How to Pursue a Princess (7 page)

“I’m sure it will be,” Lily said stiffly. “And once again, let me assure you that the prince was everything kind.”

“Yes, dear,” Lady Charlotte said, her knitting needles clicking quietly while her bright gaze locked with Lily’s. “Our of curiosity, what did you and the prince find to converse about?”

“He told me about his grandmother—”

“A horrid woman,” Lady Charlotte interjected.

“I didn’t get the opportunity to meet her. We were on our way to his cottage when his men caught up with us.”

“Cottage?” The duchess smiled indulgently. “As his highness has seen Floors Castle, I’m sure his estate seems smallish to him, although I wouldn’t use the term ‘cottage.’ ”

Lily wondered how much land had come with the prince’s cottage. Perhaps it consisted of several acres. “The prince said he was the po—” She caught the suddenly intent gazes of both women and she bit her lip. “I’m sorry, but that’s not for me to repeat.”

The duchess leaned forward, her red wig slightly askew. “Of course it is! What did he say?”

Lily wasn’t sure why she felt she needed to protect the scant information she possessed about the prince. After all, she barely knew him. Furthermore, she didn’t suppose he’d told her anything that wasn’t
easily discovered. “I don’t suppose it matters. He said he was the poorest of his brothers.”

“Ah! So he has no funds.” Lady Charlotte’s needles clacked along. “I’m not surprised. Europe is crawling with supposed princes, and not a farthing to be had between them.”

The duchess sniffed. “There would be more
wealthy
princes if foreigners didn’t breed like rabbits.”

Lady Charlotte agreed. “They should take after the English Crown; we have only one, perhaps two heirs to the throne at a time. It makes things so simple. Otherwise, what would one do with all of them? I suppose that’s why Prince Wulfinski is here; his family simply felt there were too many princes wandering about, and so they sent him off.”

“Perhaps.” The duchess shrugged, then glanced at the open doorway. Once she was satisfied that none of her guests were lingering in the foyer, she scooted her chair closer to Lily and said in a low tone, “My dear Miss Balfour, as we have a few moments, I should mention that your father wrote me a most interesting letter. I received it just this morning.”

Lily’s stomach sank.
What has Papa done?
“Papa wrote you?”
Why would he do such a thing, unless—

“There’s no reason to look upset. He merely wished to thank me for attempting to help your family out of your predicament.”

Lily wished she could sink into the ground. “He told you
everything
?”

Her grace nodded.

“So tragic,” Lady Charlotte said. “Lord Kirk always seemed like such a gentleman, too. Or he was before his accident. I hear he’s horridly changed since then, and not just physically.”

“He’s a cold and calculating man,” Lily said. “Poor Papa didn’t have a chance.”

The duchess nodded in apparent sympathy. “I’ve had commerce with Lord Kirk before. A land purchase, I think it was. Your father is quite right in thinking that Kirk would never give him a respite on a debt owed. The man can be inflexible.”

Lady Charlotte tugged more yarn from her basket, frowning when she saw that it was tangled beneath a sleeping pug. She put out a slippered foot and nudged the dog out of the way. Its eyes opened slightly, but otherwise it gave no indication of moving. “It’s good that your father explained the depth of your predicament. Her grace and I suspected it, but now we know that you must marry a wealthy man and quickly.”

Face heated, Lily nodded. “I hate these circumstances.”

“Nonsense,” her grace said in a bracing tone. “It’s unladylike to pursue a career or even obtain a decent education, so what else is left us?”

“I—I cannot imagine marrying without love, but I suppose I must.”

“My dear, I’ve married no fewer than five times, all of them to men of great wealth, and all of my marriages have been for love. There’s no reason you couldn’t do the same.”

Lily didn’t want to marry five times. She wasn’t even sure she wanted to be married once. The pug at Lily’s side snuggled against her and she absently patted it. “I had no idea you’d been married so many times, your grace.”

“The first four passed away of natural causes; they were much older than I.” The duchess’s face softened. “They were great men, all of them, although I believe Roxburghe to be my true love. At least thus far.”

Lily wasn’t quite sure how to answer this, so she merely nodded.

“My point is this: you can indeed have a very passionate relationship with a wealthy man. All you have to do is give yourself the
opportunity
to fall in love with the right man.”

