Page 12 of Seducing a Frigid Lady
Lionel thought very carefully about how to respond, wondering whether or not to give an entirely truthful answer. Then he stated, “I have learned very well those I donotwish to court.”
“Lionel, you cannot play this game of cat and mouse forever,” his aunt declared strongly, clicking the floor with the tip of her walking cane as if with frustration. “One day you shall be earl and then it shall be expected of you to marry.”
“Aunt Viola, I know very well what is expected of me,” he replied sternly, struggling to stop his hands from tightening into fists. “And when the time comes, I assure you I will handle business as business is required.”
At that, his aunt raised one dark eyebrow. Shaking her head almost imperceptibly, she stared back at him. “You must take this matter seriously now or when the time comes. It shall be that much harder.”
For several seconds, all was silent in the room save for Max’s butler arriving with a tray of tea and biscuits.
“Can I get you anything else, my lords? My lady?” The man asked, but not a one of them replied save for a shake of their head. Lionel and his aunt continued to glower at each other, the younger knowing this game very well and determined not to glance away for even a second.
As though he sensed the tension between them, the butler silently poured three cups of tea before retiring to the edge of the room.
“Thank you,” Lord Silva told the man as he left the hearth and arrived at the table to take his drink.
Almost the moment he took a seat upon the couch beside Lionel, his wife barked, “Husband, make my nephew see sense!”
Though he had always greatly respected his aunt and uncle, Lionel couldn’t help but think he would be disgusted if his wife were ever to instruct him in such a manner. Of course, he had always been one to listen to the fairer sex, though he would never allow himself to be ordered around by them.
“Your aunt is right, Lionel,” Lord Silva announced, cringing as he took a sip of his tea before adding a little honey to it. “These things are always more difficult when left to the last minute. When you become Earl, you shall have all and sundry throwing their daughters at you and the decision will be that much more difficult.”
Lionel scoffed at that. If they had been at the Marshams’ dinner three nights ago, they would have seen that things on that front were already bad enough. Just thinking back on it made his ears hurt from all the fluttering voices he'd been forced to listen to during the after dinner socialising.
Only one face popped into his mind that did not entirely make him wince, and he had to force back a smile, knowing his aunt would likely latch into such information for dear life.
"Is something amusing to you, Lionel?" Lady Silva demanded, picking up her own teacup but never quite removing her gaze from his.
"I merely wish to keep my decisions to myself until I am certain," Lionel explained, feeling as though it might be the only way to get his aunt off the subject.
Her dark eyes rounded at that and she glanced at her husband as if to see whether he had heard the words just as she had. When she looked back at Lionel, her expression was guarded once more. "Then you do have a young lady of interest?"
Oh, I have several women of interest,Lionel thought, forcing himself not to laugh.Though I can't imagine any of them shall be to your standards.
Instead of disgusting his dear aunt, he gave a curt nod and responded, "There are a couple of ladies with potential this Season who appear to have flourished since the last time we met in the countryside."
Lionel had long since learned to play the game, never giving his uncle nor his wife too much or too little, keeping them off balance and guarding himself against their determined efforts.
Though Lady Silva eyed him warily, Lionel was relieved when she finally smiled and said, "Well then, I shall look forward to meeting whichever lady you decide to court."
From the barely suppressed huff of amusement that reached his ears from his uncle, Lionel guessed that Lord Silva was as glad as he was that his words appeared to have worked.
"Your mother and father will be pleased to hear of it also," the lord said, glancing at his wife as if he wanted to be sure that she had witnessed his support of her endeavours to encourage their nephew.
"Speaking of them, how are they both?" Lionel asked in an attempt to change the subject. "I wrote mama upon my arrival here, but I have yet to hear back."
Lady Silva shook her head. "I have not heard from them since they announced your departure, though I am certain I shall hear from them again shortly. No doubt your poor mama will be fuelled by concern for how your Season shall conclude."
Lionel winced. Was he ever to get out of this endless cycle of their encouragement for him to wed? The answer was obvious, but still not one that he was willing to accept. There was only one way out of such torture, and he was not yet ready to set foot on that path.
For the rest of their visit the conversation continued similarly, talking about the usual topics such as the weather and the latest gossip and yet always managing to worm their way back around to the subject of courtship.
And by the time the end came around, Lionel was even more exhausted than if he had paid ten calls to ten different ladies all on one day.
He forced himself to shake his uncle's hand and kiss his aunt's cheek in farewell before the butler showed them out. And the moment that the drawing-room door clicked closed behind them, Lionel sank back down onto the couch, his legs no longer strong enough to hold him up.
With a deep and mournful groan, he flung himself onto his back and covered his face with the crook of his elbow. The sunshine filtering through the windows was much too bright for his sensitive eyes after the headache their conversation had given him.
When the door gently opened again, Lionel did not look up. He could tell from the quiet snivelling exactly who had entered the room.
