Lyon's Gate (Sherbrooke Brides 9)

“Yes,” Hallie said. “Come see us in September.”

“I will,” Charles said. “It will interest me to see what an American considers good breeding and racing stock. Ah, Miss Carrick, Lord Brinkley told me about the shine on your boots. Said his man Old Fudds still couldn’t get it just right.”

“Practice,” Hallie said.

“That is true of most things, I’ve found,” Charles said, and turned to Jason. “You’ve begun well, Jason.”

“Thank you,” Hallie said.

Charles Grandison laughed. “I would like to meet this misogynist butler who stole Elgin’s hat and cane.”

It was later, over Cook’s lovely tea and gingerbread that Hallie asked, “Lord Carlisle—”

“Call me, Charles, please.”

She smiled, inclined her head. “Have you and Lord Renfrew known each other long?”

“Elgin is horse mad,” Charles said. “He has asked me to assist him in buying quality horseflesh.”

“It is an expensive undertaking,” Jason said, and chewed a raisin Cook had put in the gingerbread.

“Oh, you don’t think Elgin has enough pounds in his pockets?”

“I really don’t know,” Jason said. “Nor do I really care.”

“I suppose you told Jason, Miss Carrick, that Lord Renfrew would very much like to marry you?”

“No, I did not tell him that. Why would I?”

“He is your partner, ma’am. Were you to wed Lord Renfrew, why then, it would be he who would deal with Jason here and your horses.”

“I hadn’t realized that marriage went hand in hand with incompetence. Marriage would make me stupid, then?”

“A lady as lovely as you are could be as stupid as a chamber pot and it wouldn’t matter.”

Jason, in mid-drink, spewed the tea out of his mouth and began coughing. Hallie walked to him and smacked him hard on the back. He finally caught his breath. He grinned up at her. “Ah, thank you for the brute assistance.”

“I have four young siblings. One is always prepared to do anything, including cauterizing a wound. Now, Lord Carlisle, about Lord Renfrew.”

“Charles, please.”

Hallie picked up her teacup and saluted him, and yet again she inclined her head. “I don’t suppose Lord Renfrew asked you to come to Lyon’s Gate to, er, soften me up a bit?”

“I scarcely know the gentleman.”

“You and he are of an age,” Hallie said.

“Surely he is older.”

“I don’t believe so, unless he lied to me. I believe Lord Renfrew is thirty-one years old.”

“Hmm. Yes, Elgin lied. It is a nasty thing, a lie, but some feel compelled to do it, particularly when the young lady is of tender years.”

“I’m no longer tender, sir.”

A very handsome dark brow arched up. Charles looked toward Jason, then back at her. “You must take care, Miss Carrick, this young gentleman here is known for his prowess with the fair sex. Tender or no, it has never mattered. Why, stories are legend about—”

“I’ve been gone five years, Charles. The legends are good and dead.”