A Lord Rotheby's Holiday Bundle (68 page)

Gil was right. He needed to see his
family, to speak with his brother. They must learn the reason they
had traveled all the way from Bath on such short notice. He knew
that they would support his efforts. If needed, Peter would add his
weight to the discussion with Chatham. That was simply how the
Hardwicke family operated.

Alex did not want Peter’s assistance
so much as he wanted his support. He was a grown man, and needed to
find his own way in the world. This was after all the primary
reason he had gone to Somerton that spring. Taking care of these
matters on his own would be at least one step in the right
direction. Come to think of it, a marriage to Lady Grace Abernathy
would be a step toward finding the meaning for his life as
well.

But none of this was enough if he did
not handle it on his own. He could not spend his life running to
his brother for help every time something did not go his
way.

In the hall, he found the butler
giving instructions to some of the household servants. He waited
until they moved on about their business.

“
Spenser, are any of my
family at home this evening, or are they all out?” Now that he was
home, he realized how much he missed his mother and his siblings.
Alex hoped at least some of them were at home.

“
My lord, I believe Lady
Charlotte is above stairs with her governess, and the Marquess of
Grovesend and Lady Sarah are in the nursery.” Alex brightened at
the news. “His grace has accompanied her grace and Lady Sophia to a
ball at Monahan Park this evening. They shall not return until
quite late, though I am sure His Grace would be glad to see
you.”

“
Excellent, Spenser. Please
inform me when the rest of my family arrives. I should like to
visit with them all this evening.” He strode to the closest
stairwell and took the stairs two at a time in anticipation of
seeing some of the people he loved most. At some point, soon, he
would need to visit Priscilla and discuss matters with her. But he
needed to begin with his family.

He started in the nursery, where the
door opened wide at the sound of his exuberant knocks.

“
I declare, Lady Charlotte,
His Grace your brother will be most highly displeased at your
deportment this evening when he hears about this, and yes ma’am
that was a when, not an if.”

Mrs. Pratt, a middle-aged woman in a
serviceable, light green cotton dress opened the door. “I daresay a
single rap at the door would have been more than sufficient.”
Annoyance flickered across her face. The vexation fled as soon as
she saw Alex instead of the expected Lady Charlotte.

“
Why lord-a-mercy, Lord
Alexander, I do apologize for my harsh words. You are a sight for
these sore eyes, to be sure.”

She reached up and patted his grinning
cheek before giving in to the temptation and planting a kiss where
her hand had just been. “I know you have not been gone for so
terribly long, but I have certainly missed you. Come in, come in
here.” She swept the door wide and ushered him through it.
“Children, your Uncle Alex has come home!”

As he stepped into the nursery, his
niece and nephew flung themselves at him, each grasping a leg.
Joseph, the young Marquess of Grovesend, attempted to climb up a
leg and into his strong arms. “Uncle Alex! You have been away too
long.”

Young Sarah pouted and gazed up at him
with wide, sad eyes. The poor, slighted little one. He could not
resist her pouts, and she knew it. She often took advantage of his
good nature by wheedling him until he gave in to her current
demand.

He stooped closer to the children’s
level and pulled them both in for a hug. “I am sorry, Sarah. What
shall be my punishment?”

She needed only a moment for her
decision. The three-year-old heartbreaker-in-the-making with her
large green eyes and strawberry blonde curls tackled him to the
floor and left a peal of giggles in her aftermath. Not to be left
out, Joshua took a leap and landed on top of the two. He barely
missed Alex’s head with his foot. Alex rolled over and pulled the
children beneath him, then up above him, always careful not to
crush them with his weight.

Mrs. Pratt looked on in mock horror.
“Lord Alexander, you have certainly managed to rile these children
up now. It is nearly their bedtime as well.” She shook her head and
uttered a “tsk” under her breath as she walked through the nursery
and picked up after the children. “I cannot imagine where you
acquired the idea such conduct is acceptable.” She placed a doll
into place on the bed by the window covered with lacy hangings,
where Lady Sarah could easily find it when she settled in for the
night.

