Hastings.”

But that caught Oliver’s attention. He narrowed his eyes. “How?”

Kensworth tipped one of his big shoulders, looking stupidly innocent even though Oliver knew very well that whatever he was about to say was premeditated. “Did you not know that Hastings's estate is very near Pembroke?” No, he did not.

“How near?” Oliver asked, feeling a little angry that Kensworth’s plan was already working in his favor.

“Very. If I did not misread the directions sent from Lady Hastings, it is in the same village as Pembroke. The estate is called Addington Hall.” Addington Hall belonged to the Viscount Hastings? It wasn’t all that surprising that he hadn't realized Hastings had been his neighbor all these years. He’d made sure he was never at home more than a week at a time during his Eton days and, even when he was home, his father hadn't exactly been sociable, never requiring them to make or receive house calls.

If Oliver went to Pembroke, that would mean he would be close to Elizabeth. He shouldn’t even be considering it. Had he not promised to let her go once and for all?

Oliver downed the rest of his drink and eyed Kensworth. “When do we leave?”

Chapter Twenty-Six

The carriage pulled up in front of Addington Hall and Elizabeth couldn’t help but let out a slight nervous chuckle. This was the viscount’s home.

“Good heavens,” said Rose, in awe beside her. “It’s nearly as large as Dalton Park, isn’t it?”

Elizabeth swallowed and looked at her sister-in-law. “Rose, did you feel a little sick with nerves when you first came to Dalton Park?”

“No. But that’s only because I had no knowledge that I was going to marry the heir of it at the time. I would have tossed up my accounts for sure had I known what responsibility was ahead of me.”

Elizabeth let out a dejected puff. “Wonderful. You know you could have lied and said something along the lines of, no need to worry. You’re perfectly capable of running a house this size if the time comes.”

A twinkle entered Rose’s eyes. “I would have, but I was under the impression that you cherish honesty.”

Elizabeth laughed before she turned to peer out the window at the enormous home once again.

“It’s not too late to turn around,” said Carver, his face joining hers to look out the window. “I can invent some excuse and have us back in London in a dash.”

She turned slowly to look at her brother, who had asked every single day of the past week whether she was truly certain she wished to go to Addington Hall. “Will you quit trying to get out of this house party? What do you think is going to happen? They will dress you up in a funny outfit and make you perform charades?”

The look of terror that flashed through her brother’s eyes nearly made Elizabeth burst into laughter. “I certainly am now. Do you think there’s a chance of that happening?”

“Most definitely now that I know you despise the idea so muc

h.”

He narrowed his eyes. “And to think I left the comfort of Hopewood just to come launch you into Society. Now I can only hope that Mother and Father catch influenza during Kate’s come out as well, leaving you responsible for what I know will be a very tedious debut.”

“How very mature, brother dearest. I’ll be sure to tell our parents you’re wishing them ill.”