Three Weeks to Wed (31 page)

Dominic, Marquis of Merton, settled into his apartment at the Pulteney Hotel. His pride still stung at having been ejected from his cousin, Matt Worthington's town house. Blowing a cloud was the latest thing. Not that Dom would attempt to smoke in White's, but he outranked Worthington and should have been treated as an honored guest, not summarily told to leave. Still, it was probably convenient that Dom did not actually enjoy smoking, as he was sure the Pulteney would not allow it either.

He should have gone on his Grand Tour instead of taking a bolt to Town. But his mother had received a letter informing her of his cousin's plans to wed, and he decided starting his own nursery would be the most responsible course. After all, the succession would not look after itself, and he had a duty to his family and dependents. Perhaps he would travel after he married.

Not that Dom truly wished to leave England. He liked an ordered life and travel was sure to disrupt the structure with which he was comfortable. He did not wish to visit France at all. Any land where the inhabitants would murder their betters held little interest for him. It all came back to the proper order of things. Life was much better when everyone followed the rules and knew their places.

He reconsidered opening up Merton House for the Season, but there was really no point when his mother was not here as well. Without her to act as his hostess, he would not be able to plan any entertainments other than for his friends. The hotel would be fine for the short time he planned to spend in Town. It should not take him that long to find a wife. He was a marquis. Even without his considerable fortune, he would have been a desirable
parti
.

“Kimbal,” he called to his valet.

“Yes, my lord.”

“I shall be dining at White's.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Dom scribbled a note to his friend Viscount Fotherby asking if he would like to join Dom for dinner. By the time he was dressed and had donned his hat, Fotherby's answer affirming the plans had arrived.

A short while later, just as a light sprinkle turned into a persistent rain, he handed his hat and cane to the footman at White's and found his friend lounging in the room which held the club's famous betting book. William Alvanley, another of Dom's friends, was seated next to the window with another man staring intently at the rain.

He turned to Fotherby. “What are they doing?”

“Five thousand quid on which raindrop will reach the bottom of the sill first.”

Despite being close with many of the Prince Regent's circle, Dom could not abide the excessive wagers his friends made. Alvanley would end up ruining himself and his estates at the rate he was going. “Are you ready to dine, or are you waiting the outcome?”

“Famished.” Fotherby tossed off his glass of wine. “Thought you weren't coming to Town this year.”

“My plans changed.” Dom and Fotherby entered the dining room. “I have decided to take a wife.”

“Wife?” Fotherby choked. “Any idea who?”

“Not yet, but I have a list of qualifications. She must be well-bred, not given to fits of temper or strange starts, quiet, biddable, easy to look at, I must get an heir on her after all, know what is expected of a marchioness. And not prone to scandals. You know how my uncle hated them. I think that about covers it.”

“A paragon, in other words.”

Dom gave a curt nod. “Indeed. I could wed no one less.”

* * *

Three days later, Dotty arrived at Stanwood House in Berkeley Square, Mayfair, just after three o'clock in the afternoon. From the letters she'd received from Charlotte, it appeared that the Carpenters and Vivers were getting along well. Louisa's mother, the Dowager Countess of Worthington, was also living with them. Lord Worthington, however, was the sole guardian of his four sisters.

Royston, the Stanwood butler, opened the door and was almost bowled over by a sea of children and the Carpenters' Great Dane, Daisy.

“We saw your coach arrive,” one of the children shouted.

Daisy tried to wrap herself around Dotty as Charlotte and a young lady with dark chestnut hair, Dotty guessed to be Louisa, hurried forward. Dotty laughed. “I didn't know I would receive such an ecstatic welcome.”

A deep bark came from the side of the hall.

“That is Duke,” Charlotte said over the roar.

“Enough.” Lord Worthington's commanding tone had everyone except Charlotte and Louisa, backing away from the door. “Let her in the house.”

Once the younger children had moved out of the way, his lordship, a tall, broad-shouldered gentleman with the same dark hair as his sister, came forward holding Grace's hand. They made a beautiful couple. Grace, with her gold hair was a perfect foil for her husband.