“It’s a shame there aren’t other opportunities available to women,” Lady Charlotte said, her round face folded in thought. “I do think I would have made an excellent butcher.”

Her grace turned a surprised look on her friend. “A butcher?”

“Oh yes. I saw pigs being butchered many times when I was a child.”

“But you were raised at Highclere Castle. I can scarcely believe they’d allow the daughter of the house to witness such a thing.”

Lady Charlotte knitted on serenely. “My father believed in the old ways. We cured our own ham, bacon—we were quite self-sufficient.”

“We do the same here, but
not
in full view of the
daughter of the castle. Surely you weren’t encouraged to attend such bloody events?”

“Oh no, but I went anyway. It was quite interesting. First, they— Here, let me show you.” Lady Charlotte set her knitting aside and bent over to scoop up a pug. She settled it into her lap, then took a loop of yarn in one hand. “First, they’d throw a heavy rope about the pig’s back feet like so. And then they’d bash him in the head with a large wooden mallet right here.” She placed her finger between the pug’s eyes. “And then, once they were certain he was dead, they’d slash his throat right here—”

“Goodness!” The duchess snatched the pug from Lady Charlotte’s lap. “Meenie doesn’t like to hear about pigs and their slaughter.” The duchess hugged the dog, who yawned and then closed its eyes once again. “As I was saying, Miss Balfour, Lady Charlotte and I fully intend on helping you reach a satisfactory arrangement as soon as possible.” With that, the duchess began expounding upon the benefits of marriage in a way that made Lily almost ill to her stomach.

A lump of panic grew in Lily’s throat.
Surely I won’t need to marry that quickly. I really only need to get engaged. Once I accept an offer, I will just inform my newly intended of Papa’s dilemma, and once that obligation to Lord Kirk is paid, we can take our time getting to know each other before actually marching down the aisle. Yes. That’s what we’ll do.

Lily suddenly realized that both the duchess and
Lady Charlotte were looking at her as if awaiting an answer. Not sure what they’d been saying, she nodded and murmured, “Of course.”

The duchess beamed. “I think you’ll find we’re right. Huntley is an excellent choice.”

They are very determined that I like this earl. I hope I do.
She managed a smile.

“
If
, of course, he appeals to you,” Lady Charlotte said kindly.

“And if I appeal to him, too,” Lily said.

“Oh, we’ve no fear on that score.” The duchess patted the pugs in her lap while she beamed at Lily. “Your biddable nature alone will recommend you to him.”

“Biddable nature”? Good God.

Lady Charlotte smiled. “If only we can get him to come to the point before the Butterfly Ball. Then he could announce it right then. Oh, it would make the event so memorable.”

“Charlotte, what a delightful thought!” The duchess couldn’t have looked happier. “That settles it: Lily, Huntley
will
make you an offer and he
will
do it before the ball.”

The duchess spoke with such firmness that Lily began to feel sorry for the unknown earl.
This is getting out of hand.
“Your grace, I can’t—”

Mrs. Cairness entered carrying a tea tray.

“Ah, tea!” The duchess peered at the tray. “I’m famished.”

Lily was left to wait as the housekeeper filled the teacups and handed out tea cakes. Finally, she left.

As soon as the housekeeper was gone, Lily said, “I am very grateful for your help, your grace, but what if Huntley isn’t the one for me?”

“He will be, if you’ll let him.” The duchess sipped her tea. “He’s a lovely man.”

“Oh yes,” Lady Charlotte added, her soft blue-gray eyes shining with enthusiasm. “So distinguished.”

“Very handsome, too,” the duchess added. “One of the handsomest earls I’ve yet to meet.” The two pugs in her lap were now wide-awake and staring intently at her tea cake. “In addition, I’ve been grooming Huntley for you.”

“We both have.” Lady Charlotte licked butter off her fingers, looking like a plump fairy. “He’s looking forward to meeting you.”

Lily wondered if the pigs on Lady Charlotte’s home farm had seen what was coming their way. She tried to look appreciative, though it took quite a bit of effort. “It was quite kind of you to mention me.”

“It was my pleasure,” the duchess assured her. “Huntley’s been a bit of a recluse since his wife died, but—”

“Wife? Pardon me, but . . . he’s a widower?”

