Page 12 of A Wicked Duke's Arranged Marriage
“A small dinner party?” Harbuttle echoed, his voice breaking over the last word in surprise. It was a break from character, the emotion in his voice and the very clear way that his bushy white brows rose so high on his forehead.
Henry nodded, waving the paper to ensure the ink was dry before folding it and finding an envelope.
“Is there an expected number of guests I should tell Mrs Tarburry that we are … uh, expecting?” Harbuttle asked, his voice still faintly ringing with shock.
Henry frowned, looking down at the envelope as he sealed it. The wax seeped from beneath his seal as he considered it. Had the viscount said that he still had any other children at home? He couldn’t remember.
“Lord and Lady Fethmire here and possibly three others, maybe more.” They would just have to wait for a return to the invitation he was sending out along with his correspondence to know for certain.
“Is there any menu I should advise Mrs Tarburry that you want?”
“Oh! That leek soup she makes is divine, Henry,” Lisbet interjected, clapping excitedly.
Henry nodded to her, trying not to become irritated with the excess of planning he hadn’t considered before. “Leek soup it is,” he murmured. “I think we have enough lamb for her to make her lamb in mushroom sauce as well. And perhaps some asparagus and pickled figs.”
Harbuttle listened attentively, clearly memorizing what he was told, and Henry was happy to have the matter settled.
“Those lemon cheesecakes of hers wouldn’t be remiss.” Simon coughed. He looked at Henry pointedly, his lips twitching at the glare he received in return.
“And lemon cheesecake,” Henry sighed. “You can let her know that I’ll have a more exact number for her shortly regarding guests.”
Harbuttle half-bowed, straightening once more as he turned to the door. He paused at the last second, the clock in the hall chiming to announce the hour.
“Will Lord and Lady Fethmire be joining us for tea, My Lord?”
Henry started, not having realized how late in the day it had got among all their letter reading and discussion surrounding eligible ladies.
Judging by Lisbet’s quick inhale, she hadn’t either.
“Oh! No! We told Lucy that we would be back in time for tea. The children are putting on a show of sorts for us.” She laughed. “I suppose it’s too late for us to invite you to join us to see it.”
“All the more lucky for it,” Simon joked, brushing his hands down his thighs as he went to stand.
Henry offered them both a smile but refrained from commenting. Though the idea of those three putting on a show was amusing on the worst of days, he feared he had reached his capacity for socialization for the day. The tension he had thus far avoided given their subject matter was beginning to weigh on him, the idea of what was coming looming ever present in the back of his mind.
“I have to start getting things ready here,” Henry lied smoothly, standing as well while Harbuttle disappeared silently with his instructions and letter.
“It has been quite some time since you’ve entertained,” Lisbet teased him, gathering her shawl from the chair she had earlier been using to loop over her arms. “I imagine your household is going to go into a tizzy.”
Henry snorted. He dearly hoped not.
“Write to us with the rest of the details when you have them settled.” Simon took his wife’s elbow, leading her from the room with a jovial grin despite his earlier ‘protestation’ concerning his children’s show. “I’m rather looking forward to seeing you try your hand at courting again.”
Again, all Henry could do was snort. He had no intention of courting. That was the entire purpose of doing things the way he had decided to do. An arranged marriage removed all the necessity of such trivial matters.
“And write if you need any help planning,” Lisbet added as Henry saw them to the door. “Really, any help at all.”
“I will,” Henry promised emptily.
They were just words to usher them out of his home. As much as he enjoyed their company, he knew full well that his limit had been reached. He didn’t want to spend the rest of his day thinking about marriage and all the details that encompassed it.
Every thought of the ceremony made him think of brown eyes and that soft smile that still haunted him.
All he wanted was to see his friends from his door and find his way back to his study. There, he could find a book with some far-off land and a surplus of adventure in which he could lose himself.
Chapter 4
Josephine put all thoughts of the duke and her parents’ plan out of her mind as best she could following the conversation with them at dinner. She reminded herself, on those few occasions that it broke through her attempts at avoidance, that there were so very many ladies living in the area that she needn’t worry. She was a viscount’s daughter. His youngest daughter, at that.