“I did say we were looking forward to you joining us.” Grace laughed as she hugged Dotty.

“Yes, you did.” She grinned. It was wonderful to be with the Carpenters again. “That was quite a welcome.”

Charlotte threw her arms around Dotty. “I'm so glad you're here. This is Louisa, Matt's sister and my new stepsister.” Charlotte pulled a face. “Not technically, of course, but we had to call each other something.”

Dotty held out her hand to Louisa but got kissed on the cheek instead.

“I am so happy to finally meet you.” Louisa smiled. “The three of us are going to be the best of friends and have such a wonderful time.”

Dotty remembered she had not yet greeted his lordship. He took the hand Dotty held out, yet when she would have curtseyed, he held her up. “There is no point in standing on ceremony here. Call me Matt, all the other children do.”

“Thank you, sir. I can't tell you how happy I am to be here
and
that you wrote my father.”

Before he could respond, Charlotte grabbed Dotty's hand. “We must show you to your room. It is next to mine. We'll let you clean up and change. Then we'll have tea before taking a stroll in the Park. Louisa and I have our own parlor, and now it will be yours as well.”

Dotty followed her friend up the stairs. “After two days of sitting in a coach, I would love a walk.”

“I completely understand.” Louisa linked her arm with Dotty's. “I don't know how one can want to
rest
, when one has been cooped up in a carriage for more than a day.”

Charlotte and Louisa showed Dotty where the small parlor was located and then escorted her to her chamber. Once there, she was left alone to splash her face and wash her hands.

Polly came in from a door to what must be a dressing room. “Here you are, miss.” She hung up a pink muslin walking gown and paisley spencer. “Let's get you changed.”

A few minutes later Dotty entered the parlor and found Louisa and Charlotte looking over fashion plates.

“Come and tell me what you think of this.” Charlotte patted the seat next to her.

She handed Dotty a picture of a lady in a cream ball gown decorated with lace. Charlotte had the same coloring as Grace, and Dotty thought it would look lovely on her friend. “Very pretty.”

The tea arrived a few minutes later. Once they all had cups and a plate of biscuits, she was told about all the balls and other entertainments she could look forward to, including Louisa and Charlotte's come out ball.

“Grace and Mama agreed the ball will be in your honor as well.” Louisa beamed, apparently not minding a bit that she would have to share her ball with yet another lady.

Dotty finished off a ratafia biscuit. “It will be so much fun. I can't wait to see everything. You two have such an advantage over me.”

All her dreams had come true. Although, she'd received letters from Louisa proclaiming her friendship, Dotty really had not believed it until now. It would have been difficult if Louisa had taken it into her head not to like Dotty.

Before long, they were walking out the door to the Park with three footmen following a discreet distance behind.

Strolling in between her two friends, she commented, “Mama said she always had a maid with her when she walked in Town.”

“Matt says footmen are more practical,” Louisa responded. “If one of us is injured he can carry us home, whereas a maid cannot.”

“And,” Charlotte added, “If we go shopping they can carry packages more easily.”

They arrived at the path around Hyde Park, which Dotty was told was referred to as “the Park.”

Charlotte made a funny face. “One is supposed to pretend that one always knows everything and play at
ennui,
but I think that's nonsense. Why act as if you are not having fun, when you are?”

“It does not make much sense to me either.” Dotty sighed. “Here I thought I was ready, but instead I have such a lot to learn.”

“It was the same for Louisa and me,” Charlotte assured her. “You will catch on quickly.”

A few moments later, they were hailed by two stylishly dressed gentlemen who Charlotte and Louisa obviously knew. They stopped, allowing the men to approach.

“Miss Sterne,” Charlotte said primly. “May I present Lords Harrington and Bentley. My lords, a friend of mine from home, Miss Sterne. She will be residing with us for the Season.”

Both men bowed over the hand Dotty held out. Thank heavens for all the lessons in deportment she and Charlotte had shared. Dotty curtseyed. “I am pleased to meet you, my lords.”