Alex laughed out loud. “Do
you claim no hand in teaching me manners then, Mrs. Pratt? Dear me,
I must be an utter boor, a scamp of unequaled measure, if
you
of all people shall
disown me.”

He rose from his spot on the floor
beneath the children, lifting them as they squirmed for freedom.
“Off you go, little angel.” He passed his niece to the waiting
nanny, who procured the girl’s nightgown. Alex tossed Joshua over
his shoulder and carried him to an adjoining dressing room to
assist him in dressing for bed.

“
Uncle Alex! I do not want
to go to bed,” Joshua complained as a yawn escaped. “I am not
tired. I shall not sleep a wink tonight.”

Alex set him on his feet and stripped
the shirt over the boy’s head. The five-and-a-half year old
marquess’s eyes drooped, though he struggled to keep them
open.

“
No, I am sure you will not
sleep, Josh. But you must pretend to sleep for Sarah’s sake. She
will follow your example.” Joshua’s lower lip stuck out in protest.
“If you fight sleep, she will also, and then what will happen?”
Alex pulled a nightshirt over the boy’s head.

“
Sarah will whine and cry
and act like a baby all day tomorrow. But why must,” Joshua paused
as another loud yawn fought free, “why must I be punished for
something she will do?” Fully dressed for bed, Josh returned to the
nursery hand-in-hand with his uncle.

He squeezed the boy’s hand. “Alas,
Joshua, it happens with all older brothers of younger sisters. We
must always do the things that are best for our sisters, even when
they are distasteful for ourselves.”

Josh continued to pout, though with
less intensity.

“
Your father and I, and
Uncle Richard, and Uncle Neil…we all do the things that are best
for Aunt Sophie and Aunt Char, do we not? Even when those things
are unpleasant?”

Alex led his nephew to bed, pulled
down the bed covers, and placed him inside. The little boy nodded
his head, but looked unconvinced. “That is part of being a
gentleman, Josh. We must always care for our sisters.”

He patted the boy’s head before moving
to Sarah’s bed to kiss her forehead. “Good night, my sweet
cherub.”

“
Good night, Uncle Alex.
You will be here in the morning? You are not leaving again?” Sarah
could not hide the worry from her eyes.

“
No love, I will not leave
again so soon. You shall see me in the morning.” He tugged firmly
on her blankets to be sure they tucked securely around her and then
left the nursery.

Mrs. Pratt stopped him just before he
got out the door. “My lord, Lady Charlotte will want to see you. I
fear she has been quite distraught this Season. It vexes her to be
stuck in the schoolroom with her governess.”

Alex was not surprised Mrs. Pratt
would be concerned for his youngest sister. The woman had worked
for the Hardwicke family since before he was born, and clucked
about them all like a mother hen. As though they needed a second
mother bustling about, interfering in their lives.

Char had just moved from the nursery
to the schoolroom around the time Joshua joined the family, so Mrs.
Pratt stayed on in her original post. Peter always said that she
could keep her position as long as she saw fit. The Hardwicke
siblings all loved the woman dearly.

“
I was planning to stop in
to see Char next, Mrs. Pratt.” He gave her a peck on the cheek,
eliciting a low laugh. “You know, you are a beauty. Pratt is a
lucky man indeed.”

Alex allowed her to bask in the glow
of his flirtation and headed toward his youngest sister’s
bedchamber. At this time of night, Char would doubtless have left
the schoolroom. He could not imagine Miss Bentley would force her
charge to keep at her studies so late.

He arrived at her room and knocked out
a rhythm. A feminine squeal of euphoria emanated through the
doorway and he braced himself for the impending assault. Char threw
open the door and flung her arms about his neck.

