Page 69 of Presenting Miss Letitia (Once a Wallflower 1)

Sir Richard raised his head from a chessboard he was contemplating as they entered. He stood and came across to greet them. “At last, someone to play with, Brandon, your mother shows no interest. And this is Letitia. How do you do?”

Letty came shyly forward. Up on tiptoes, for he was as tall as Brandon, she kissed his cheek.

He held her at arm’s length and nodded approvingly. “Baron Bromley and I are old acquaintances, Letitia. Never met your father, however. I’m sorry such a tragedy befell you

at such a tender age.”

As they walked upstairs to the blue salon, Brandon put his head close to hers. “I told you they would approve of you.” He called to his mother who walked a little ahead. “Which chamber have you put us in, Mama? I hope it’s the yellow.”

“It is, my dear. I’ve had your things moved there. It’s the largest and has a nice view of the lake.”

“It’s also far away in the corner of the east wing,” he whispered to Letty with a wink, as his parents disappeared into the salon.

“Brandon!” she hissed.

“You can be a bit noisy on occasion, Mrs. Cartwright,” he said in an undertone.

She hit him on the arm with an embarrassed giggle.

He laughed and tucked her hand through his elbow. “Shall we go in, Mrs. Cartwright?”

After dinner, Letty roamed the drawing room, gazing at the fine oil paintings adorning the walls. She studied an oval-shaped gold medal in pride of place on the mantel. It was surrounded by a laurel wreath and attached to a blue and gold velvet ribbon. It bore Brandon’s name.

“That was presented to Brandon by the Prince Regent,” his mother said with a proud smile.

Letty turned to Brandon who was seated across the chess table from his father. “When did the Regent award you this, Brandon?”

“Three weeks ago. It was for his bravery and service to the Crown,” his father said, looking up from the chessboard. “Brandon isn’t much for awards. He sent it to us at his mother’s request.”

Letty suspected the award and his father’s obvious pleasure in it had a lot to do with Brandon’s lightness of spirit. She wondered if he would have told her about it as she came back to sit beside his mother again. “You must be very proud of him, Sir Richard.”

“Indeed, most proud,” Sir Richard said. He frowned at Brandon who was smiling at Letty. “It’s your move, son.”

After he’d lost one chess game to his father, and won another, while Letty chatted quite knowledgeably to his mother about gardening of all things, they retired to their bedchamber.

In the four-poster bed hung with yellow chintz, Letty voiced a fear that he would return one day to his dangerous work. “I hate to ask you not to, but I lost my father and mother, Brandon,” she explained, her big eyes imploring him. “And I won’t lose you.”

“When I told you I resigned, I meant it, my love.” Deeply touched, he eased back her hair from her bare shoulder and placed a kiss on her satiny skin. “I shan’t be tempted to change my mind.”

She pleated the lacy edge of the linen sheet. “But I fear it won’t suit you to give it up. It’s not in your nature to live without some purpose.”

“Well, I won’t involve myself in politics.” He had no intention of following his father’s path in life. “I’ll prefer to purchase that country house. We’ll spend part of the year there. I have a fancy to be a gentleman farmer. There’s my inheritance from Great Aunt Lawson, which I came into a couple of years ago. I hadn’t thought much about what I would do with it. Would you care to be a farmer’s wife, Letty?”

She leaned over his chest, toying with the dark hair, following the line down to his navel and distracting him. “I should enjoy being the wife of a gentleman farmer. I believe my talents lie in that direction. But might we spend the Seasons in London, Brandon? I did make some good friends, and should like to see them again.”

“Then we shall. But first we must visit Paris. I seem to remember you expressing the view you’d like that.” At her squeal of delight, he rolled over, taking her with him. “I am happy to do whatever my love desires,” he declared huskily, as her soft body lay atop his, stirring all kinds of sensations. “Within reason,” he added cautiously, reminded of Letty’s own penchant for adventure. With a smile, he kissed her.

Epilogue

The Foster’s ball, London

Six Months Later

How different London was for a married lady. Letty smiled at her acquaintances who danced by on their partners’ arms. As Lord Bakewell whisked her energetically around the floor, she thought over the changes the last few months had brought. Furnishing their new Mayfair townhouse in Curzon Street. Hiring staff. She had taken on Adele who had come to her seeking employment.

Every day and most nights were filled with engagements. She and Brandon dined with the Willards, attended breakfasts, picnics, and soirees, and dances at Almack’s where they were greeted by Lady Sefton and Lady Jersey, and the other strict patronesses of the Assembly Rooms. When the weather was fine, Letty rode her new mare, or drove in her shiny new blue barouche in Hyde Park with friends.

Brandon visited his club, Whites, and argued with his father on matters of government policy over their frequent chess games. Letty could see Brandon was slowly being drawn into the political sphere and suspected he would become a fine politician one day like his father.

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