The gentlemen accompanied the ladies for a short while, begging them for dances at to-morrow night's ball. Once they had gone, Dotty gave herself a small shake. “I cannot believe I am already engaged for two sets.”

“They are very nice, aren't they?” Charlotte blushed.

Louisa glanced slyly at Charlotte. “I think Lord Harrington will ask to court Charlotte.”

“Well, from the looks of it, Lord Bentley is quite smitten with you,” she retorted.

“I wish he would not be,” Louisa cast her eyes to the sky. “He is a good man, but not one I wish to marry.”

In the short time Dotty had known Louisa it was clear poor Lord Bentley was not up to her weight. She would need someone older and more sure of himself.

Dotty took Charlotte's hand and squeezed it. “How do you feel about Lord Harrington?”

Charlotte's face became even redder. “He is very charming, but Grace says to give it time.”

They resumed ambling on the side of the path. Suddenly there was a commotion and a shout from behind. Dotty turned. A small dog had grabbed the tassel on a man's boot and was backing up growling with its tail wagging trying to shake its prize. Foolishly, the man kept kicking out at the dog, making the animal think he was playing.

She put a hand over her mouth to keep from giggling, yet when he lifted his cane to strike the poor little thing, she rushed forward. “Here now, sir! What do you think you're doing?” She bent to the dog who turned out to be nothing more than a puppy. Turning to the man, she narrowed her eyes and scowled. “Shame on you.”

Dotty worked on releasing the tassel from the puppy's grip, but each time the man shook his leg, trying to get the animal off, the puppy held on harder, growling and shaking his head. “Stop moving. Are you so stupid you cannot see the dog thinks you are trying to play?”

“Get him off me,” the man shouted in a voice growing higher in fright. “Someone will pay for this. Is he your beast?”

Determined to ignore him, she counted to ten, took a breath, and finally managed to release the gold bobble from the puppy's sharp teeth. “There now.” Picking up the dog, she stroked its wiry fur. “Where is your master?”

Just then, two school-aged boys came running up. “Oh, miss. Thank you so much. We've been looking for Bennie all over. He got away from us.”

By this time Bennie was snapping at the ribbons of her bonnet. Dotty laughed as she tried to free them. “Here now, sir. Those are not for you either.” She saved the ribbons and handed the puppy to one of the boys.

“We'll pay you for the damage, miss.”

“It's no bother.” She smiled at both of them. “Use the money to buy a lead. That will keep Bennie from running away.”

“He's only twelve weeks old,” the other boy said proudly. “We didn't think he could run so fast.”

“Or so far,” added the other.

“Thank you,” they both said in unison.

Ah, well. Puppies would be puppies and boys would be boys. “Run along now, and keep Bennie out of trouble.”

“Wait just a minute,” the man with the tassels growled. “You owe me compensation. Your vicious beast ruined my boots.”

“Stuff and nonsense.” Dotty closed her eyes for a moment before fixing the man with a stern look. “It was entirely your fault. If you had acted like a sensible person and just picked the poor puppy up, your boots would not have suffered any damage.”

By this time Charlotte and Louisa were ranged beside Dotty. The footmen were close behind.

“Dotty, are you all right?” Charlotte asked.

“I am fine.” She glanced at Louisa who seemed to be glaring at the man's companion, whom Dotty had not previously noticed.

The contrast between that man and his friend with the tassels was remarkable.

She knew now what her father had meant when he had spoken disparagingly about “Dandies.” The man whose boots Bennie had attacked was obviously one of that set. His shirt points were so high he could barely turn his head. His waist was nipped in and his garishly striped waistcoat was covered by so many fobs and other ornaments one could hardly see the cloth. Whereas his companion was dressed with elegant propriety in a dark blue coat and buff pantaloons. No gold tassels adorned his boots, which were so highly polished the sun reflected off them. With stylish gold hair and deep blue eyes, he was very handsome indeed. Then his lips curved up in a mocking smile, ruining the favorable impression she'd had.