An Earl by Any Other Name(5)

An extremely unladylike snort escaped his mother's lips. "Bah! Mildred Pepperwirth. Leo, dear, are you determined to give me dull, witless grandchildren? Don't repeat my mistakes." Her eyes darkened and the lines around her eyes and mouth seemed more pronounced as she frowned. "Marry for love. Marry a woman who makes you furious, who drives you mad, a woman who makes your heart bleed if you even think of living one day without her. Don't marry some simpering fool with a hefty dowry simply because you feel compelled to do your duty to your father and this house. She isn't the woman for you. You need someone forward thinking, dear, and Mildred … well … She is far too traditional."


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"Traditional is exactly what I need, Mother. You'd have me marry some suffragette who'd tear down the laws and rules that keep our society intact? It would destroy my estate." How the devil had his mother circled back to the topic he wished for her to forget?

"I think those women who fight for the vote are wonderful!" His mother's voice rose a little and color deepened her cheeks. If he wasn't careful, he'd upset her again and he didn't want to do that. Best to concede some battles in order to win the war, as Owen Hadley would say. Owen would know, of course, seeing as how he'd fought in the war where battles had been all too real.

"They are indeed brave ladies, Mother. I wouldn't disagree on that. I simply think they would not make the most respectable of wives. I need someone I can depend upon to support my decisions for the estate, not undermine them." A woman with her head in the clouds, dreaming of voting and equal rights was … trouble. He could admire a woman for fighting for something she believed in, but he certainly didn't want to marry a woman like that.

"You'd doom yourself to a life without love?" Her voice trembled slightly as though she were deeply wounded by his reaction. She made as if to stand, but he reached out, caught her hand, and held it.

"Mother, sit. Please." Her words stirred something in him, and he wasn't sure if he liked the idea … to get so lost in another person that you could not live without them. His father had done that with his mistress, a woman who hadn't cared for him the moment she knew her furnished lifestyle was at an end. Leo wanted to avoid such a fate with every fiber of his being.

Living a reckless bachelor life was one thing, but he'd never been foolish enough to allow himself to fall in love. It would be far too dangerous to open one's self up to such a weakness. He didn't want anyone to have power over his heart. His mother had loved his father, and she'd ended up perfectly unhappy when he'd abandoned her for a mistress. Love was a risk he would not take. He shoved the idea out of his mind, focusing on things he knew he could control.

"I think a house party is a wonderful idea, Mother. But do invite some people I know. I saw Hadley at the club yesterday. Drop him an invitation for me. In fact, invite the Pepperwirths as well." He winked at her. She rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. He swore she muttered something about Mildred under her breath. Leo stifled a laugh. As long as his mother was in a mood to fence with him verbally, that meant she was all right and he hadn't upset her too terribly by refusing to let her attend the suffragette meeting.

He wasn't thrilled about the social obligations that houseguests would create, but he couldn't deny he had been burdened lately with far too much work. A party might improve his mood if only for the distraction it would provide. It was a pity he was no longer able to indulge in old habits. The Leo Graham he'd once been would have made it his mission to bed every willing and lovely lady under his roof. 

Damn being respectable. It was going to kill him.

I'll have to find some other means of entertainment.

Keeping his mother from marrying him off to someone during the party would be his chief objective, and it would be amusing to see what schemes she came up with.

"You really insist I invite the Pepperwirths?"

He nodded, biting his lip to hide a smile as he enjoyed her squirming. He knew she liked Lord and Lady Pepperwirth, but she balked at his idea of marrying Mildred, simply because she found Mildred boring.

His mother threw up her hands and huffed. "Leo, shame on you. I expected more of a reaction than that. How is it you're a child of my blood?"

She stood to leave, and he could only sit back in his chair and glance down at Ladybird. Her canine brown eyes met his, and she seemed just as perplexed as he was by the entire situation. Her tail thumped the ground rhythmically and she nudged his hand until he stroked her head.