Page 54 of The Duke Meets His Match

“I donotneed an upholstered chair in the entry hall,” she said as old Fosterand a footman dragged a heavy decorative chair from one of the adjoiningrooms. “If I’d wanted to sit in that chair, I would have gone into the room to sit in it!” she huffed.

“Now, Lady Walmsley,” Foster began.

“Don’t you ‘Now, Lady Walmsley’ me, you old codger. My bones can handle sitting on a wooden chair for a few minutes, for heaven’s sake! If you must insist on such foolishness, a pillow would have sufficed.”

“I only wished—” Foster said, trying again.

“Take that chair back immediately,” she ordered. She spied George and pointed at him. “See? Aylesham is here already. You went to a lot of work for no reason. Icannotunderstand you at times.” She stomped away from Foster and the footman toward George.

No wonder Susan and Lady Walmsley got along so well, he thought humorouslyas he smiled and gestured for Lady Walmsley to precede him into the parlor.

“Lady Walmsley,” George said after said lady had sat with a disgruntled plop next to Susan. “I have been invited to an afternoon party tomorrow by the PrinceRegent, and I have asked Susan to attend the affair with me. She has expressedconcerns, however, over certain protocols that might be of use in mingling with the royals who will be present. I thought, perhaps, you might assist her in that regard.”

“Why, there’s nothing to it, my girl,” Lady Walmsley said. “You alreadycomport yourself with dignity and intelligence, your manners are what theyshould be, and you already have one or two gowns that will allow you toappear the duchess you will become. The rest we can address easily enough this afternoon: refreshing you on a few curtsies and addresses to get you through the first of it, introductions and the like, and then you will be fine, clever girl like you. An afternoon party is not the same as a formal dinner—not nearly so stuffy. You have nothing to worry about.”

“There, you see?” he said with an encouraging smile to Susan.

She didn’t smile back. “I don’t believe for one moment it will be as easy as either of you claim,” she said. “But I will go to the party with you.”

“Thank you,” George said, his chest nearly bursting in relief. “Thankyou mosthumbly. I have every confidence in your ability to learn what Lady Walmsleydeems necessary. Now, I will leave you both so you may prepare for the party with my best wishes. Thank you, Lady Walmsley,” he said and bowed over her hand. “And thank you, my dear Susan,” he said, taking her hand and kissing it.

“Mm,” she said.

“Until tomorrow, then,” he said.

“Mm,” she said again.

She had not said no to him, George thought as he rode in his carriageback to Aylesham House. She had agreed to be at his side when facing Prinny and his foreign guests. He had confidence in Lady Walmsley’s ability to teach Susan enough basics in courtly etiquette to get by since Prinny wasn’t always a stickler about such things, especially at a garden party. Under the time constraints, it would have to do.

He wondered what Osbourne and Jennings had discovered, if anything.George needed to know as much as possible before showing up at CarltonHouse tomorrow.

When George arrived back at Aylesham House, he learned that Jennings was there waiting for him.

“I put him in the dayroom, Your Grace,” Talbot said. “Henshaw is with him, and they are having tea while awaiting your arrival. Mrs. Bradley made a currant cake, exceptionally fine cake, as always.”

“Thank you, Talbot,” George said. “I shall be certain to eat a large slice so everyone will breathe a little easier.” George was relieved enough that Susanhad agreed to attend the party with him tomorrow that he refrained fromcommenting further on his servants’ continued efforts to fatten him up.

“Very good, Your Grace.”

“What is the news?” George asked Jennings when he entered the dayroom. He’d barely spoken the words when a footman hurried over to the table to set a place for him and prepare his tea.

“Castlereagh is in Town, just arrived last night,” Jennings said before taking another bite of cake. “You really must try this, Aylesham. Your cook works magic with currants.”

“Where is Osbourne?” George asked, ignoring the slice of currant cake the footman set before him.

“We stopped to get the documents from my lodgings and took them with us to the Foreign Office, which was a stroke of great luck since we were able to meet with Castlereagh himself. Napoleon rejected the Chaumont treaty, so there is more work to be done on that front, and with haste. Castlereagh informed me of the changes to be made in the drafts I wrote, and Henshaw here has agreed to help me amend them.”

“With your permission, Your Grace,” Henshaw added.

“Of course you have my permission,” George said. “And where did you say Osbourne is?”

“Since these drafts need amending, Castlereagh has given us additional time.One week,” Jennings said. “Osbourne is continuing on to the Continent withoutme on the other part of our errand, but since he won’t need a German-speaking legal expert for that particular task, he intends to leave first thing tomorrow. He and I shall meet up later.”

“I see. Excellent. Henshaw, will you write up the necessary papers for Osbourne to give to the captain of my yacht, then, and see that he gets them? It may not be required, but since I won’t be there, it’s best to err on the side of caution.” During their travels to assist the Foreign Office, they had encountered other desperate issues that needed attention, in George’s opinion. An end to the war would do wonders in correcting them, but in the meantime, he and Osbourne and Jennings had committed to doing whatthey could to assist in the short term.

“Osbourne also said I was to congratulate you on your nuptials Monday since he won’t be in attendance,” Jennings said.

“If you’ll both kindly excuse me, I believe I will begin straightaway on those papers for Osbourne, et cetera.” Henshaw set his napkin on the table.

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