Page 4 of Debating with the Duke (Second Sons of London 2)

Chapter Two

London—March 1814

Lady Adalyn Gouldingmade her way downstairs to her sitting parlor, knowing Louisa would arrive in the next half-hour. They had arranged to go together to visit Tessa, who had arrived in town yesterday afternoon. The three cousins were closer than sisters and Adalyn couldn’t wait to hold little Analise again. Tessa had given birth to her first child two months ago. Adalyn had been present, holding Tessa’s hand and encouraging her as Analise made her appearance in the world. She had helped clean the baby and presented her to Tessa and Spencer, who had been alerted of his daughter’s arrival.

The earl had sneaked into the bedchamber and sat on the bed next to his exhausted wife, his arm about Tessa as he kissed her brow and told her how much he loved her. When Adalyn brought the baby to them, Spencer had claimed his daughter, tears in his eyes. For a moment, she had watched the threesome, a new family coming together, and an ache formed within her.

She wanted a baby. And that meant she needed a husband.

A husband had never been a priority for her. She had gone into her come-out Season unlike most other young women. They sought to make a quick match with the highest title they could land. Adalyn merely wanted to enjoy her youth. She had spent several Seasons doing just that, thanks to her parents indulging her as they usually did since she was their only child. The years had seen her become a leader in fashion, with ladies wishing to copy her style of gowns. She attended every social affair on the calendar. She danced and saw plays and went to garden parties and Vauxhall outings. She had collected numerous suitors who, when they realized she wasn’t interested in marriage, became loyal friends and confidantes.

Somehow, matchmaking became her forte and she had helped bring several couples together by the close of every Season. She had thought to try and match Tessa to a gentleman when her cousin finally came to London last year after being buried in the country nursing her ill parents for five years. Adalyn hadn’t needed to find Tessa a husband, however. Lord Middlefield had pursued Tessa all on his own and Adalyn had heartily approved of the match. She now looked upon Spencer as the brother she had never had and was delighted Tessa had such a fine man who loved her completely.

But seeing Tessa’s happiness last year had changed something in Adalyn. She began to want what Tessa had. She wanted a man to look at her the way Spencer did his wife. And after holding Analise, Adalyn craved a child of her own.

She had decided this would be the Season she would take a husband. If she couldn’t find a gentleman to fall madly in love with, then she would choose the best candidate available and make him her husband. He would be someone who placed a priority on having a large family. A man who would treat her well but absolutely adore their children. At four and twenty, Adalyn was older than the majority of brides on the Marriage Mart. Still, her mirror told her she was attractive. She had sky blue eyes and thick, straight, honey-blond hair. Her skin was smooth and her smile bewitching.

Her huge dowry would also tempt more than a few bachelors. At least she had been out in Polite Society long enough to know which ones to avoid. She might be friends with several rogues but she wanted to find a husband who would be faithful to his vows. Perhaps with Bonaparte about to be deposed, if the newspapers could be believed, it might mean an influx of new gentlemen returning from war and attendingtonevents. No matter, she determined to wed at Season’s end and would be ecstatic if this time next year she had a babe of her own.

Adalyn entered her private parlor and took a seat. She saw her correspondence had been placed upon the table as usual and picked it up. It did not surprise her to find two requests from bachelors she knew well, asking for an audience with her in the next few days. Both gentlemen had recently come into their titles as viscounts and had sown their share of wild oats. She suspected each had now decided to claim a bride and wanted her help in doing so.

It was unfortunate that neither gentleman would make a good husband for her. Lord Pierce gambled far too much for her tastes. She had observed that once bitten by the gambling bug, many men were lured to their downfalls. She would not see her dowry—much less her future and that of her children—gambled away. As far as Lord Bayless went, he was a handsome devil and knew it. While he would wed and produce the needed heir and spare, he would never be faithful to his wife.

Oh, dear. She already was becoming choosy. But she must stand up for herself and make the best match possible if she were finally to wed. She hadn’t waited all these years to simply agree to wed the first bachelor who asked. No, she would compose a list of the characteristics she would seek in her spouse. Perhaps Tessa and Louisa might help her in this endeavor.

Rainey, their butler, entered and said, “Miss Goulding is here, my lady.”

She chuckled as her cousin entered and they greeted one another. Even after all these years, Rainey insisted upon announcing Louisa. Her cousin only lived two doors down and they were constantly at each other’s houses when Adalyn and her parents were in town.

Louisa smiled cheerfully. “I am so eager to see little Analise. I am jealous that you have already met her.”

“She is adorable, I will give you that,” Adalyn said. “I am happy that Tessa and Spencer decided to come to town so we can enjoy seeing them. Having just given birth two months ago, I thought they might stay at Stoneridge this Season.

“Tessa wrote to me and said there is a reason they have come to town for the Season,” her cousin said. “Hopefully, she will reveal to us why when we visit with her today. Are you ready to leave now?”

“I am if you are.”

Adalyn rang and Rainey appeared again. “Please have the carriage readied,” she told the butler. “We are going to visit Lord and Lady Middlefield.”

“At once, my lady,” the servant said and exited the room.

Half an hour later, they disembarked from the carriage and were shown into the drawing room by Marsh, the Middlefield butler. Tessa sat with Analise in her arms, cooing to the baby. Once again, the tug on Adalyn’s heart told her she would actively pursue a husband this Season. The two cousins went to Tessa and Louisa said, “Please, don’t get up, Tessa. We will just sit here and gaze upon you as you look like the Madonna with her child.”

Tessa chuckled. “Being a mother is something that has changed my world. I am so blessed to have Spencer as my husband. Analise has added a dimension to our lives which I heartily recommend.”

“Might I hold her?” asked Louisa.

Tessa nodded and Louisa went and lifted the babe into her arms. As Louisa gazed at the infant, envy filled Adalyn. She didn’t like experiencing such an ugly feeling, especially because she loved Tessa with all her heart and was happy for her cousin.

Tamping down the hateful feeling, she asked, “Are you going to tell us now why you have decided to come to town? I had thought you would prefer to remain in the country since you’ve so recently given birth.”

Tessa said, “We did not talk about this when you came for Analise’s birth but Spencer’s good friend, the Duke of Camden, will make his first appearance in Polite Society this year. I aim to help him find his duchess.”

“The Duke of Camden!” Louisa exclaimed. “Oh, that was such a huge scandal last spring. I believe you had already left for the country when it occurred, Tessa. The duke being murdered like that and his close friend, the Earl of Danbury, also attacked.”

“I hear Danbury still hovers between life and death all these months later,” Adalyn said, shuddering.

Tessa nodded. “Yes, Camden shared with us what happened to his brother. He, like Spencer, is a second son who now assumes a title he did not know he would ever hold. I like him quite a bit,” Tessa continued. “Spencer and I went with him to Cliffside, his ducal seat in Kent, and helped him get things in order when he first arrived in England from the war.”

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