“Yes, Lady Amy is quite pleasant. Now I think you should take a short rest, have your bath and dinner, and then if you still feel up to it, we will attend the Assembly.”
She patted his cheek. “You are such a fine son. I am so very proud of you.” She stood and kissed him on the head as if he were seven years.
Only a mother would say she was proud of someone who had a murder charge hanging over their head.
It was disturbing that the police had returned so soon. Hopefully it had not been with an arrest warrant. He headed to the sideboard and poured himself a brandy. Were it not for the fact that he would be disappointing Amy and his mother, he would skip socializing for the rest of the day and crawl into bed and drink himself into oblivion.
He downed his drink and trudged upstairs. It didn’t bother him at all that he wished Amy was upstairs waiting for him. He could use a bit of consolation right now. Maybe it was time for him to marry. He smiled. The word that had always had him breaking into a sweat no longer seemed so terrifying.
CHAPTER 23
“I don’t understand what is wrong with Persephone.” Amy settled into William’s carriage after wishing Lady Wethington a good evening. “She has been so clingy lately. She doesn’t want me to leave her side.”
“Hasn’t she always been that way? I remember when we …” William drifted off, no doubt remembering their foray into Harding’s house, where Persephone had barked every time Amy walked two feet from her.
“I would say yes, she is a bit attached to me, but it has certainly gotten worse lately.”
“She’s getting old.”
Amy had a difficult time leaving for the Assembly, one place she could definitely not bring her dog. She hated having to trick her in order to depart with any sense of dignity. Right now Persephone was happily gnawing on a bone from Cook. Once she finished that and looked around to find Amy gone, she might begin to wail.
Lady Wethington seemed distracted and a bit on edge. Whatever was troubling her hadn’t kept her from attending the Assembly, though. Amy made a mental note to ask William when they were alone if something was wrong. Men didn’t always notice such things, and he might need some prodding to see what was troubling the woman.
Aunt Margaret had left earlier, once more accompanied by Lord Pembroke. He had apparently returned from the business trip she had told Amy about.
Aunt Margaret was closemouthed about his lordship, and Amy allowed her that discretion, even though her aunt had no qualms when it came to offering suggestions and advice about William.
The gathering was well under way when they arrived. Well-dressed couples swirled around the dance floor to the tune of a quartet. It was late February, and though the Assembly was full tonight, many of the families would soon be leaving to travel to London for the Season.
For at least two decades, American heiresses had made up a sizable proportion of the young ladies presented each Season with the idea of snaring a husband. Railroad barons, hoteliers, and industrial giants in America were anxious to secure titles for their daughters to solidify their social standing in the United States.
English estates had long been financed by agriculture, with England being the worldwide leader in grain production. However, once the United States started cultivating grain on its prairies, production in Englan
d had begun to suffer. Consequently, aristocrats were more than willing to trade their titles for money.
During the Season in London, families would retire to Bath for a week or so to take a break from the social swirl, but the number of tourists would shrink considerably very soon.
Amy and William and his mother were barely past the front door when Mr. Colbert strode across the room, dodging dancers, heading straight for Lady Wethington, a huge smile of welcome on his face. Amy kept her own smile to herself when she saw William scowl.
Mr. Colbert took Lady Wethington’s outstretched hand and bowed over it. “Good evening, my lady. You are looking splendid, as always.”
Lady Wethington was not immune to flattery and blushed slightly. “Thank you, Mr. Colbert. It is a pleasure to see you.”
“Colbert.” William offered a curt nod.
“Good evening to you, Lady Amy.”
“You as well, Mr. Colbert.” Wishing to distract William so that poor Mr. Colbert could have a word with Lady Wethington, or possibly ask her to dance, Amy took William’s arm. “I find myself a bit parched; will you join me in a stroll to the refreshment table?”
He didn’t look happy, but being a gentleman, he took her arm, and they moved away. “For goodness’ sake, William. You’re acting like an overprotective father of a young blushing miss.”
“Did you not see my mother blush?”
Amy laughed. “I thought you liked Mr. Colbert.”
“I like him as a co-member of the book club. I like him as a well-respected solicitor. I like him when I see him in my club. I like him as the leader of the book club meetings. I don’t like him as a man who looks at my mother in that way.”
“She’s an adult. She’s been married. She raised two children and is a grandmother. I’m sure she can handle a mild flirtation with a man.”