“Nothing … it was nothing ol’ boy.” He grinned broadly as he put out both his hands in the way of explanation. “Lewis is my baby brother, and unfortunately m’father didn’t provide for him properly. Though,” he said with a grimace, “you see that m’mother was … well, heard him
accuse her once of … well, the long and the short of it was that he thought Lewis wasn’t his.” Jasper shrugged. “He doesn’t look like the rest of us, that is for certain, but he is m’brother and a splendid young man.”
“Aye … like I said, good man.” His lordship smiled warmly.
“But what the devil are you doing here?” Jasper asked.
“You know my nephew, Freddy? Well, m’sister asked me to try and take Freddy in hand.”
“Take Freddy in hand? Isn’t he a grown man already?”
“Nearly, not quite …”
Jasper’s eyes suddenly opened wide. “Hold on a minute … look there. Coming from the dining room. Damn, if she isn’t the most beautiful creature I have ever clapped m’eyes on.” Jasper’s chin moved towards Serena, who was then in lively motion as a cotillion had been struck up.
Freddy was involved in minding his steps in time with the lively cotillion that kept them both on the move. Freddy would have no opportunity to hold her as a waltz would have allowed, and his lordship grinned to himself over this fact.
“Ye gods!” Jasper continued. “But that is your nephew, Freddy, isn’t it … dancing with the beauty?”
“Precisely, and that is why I am here. He should be up at Oxford, but instead he is dancing attendance on Miss Moorely,” his lordship said ruefully.
Jasper eyed him quizzically. “Well then, I have the perfect solution. I shall steal her away from him.”
His lordship felt a wave of irrational irritation. “Not a good idea.”
And why not? Don’t you think I can?” Sir Jasper’s eyes narrowed.
“As to that, you are a devilish charmer, but she is not the sort to be taken in. She is not your usual miss and will see through you in a thrice.”
He eyed her again and sighed. “Ah, but who says I wouldn’t be sincere? She is just the sort a man should take hold of and never let go. Damn, but only look at her!”
“Indeed, but beauty isn’t everything.” His lordship frowned. Jasper was annoying him, though why, he couldn’t tell. It wasn’t as though they hadn’t ogled lovelies together in the past.
“No, it isn’t, but she is more than beauty … I can tell that just from her smile. Indeed.” He paused. “You are right. Better keep m’distance from that one. She is just the sort that just might serve me up a final coup de gras.” He shook his head vehemently. “Not ready for that just yet,” his friend exclaimed, hand to heart.
His lordship laughed. “At any rate, as you can see, it is my nephew who is enthralled with her and means to take her as his bride. He has eyes only for her and is determined to court her to that end,” Lord Daniel Pendleton said grimly.
“But she may not have him. After all, he is a puppy, isn’t he, and she … well, there is something of the woman about her, isn’t there?”
“Oh, she’ll have him. Why wouldn’t she? He is personable, quite a nice lad, titled and wealthy.” His lordship grimaced. “However, it just won’t do … Freddy isn’t even twenty yet.”
“Hmm. Lewis was only four and twenty when he got engaged and then married. Done him a world of good. Some men are the better for marriage.”
“Lewis had finished his studies at Oxford, and as I recall you even sent him on the Grand Tour to give him some polish … therein lies the difference,” his lordship returned impatiently.
“Don’t get angry with me, ol’ boy. I have already offered to cut him out and have her myself. Can’t you just see her on my arm, with those dark eyes looking up at me?”
“No, and you already retracted the offer.” His lordship chuckled. “But perhaps I should cut my nephew out with her,” he said thoughtfully.
“Ah, but that would cause a rift between you and your nevvy. He has always looked up to you.”
“Yes, that is what has been holding me back, for it has been a plan I have been considering nearly from the start.” He sighed heavily. “I must do something, and that is the only thing I can think of at the moment. I can see her switching her attentions to me if she thought I could be brought up to scratch.”
“What gives you such a poor opinion of the lady?” Jasper watched as not only the reverend went towards Serena at the finish of the cotillion, but several other young bucks. “Seems to me she has her pick of many.”
“My poor opinion comes from the fact that I honestly believe she is not genuinely in love with Freddy … and means to have him, knowing he should be up at school, not dancing attendance on her!”
Jasper shrugged. “I don’t know that she has a choice in the matter. He seems quite intent on dancing attendance on her as you say … look there.” Jasper indicated with his chin. “She has totally given him her back and walked off with Warren Beverly. I know that chap … a rogue if ever there was one, and quite done up. He has to marry well in order to bring his estates around.”