“
Alex! Oh, goodness I have
missed you. It has been purely horrid here without you.” Her fair
skin flushed with excitement as she babbled about nothing and
everything. “Louisa Smythe had her come-out, and made quite the
splash I understand. Theodora Marlborough, you know she hears all
the best gossip from her eldest sister, well she told me just the
other day she expects Louisa to receive no fewer than five offers
this Season, and I daresay she is right.”

Char drew Alex into her suite of rooms
and onto a seat next to her on a well-used sofa while she continued
to spurt information. “Mama insisted Peter accompany her and Sophie
to all of the balls. She says he must make an effort to oversee
their prospects, as you have abandoned the girls in their need and
Richard is still abroad with the army. And Neil…well, you rather
know he is not quite useful in any regard yet, so Mama lets him do
as he will.”

She stopped to draw in a breath,
having somehow made it through her entire speech without seeming to
breathe. “So Neil goes to his gentleman’s clubs and has a grand old
time, and Sophie and Peter attend all sorts of entertainments, and
I have been dreadfully alone here, stuck in Hardwicke House with no
one but the children and the servants for company. It has been
beastly of them all, Alex, but I know if you were here, you would
stay and entertain me occasionally, would you not?”

Alex imagined his sister in
a few years’ time as she made her entrée. The
ton
would not know what hit
them.

He smiled and attempted an answer, but
Char interrupted before he could speak. “Oh, how inconsiderate I
have been! Do you wish for something to eat? How was your travel?
Is Lord Rotheby well? Have you had a good visit with him? What were
you doing in Bath? Goodness, tell me everything.” She finally
paused for him to speak.

“
I doubt I can answer all
of your questions at once, Char, but I shall try.” Alex loved
Charlotte’s exuberance. He found it quite endearing, though he
could understand how she might be off-putting to some.

“
Lord Rotheby and I have
had a wonderful visit in Somerton. We spent our time going about
his estate and visiting with Sir Laurence and Lady Kensington. They
have become his dearest friends close by.”

He paused to debate how much he ought
to tell Char. She was only sixteen years of age, and the pain of
their father’s death was still keen for her. But she deserved the
truth “Char…the viscount…I believe he is dying.”

Her eyes filled with unshed tears and
she gathered a tentative breath. “He is ill?” The words were a mere
whisper, barely more than a sigh.

Alex placed his arm about her
shoulders and drew her close to offer what comfort he could. “Yes.
He has not spoken of it, but I suspect consumption.” The finality
he felt upon speaking the words aloud surprised him.

Her grip was a vise and her knuckles
whitened. “But…but Alex. Why on earth would you allow him to travel
all the way to London if he is in such a condition? Goodness, does
he need anything? Should we call for a doctor?”

Alex smoothed the back of his sister’s
hand and gave her a gentle smile. “Have you ever tried to tell Lord
Rotheby he could not do something he intended to do? Char, the man
is as obstinate as a mule. He came to London to complete some
business. My best guess is his business deals with his properties
and their entailments, things of that nature.”

“
And you came back to
London so he would not travel alone?” He could see the strain in
her posture as she struggled to accept the news he
delivered.

“
That is not the entire
reason for our arrival. Char…the viscount traveled to support me.”
A question settled heavy in the air between them. “I need to ask
the Marquess of Chatham for his daughter’s hand in
marriage.”

“
You what? Marriage, Alex?
Are you quite certain?” All of Char’s tension melted away as she
regaled him with questions. “Who is she Alex? Is she quite
beautiful? She must be a diamond of the first water, to have caught
your eye. Oh, Mama will be so excited! Have you told her yet? I do
hope not, I wish to see her face when she hears the news. Gracious,
we shall have a wedding to plan. And Peter must throw an engagement
ball. Do you think Mama will allow me to attend the ball? Oh,
surely she must, just this once.”

“
Slow down, Char,” Alex
said with a chuckle. “Nothing is settled yet. But yes, I am quite
certain. Lady Grace will be my wife.”

“
Lady Grace? I shall quite
enjoy having a sister named Grace.” Char’s eyes shone with
excitement. “Have the banns been called yet?”