Lord Darlington's Darling (9 page)

L
ady Darlington had taken thoughtful notice of her son’s interest in the quiet Miss Fairchilde. Though
her son had in the past paid court to various ladies,
she had always been disappointed that his interest had
waned or proven to be simply a following of fashion.

However, the marquess’s interest in Miss Fairchilde
did not appear to be waning but, on the contrary, to
be unusually strong and of long standing. Lady Dar
lington had not missed Miss Fairchilde’s admission that she had met Lord Darlington the previous Sea
son. Lady Darlington wondered why her son had not
mentioned Miss Fairchilde then, but she came to the
conclusion that the attraction had been of too recent a nature for him to have done so. Now she felt that
was no longer the case. Lord Darlington was an estab
lished admirer of Miss Fairchilde’s, and it was not un
common of him to make some reference to the lady. Also, it seemed her daughter had formed a friendship
with the lady, and Lady Bethany frequently brought up Miss
Fairchilde’s name to her and her brother.

Lady Darlington’s reflections came to fruition early one evening when Lady Bethany expressed regret that she would not see Miss Fairchilde at the opera later that
night, since she was engaged elsewhere.

Lord Darlington remarked with a rare smile, “I do
not blame Miss Fairchilde for declining such a treat.
For my part, I would rather attend any other function
than endure an hour at the opera.”

“Oh, Sylvan! You know it is to be a splendid eve
ning,” said Lady Bethany, quizzing him with a teasing glim
mer in her eyes. When her brother grimaced, she
laughed. “Well, I shall leave you, stodgy brother of
mine. I must make certain my gown is laid out.”

When Lady Bethany had left the room, Lady Darlington
looked up from her embroidering and remarked, “It
seems to me that you bear a special fondness for Miss
Fairchilde, Sylvan.”

He looked across at her from over the top of his
newspaper. “Indeed I do. She is a very good influence
on Bethany.”

Lady Darlington smiled, amused. “Is that the only
reason you have a liking for her, Sylvan?”

As he met his mother’s gaze, Lord Darlington low
ered the newspaper. “I suppose I must admit that I
do like her very well for herself.” He added with a
smile, “As no doubt you are already aware.”

Lady Darlington carefully set a couple more stitches.
“It has not escaped my notice,” she admitted. “Your
attentions toward Miss Fairchilde have been rather
marked lately. Are you thinking of marrying, Sylvan?”

He was startled by her frank query. His expression
became thoughtful as he turned the question over in
his mind. It was a tantalizing, pleasurable reflection,
and he suddenly realized that he had been thinking
on the same lines for some time.

Lord Darlington met his mother’s gaze. “You have
hit on the truth, ma’am. I am indeed beginning to think the wedded state is for me. I never before
thought so, but since coming to know Miss Fairchilde,
it is ever more on my mind.”

“It is my observation that the Crockers favor Lord Fielding more than any other,” said Lady Darlington
calmly.

Lord Darlington shot a narrowed glance at his
mother’s tranquil face. He was unwarrantably irritated
by her remark. “Indeed? And how do you weigh my
chances, my lady?”

Lady Darlington laughed. “No, do not eat me! I
never said you could not win the lady’s hand, Sylvan.
However, you must admit that it is easier for Lord
Fielding to ply his suit than for you! I do not know
why you do not stand as favorably as his lordship, for
you are of greater consequence.”

“I believe it has something to do with my worth,
Mama,” drawled Lord Darlington. This, too, he had
thought about. If at first he had been amused by
the Crockers’ stiff reception to him, he was no longer.
“Or at least, the perceived lack of worth. Lord Fiel
ding has the advantage of me in not having a familial
reputation for gaming or a past history of mortgaged
estates.”

“But you do not gamble! At least, you do not in
the same way your father did. I cannot bear to recall
the horridness of that time,” said Lady Darlington
with an eloquent shudder. “And it must be known
well enough by now that the estates are no longer
encumbered. So how can either of those things stand
in your way with the Crockers?”

Lord Darlington shrugged. His brows pulled to
gether in a frown as he slowly voiced some of his own
conclusions. “I suspect they have a faintly bourgeois
attitude toward such things. Mr. and Mrs. Crocker are
the staidest of creatures. An admirable quality, and
Miss Fairchilde’s lack of flighty mannerisms can be laid directly to their door, I do not doubt. Neverthe
less, it is a detriment to me.” A faintly derisive smile
came to his face. “Lord Fielding is such a fine, up
standing gentleman, with no hint of past scandal
attached to his name.”

“I find his lordship a dull creature,” said Lady Darlington roundly.

The marquess laughed. “As do I! But I do not think
Miss Fairchilde feels the same, Mama. Nor do her
worthy relatives.” He rested his elbow on the chair
arm, propped his chin in his hand, and stared contem
platively into the fire. “They mean to see that he has
her, you know.”

“Well, what do you intend to do about it?” asked
Lady Darlington. She cast a glance toward her son, her fingers never faltering with the needle. “That is,
if you really want the girl.”

Lord Darlington straightened, dropping his arm. He
turned his head. There was a peculiar light in his eyes.
Very quietly he said, “I am falling in love with her,
Mama.”

Lady Darlington was visibly astonished by his bald
confession, but she quickly schooled her features. “I see. Then, I suppose you must have some course of
action in mind to cut out Lord Fielding.”