“Oh yes. He was quite attached to his first wife and refused to enter company for several years after her death.”

“But now he’s back in society.” Lady Charlotte dipped a spoon into a jar of marmalade and spread it over her tea cake. “But you needn’t fear that he developed
a new interest in that time, for he hasn’t. We asked him.”

“You
asked
him?”

“Of course.” The duchess set down her teacup. “How else would we discover his situation? He was a bit reluctant at first to discuss his private life, but Charlotte quite won him over.”

“Yes, first I told him that it was obvious that he was once again joining the ranks of the eligible, and I would hate to waste his time introducing him to every female the duchess and I know. We know quite a few, too.”

“Many.” The duchess chuckled. “You should have seen his face! But it did the trick, for he revealed what he was looking for in the way of a wife. And what he told us made us very hopeful for you, my dear!”

Lily looked down at her teacup. A wealthy, handsome earl looking for a wife . . . what more could she ask for? Yet in her mind’s eye arose a vision of a large man, his shock of black hair framing brilliant green eyes, his dark, accented voice rumbling through her.

But that was not to be. Lily pushed the memory aside and met the gaze of her expectant hostesses. Steeling her heart, she swallowed her misgivings and firmly faced her future. “That’s lovely. I look forward to meeting the earl. I’m sure we’ll suit very well.”

The duchess and Lady Charlotte beamed and began to discuss the various events they’d planned for the coming few weeks.

From the Diary of the Duchess of Roxburghe
The stage is set, the players cast. All that’s left is to open the curtain. . . .

“Have all of the guests arrived?” The duchess was resplendent in blue silk with cream rosettes, her red wig adorned with an emerald pin that matched her necklace and earrings.

Standing in the wide doorway leading to the ballroom, Charlotte looked at MacDougal.

He bowed. “Everyone on the list is here except Lord Huntley. He hasna’ arrived yet, yer grace.”

Margaret frowned. “I ran into him in the hallway after dinner and I specifically asked him to arrive early so that I could introduce him to Miss Balfour.” She hesitated. “I wonder if I was a bit too forward when I did so.”

“You think he took offense?”

“I hope not.” The duchess was silent a moment as she regarded her other guests, who were talking
and laughing and watching the dancing, which had just begun. Finally she sighed. “I thought I detected a hint—just a
hint
—of stubbornness in his lordship’s demeanor when I spoke to him about Lily.”

Charlotte sighed. “Oh dear.”

“He was polite, but no more. Perhaps he’s sending us a not-so-subtle message, which is that he will not be manipulated.”

“That quite upsets our plans.”

Margaret frowned. “Our plans don’t call for us to manipulate anyone. We’re merely giving two people a chance to meet and, if so inclined, fall in love.”

“Oh. Quite right. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“I do hope he overcomes it; I cannot imagine that Miss Balfour would enjoy a stubborn man.” Margaret looked around the room, her irritation seeping away as she watched the couples twirl about her dance floor. “For an opening dance, we’ve an excellent turnout.” She sighed. “I wished to introduce our potential couple while no one was about. Now Miss Balfour will meet her earl for the first time here in the ballroom, in front of the other guests.”

“At least they’ll both be dressed in their finest.”

“That’s true. I’ve no doubt Huntley will outshine every man present.”

“And Miss Balfour will outshine every woman. Oh, Margaret, it will be so romantic!”

“Excessively so.” Margaret eyed the refreshment table. “MacDougal, put out more cake and sliced ham. I won’t have it said that I scrimp on refreshments.”

“Yes, yer grace.” The butler stepped to one side to murmur orders to a waiting footman, then returned to his post just as a murmur arose at the door.

“It’s about time,” the duchess said.

The earl stood in the doorway as a footman announced him and his companion.

“Who is that with him?” Lady Charlotte asked.

“That’s Miss Emma Gordon. She’s a friend of Huntley’s. She was bosom bows with his wife before she died.”

“Oh dear, you don’t think—”

“No, no. Huntley says she is like a sister, and I believe that says it all.”

“Ah. So Miss Balfour need not worry.”

“Hardly. She has the advantage of looks and youth, for she’s at least ten years younger than Miss Gordon.” The duchess glanced around the room. “Where is she?”

“She’s speaking with Lady MacKenna by the punch bowl.”