Page 3 of The Truth about the Marquess
Oliver shook his head.
“No, it is not that which tires me, it is being amongst these young ladies!” He waved one hand vaguely across the ballroom. “It is quite ridiculous, is it not? I have young ladiesthemselvesto impress at the first, and that is difficult in itself, despite my title and good standing! Thereafter, I have mothers or fathers to consider me and even then, it seems I might not find approval! What am I to do then?”
Lord Dunstable chuckled ruefully.
“I do not know. Mayhap you might seek an arrangement?”
“A match of convenience, you mean.” Oliver grimaced, looking out across the ballroom and finding his whole being removing itself from that idea. “No, I do not think so.”
“But you want to marry!” his friend exclaimed, throwing up his hands. “Many a happy match has been made in such a way, why would you turn from that?”
“Because many anunhappymarriage has such a match made,” Oliver answered, shuddering slightly. “I think of my own parents. My dear father and mother, though they were excellent parents and very dutiful towards each other, had no happiness. Indeed, I believe that my mother was at her happiest when my father was away from home! The times that he had to go abroad for business made her almost gleeful!”
Lord Dunstable’s mouth tugged to one side as he considered. There was quietness from him for a few minutes, only for him to then shrug.
“You cannot say that all are like that, however. There must be some matches which are very happy indeed! You might be fortunate and have such a match.”
“Or I might be unfortunate and have a match that brings me nothing but disappointment and upset,” Oliver answered, making Lord Dunstable’s expression pull into a scowl. “I hardly think that I should risk such a thing, do you?”
Lord Dunstable hesitated, then sighed.
“I do not have any further advice for you. I confess that I am uncertain as to what it is that has driven you to this desire to marry and thus, though I have said what I can to support it, there is nothing more for me to add.”
Accepting this, Oliver looked around the ballroom again and then closed his eyes briefly, feeling a sense of frustration building within him.
“It is my responsibility to find a wife,” he said, half to himself and half to his friend. “I must find a suitable match with a lady who is going to be kind, considerate, and dutiful. However, that does not mean that a match of convenience will bring me all of that. Instead, I fear it might bring me the opposite!”
“And so you are determined to find a match of love?”
Oliver considered this.
“Not necessarily of love, but of genuine care, and even a little affection, yes.” Sighing, he let his jaw tighten for a moment, pushing away some of his irritation by doing so. “It appears that such a thing is going to be very hard to find, however. I do not think that it will be as easy as I had first thought, given the way that I was just now rejected by Lady Anna.”
“You shall simply have to keep trying, that is all.” Lord Dunstable chuckled as Oliver scowled. “Or you can give up the notion and become a scoundrel, if you wish it?”
That made Oliver laugh, aware that his friend was jesting.
“I hardly think that such a thing would be agreeable to anyone, for I would be even less likely to find someone willing to marry me should I do so! Besides which, there are far too many rogues in London already, are there not?”
“There are.” This made the laughter fall from Lord Dunstable’s expression. “Far too many.” Heaving a sigh, he rolled his eyes. “One might think that the young ladies of London would then be drawn to gentlemen who werenotsuch a way inclined, but it seems that there are many where that is not the case!”
It feels as though I may as well give up before I have even begun!Oliver ran one hand over his face, aware of a sudden heaviness in his limbs. He had come to London, hopeful and determined, had found himself drawn to one young lady and had pursued her carefully. Lady Anna had taken his attentions with evident gladness, smiling and blushing and expressing all manner of interest towards him – only for her to state that no, she would not accept his courtship… not as yet, anyway. Oliver had not understood, had thought that it might mean that she wanted him to fight all the more for her attention, only to then see her flirting and laughing with various other gentlemen at theball this evening. Clearly, she was not as impressed with him as a potential suitor as he had thought, though she had given the impression that he was the only one she had any sort of interest in.
“You will succeed in time, I am sure.” Lord Dunstable smiled briefly, but Oliver only shook his head. “Do not let Lady Anna dissuade you from trying to find the right young lady to marry.”
“Mayhap,” Oliver murmured, not in the least bit convinced. “As much as I do not want to have an arranged marriage, it may be that I will have to. If I get to the end of the Season without making any sort of progress, then I will have to consider it.”
“Lady Janice.”
Oliver inclined his head, then smiled as warmly as he could. Lady Janice was a young lady who was in her second Season and Oliver had been introduced to her the previous year. He thought her pretty, she seemed rather kind, and Oliver did find himself alittledrawn to her.
“How very kind of you to call, Lord Edenbridge.” Lady Janice smiled, as she curtsied, along with her mother, Lady Kirkton. “Might I ask if you would like some tea?”
“I should.” Oliver sat down and smiled, finding himself a little pleased with how welcoming the lady was being to him. “Thank you.” He watched as Lady Janice poured the tea for him, appreciating all the more the gentle smile that the lady offered him as she set the tea down in front of him. “I thank you. Might I ask if you are enjoying the Season, Lady Janice?”
She nodded.
“I am indeed.” Pouring more tea, she offered a cup to her mother and then sat down herself, smiling still. “I think thatthere is a good deal still to come as well, which I am very excited about!”