“What can I do more than I am now?” Lord Dar
lington moved his shoulders restlessly. “She likes my
company well enough, I know. She has once chosen
to wear my posy pinned to her dress. She is not unfriendly to me, but neither is she strikingly encourag
ing. I am uncertain what to think.”

“If
you truly love her, you will stop thinking so
much and simply do,” said Lady Darlington quietly.

Lord Darlington regarded his mother unsmilingly
for a moment. “Is that all your advice for me,
ma’am?”

“It is indeed,” said Lady Darlington firmly. “I have
yet to learn of any female whose thoughts do not
begin to turn more and more upon the gentleman who
shows himself eager to share his time with her. She is
flattered and feels he cares for her. You must woo
her, Sylvan!”

“What if Miss Fairchilde indicates a disinterest in
me?” asked Lord Darlington. His twisted smile
flashed. “It is almost certain her sister and brother-in-
law will try to discourage the connection.”

“Why should they?” asked Lady Darlington coolly.
“I do not believe we are of so little consequence that,
as acquaintances, we do not offer some social advan
tage to Miss Fairchilde. Nor do I believe the Crockers
will be so foolish to whistle a marquess down the road
carte blanche
. It would be a very good match for a
mere Miss Fairchilde!”

Lord Darlington laughed, his expression lightening.
“I did not know before how proud you were, Mama!”

“Well, I shall admit that family pride was one rea
son I wished to sever the connection between Lady Bethany
and that Mr. Farnham. His family is not at all the
thing,” said Lady Darlington frankly.

“So you told me before. I am pleased at how well
Lady Bethany has settled down. She has abandoned her sullen
attitude since the Season began,” said Lord Darlington.
He was willing enough to quit the subject of his feelings
for Miss Fairchilde and the quandary in which he found himself. He had always been reticent about revealing a
certain part of himself, even to his mother.

“Quite. It was an extremely wise move on our part to bring her up to London. I am quite persuaded that
she is almost in the way of forgetting Mr. Farnham,” said Lady Darlington.

“It is just as well that she has. No doubt you have
seen just as I have the swathe the gentleman cuts here
in London,” said Lord Darlington with a certain grim
ness in his tone.

Lady Darlington nodded. “Indeed! I was quite ap
palled the first time I laid eyes on him and heard that
he was established in town for the Season. You may
imagine my thoughts!”

“Very well, ma’am,” said Lord Darlington, nodding.
“I, too, watched Bethany for her reaction.”

“I must say how glad I am that she has not made
the least push to renew
that
acquaintance,” said Lady
Darlington with the flicker of a smile. “I’ve also been
relieved that Mr. Farnham has not persisted in his
attentions toward her.”

“No, indeed,” agreed Lord Darlington. His voice
hardened. “At present he plies his gallantries with
Miss Fairchilde!”

“Sylvan, you mustn’t allow that to dismay you so.
It is very natural of Mr. Farnham to stand up a few
times with Miss Fairchilde, just as he has done with
any number of other young ladies,” said Lady Darling
ton in a practical voice.

Lord Darlington gave a short laugh. “As long as he
is kept at arm’s length by Bethany, you are pleased
to suffer the gentleman?”

“That isn’t precisely what I meant,” said Lady Dar
lington, very much on her dignity.

At once Lord Darlington stretched out his hand
toward his mother. “Forgive me, Mama! I had no right
to cut up at you, of all people! I do not know how
you bear with me at times.”

“Why, I do very well,” said Lady Darlington, her
expression softening again as she looked up at him.
“You have borne more than anyone, my poor dear.
Is it to be wondered at if you are not made of stone?
However, you do wrong me if you think that I do not
care whether Miss Fairchilde is caught up in that
man’s toils. I like Miss Fairchilde too much to wish
her to succumb to Mr. Farnham’s blandishments. But
I do not think she will. She is not like Bethany.”

“You mean, she is not featherheaded and obstinate
as a mule,” said Lord Darlington roundly.

“Well, I wouldn’t have put it that way precisely,”
said Lady Darlington with a chuckle. “I do love my
daughter, but I am rather glad that you are able to
watch over her interests, Sylvan.”

“Be sure that I do so, ma’am,” said Lord Darling
ton. He picked up his fob and twirled it in a reflective
manner. “I suspect that if not for my watchfulness,
Bethany
would
encourage Mr. Farnham to seek a
more familiar footing.”

Lady Darlington looked up quickly, her needle sus
pended. Her expression reflected her dismay. “Oh, no,
Sylvan! I had quite thought that episode to be entirely
over. You arouse anxiety in me all over again.”

“Never fear, Mama. It is over.” Lord Darlington
dropped the fob and gave a thin-lipped smile. “Before we came up to London, I discussed the matter with
Bethany. She and I came to an understanding. She
will not dare to flout my wishes.”

“I trust you were not too severe?” asked Lady Dar
lington anxiously.

“Not at all,” said Lord Darlington smoothly. He did
not think it worth mentioning that he had threatened
the gentleman’s well-being. That had been meant only
to frighten his sister a little so that she would be more
tractable. “Bethany was simply made to realize that I
would not tolerate Mr. Farnham’s attentions toward
her. She agreed, however reluctantly at first, to
accede to my wishes. She has not attempted to further
her former acquaintance with the gentleman, at least
to my knowledge.”