Page 48 of Empowered By the Earl (Second Sons of London 3)

Chapter Fourteen

Owen watched Louisasurreptitiously throughout dinner, upset that she had waved away his advice about Viscount Boxling. He made certain that he spoke with the man once Boxling arrived at Cliffside, hoping that he might have changed from their university days. Though the viscount hadn’t mentioned his womanizing in the past, he did fondly recall carousing with other young Cambridge men. Owen had asked if Boxling still enjoyed making merry and the viscount merely smiled enigmatically.

That was proof enough to Owen that Boxling was not good enough for Louisa.

Unfortunately, she was proving hardheaded. He would try again to get her alone and explain to her, without giving too many details, why he believed she should eliminate the handsome viscount from her list.

“You live nearby, my lord?” asked the woman on his right.

What was her name? She was distantly related to Ev. He hadn’t bothered to remember any of the female guests’ names since he didn’t plan on interacting with them. This one was a perfect example of why he had no plans to be trapped in marriage anytime soon. She was blond, blue-eyed, bubbly, and didn’t seem to have a brain in her pretty head. The little conversation he’d tried to have with her during the soup course bored him beyond tears.

“Yes, my lady,” he said, hoping since she was related to a duke that she was the one who was a lady. The other three claimed the title of miss.

“What is your estate like?”

“Large,” he said, seeing that Louisa was glancing down the table at him. Deliberately, he gave his dinner companion a lazy smile. “It’s called Danfield.”

She blinked. “You are Lord Danbury. Your home is Danfield. Oh, that’s very clever,” she noted.

He smiled again, hoping Louisa was still watching. “I had nothing to do with the naming of it, my lady. Some long ago Lord Danbury came up with the name, I suppose.”

“Have you been friends with His Grace for very long?”

“Only from the cradle,” he said and she giggled at his wit.

Owen took a chance and looked Louisa’s way. She only had eyes for the man next to her and was smiling at something Mr. Hampton said. The man was handsome. In fact, all four of the male guests Adalyn had invited had looks, charm, and other than Hampton, a title. Owen didn’t want Louisa to be amused by Mr. Hampton. He certainly didn’t want her strolling through the gardens with Boxling.

“Since that was the final course,” Ev said, “I believe the ladies will retire to the drawing room while we gentlemen sip our port.”

“No cigars,” Adalyn said. “I might as well tell everyone now. The smell of a cigar nauseates me to no end. I hated them before but now that I am with child, I cannot bear the scent of a cigar.”

Congratulations were swiftly offered to Ev and Adalyn, with people asking when the babe would arrive and if they had decided upon any names.

“We should become parents sometime in February,” Ev said. “As for names, we really haven’t discussed any yet.” He smiled down the table at his wife. “I suppose since Her Grace will be doing all the work carrying and delivering our child, I should let her decide on his or her name.”

Owen noticed that Lord Marksbury frowned at that remark. That was a black mark against him, Owen decided. Marksbury was probably one of those men who dominated women and expected his wife to defer to his every whim. If that was the case, then he certainly wouldn’t appreciate Louisa.

Adalyn rose and said, “If the ladies will accompany me to the drawing room, I will ask His Grace to shepherd the men our way once they have finished their port. We’ll allow the ladies to entertain us once we’re back together as a group. I know my cousin, Louisa, will want to sing for you.”

His eyes flew to Louisa, who pinkened slightly as she nodded. That was good. If Louisa were to sing for everyone, she couldn’t be strolling in the gardens with Boxling.

The women excused themselves and port was poured for the men. They gossiped idly about politics until it was time to rejoin the others. Owen tried to join Boxling so that he might detain him long enough to keep him from sitting with Louisa. Instead, Viscount Hurley ambled over to Owen and struck up a conversation as they left the dining room.

“You were in the army, His Grace tells me,” Hurley said. “I am surprised our paths did not cross.”

“Yes. I sold out as a major. My brother had been severely injured and had fallen into a coma. I was summoned home to manage the estate since it was unknown if or when he might rouse from it.”

“I assume since you were introduced to me as Lord Danbury that he did not and succumbed to his injuries.”

“He did,” Owen said, leaving it at that.

“I was among those who marched into Paris,” Hurley revealed. “A day that I never thought would happen. Then I received a letter informing me that my brother had passed unexpectedly, which left me as the new viscount.”

“It’s hard, isn’t it?” he said. “Having never trained for such a position. Thinking you would be in the army your entire life.”

Hurley nodded. “It has taken some getting used to. I love my country estate, however. Always did as a boy growing up there. I look forward to raising my own boys on it and teaching them to swim, hunt, and fish.”

“Then you want children?” Owen asked.

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