"No, she does not care much for the groom's family. I wrote my cousin to escort her from the church."
"You don't mean Jonathan, do you?" asked Grant. "I heard this morning he was dreadful sick. His mother was going on about how she hoped it was not contagious, but unless you can catch it from that bottle of blue ruin he was nursing last night, I expect he shall be right as rain by the morrow."
The duke frowned, dark eyebrows clamping down over his eyes in a manner most intimidating. "Jonny is in the sick room?"
"He is, shall we say, indisposed." Grant's silver-blue eyes danced with a natural merriment. "Not sure where that leaves your dear grandmamma."
The Duke of Marchford muttered something under his breath Genie pretended not to hear. "I apologize, but I must see to my grandmother. If she has been waiting all this time … " The duke made a strangled sound.
Grant shook his head. "Best run for the Continent. It's your only hope. Perhaps you can join Miss Talbot on her expedition to the colonies."
"Grant, please keep these ladies company while I see to the dowager," said Marchford.
"Yes of course, fly, my friend!" Grant stood to usher his friend out the door, and the Duke of Marchford did exit the room with more haste than a strict adherence to decorum would allow.
"Such excitement, eh, ladies?" Mr. Grant sat himself next to Genie on the couch, which earned Genie a stern glance from Lady Bremerton. Genie could not but think this unfair, since she could hardly control where the man sat.
"We are perfectly comfortable waiting in the drawing room, Mr. Grant," said Lady Bremerton. "You need not stay to keep us company."
"I would not dream of leaving you alone, not when Marchford has specifically asked me to act as host. Besides, I have not yet had the chance to become acquainted with the lovely Miss Talbot."
"Genie, ring the bell for tea, please," said Lady Bremerton, interrupting Grant.
Genie dutifully stood to ring the bell. Catching her aunt's glare, she sat back down on another chair, far from Grant.
"Well played, Lady Bremerton," said Grant. "I see I have crossed swords with an expert. Miss Talbot, you are safe from me for the moment."
Grant easily turned the conversation to safer topics, but the quiver of excitement in the air every time he glanced at her told Genie that, with Mr. Grant, she was far from safe.
***
"So, Lady Louisa, is this your remarkable embroidery in hand? Do tell me about your latest project." Grant had little natural interest in needlework but listened attentively to Louisa's description of her ambitious project embroidering the Greek goddess Aphrodite running away with her lover Ares. Grant needed to play the charming host to win time with his latest prize. Miss Talbot was a delightful bundle, fresh as daisies in a simple white muslin dress.
Lady Bremerton was a devoted chaperone, with a reserved nature, but Grant was able to soften her demeanor by sharing his secret for where to find silks at only seven shillings and sixpence a yard. Lady Bremerton may not care for his flirtatious manner with Genie, but she was not above taking his advice on fashion.
After a lengthy conversation of the latest trends and the comfort of tea and cakes, Lady Bremerton took up a book, Lady Louisa moved farther away to sit in the light for her stitching, and Grant seized on the moment of complacency by offering in as offhand a manner as possible to show Genie some artwork, naturally leading Genie to a far end of the large drawing room to admire a Renaissance treasure.
Titian may have been a master at his craft, but Grant's admiration was solely given to Miss Talbot. In the sunlight, her golden curls shimmered. Her face was lovely; she was truly a great beauty. Gowned in white muslin, her form was perfect, slender, and curvy in all the right places. She flashed azure eyes at him with a warm smile. He smiled in return, unable and unwilling to stop himself.
"Beautiful," said Grant.
Genie nodded. "The art collection is amazing."
"The pictures are quite fine too," said Grant with a smile guaranteed to raise the blood pressure of any eligible (or ineligible) female.
But Eugenia Talbot returned his gaze without so much as a blush. "Mr. Grant, I can see you are quite incorrigible and take pains to live up to your reputation."
"My reputation? My dear girl, you have been in London only a handful of weeks at best. How can you possibly know my reputation?"
"I know what my aunt has told me," said Genie in a soft tone, so her relatives could not hear.
Grant motioned for Genie to sit on a settee at the far end of the drawing room. Genie glanced around, but Louisa and her aunt were still within sight, though paying them no mind.
"Now tell me, of what has your aunt to accuse me?" asked Grant in a similarly hushed tone.
"Only that you are a notorious rake and that I can in no way amend my tattered reputation by boasting an acquaintance with you."
"Your aunt is correct, I fear. I shall not be accused of misleading you in the matter."
"Your honesty is commendable. I also expect you would not wish an association with me."
"You intrigue me. Whyever not?"
"I believe I am now considered a social leper. I only say so to warn you against forming an unwise acquaintance."
Grant stifled a laugh. No woman had ever warned him against her. "Surely it cannot be as bad as all that."
"Oh, but it is. At least, according to my aunt, nothing could be worse. I am considering getting a bell to ring and shouting ‘unclean, unclean' whenever I enter a room so as not to catch unsuspecting persons in my web of social ruin."
At this pronouncement, Grant laughed heartily, causing Lady Bremerton to give them a sharp look before returning to her engaging gothic novel. "You do make me laugh," he whispered when he had better control of himself.
"Yes, I have a great enjoyment of laughing, as well you know. Though perhaps my humor can be ill-timed when provoked!" Genie whispered in return, her eyebrows frowned into a little pucker Grant found adorable.
"Ah, yes, again let me convey my sincere apologies for my role in your … "
"Ruin?" suggested Genie.
"In the unfortunate incident. I was having difficulty restraining myself."
"So I noticed, but unfortunately, no one noticed it was you who laughed first." Miss Talbot crossed her arms in front of her.
Despite her good humor, Grant could tell he had unwittingly caused her pain and a rarely used sense of chivalry surged within him. She was correct, he had laughed first, which he did not consider his fault in the least; however he was conscious that the wink might be considered poor form.
"Surely it is not as bad as all that. It is a moment's on-dit. In a few days, the gossip columns will be on to a new topic and you will be all forgot."
"You think it will be in the papers?" Genie's eyebrows raised, her eyes a terrifying deep blue.
The news of Miss Talbot's disastrous presentation would no doubt be splashed across the morning papers, a detail Miss Talbot did not need to know. "I … that is to say … " Grant wished he was a more convincing liar and had an uncharacteristic desire to win her good opinion.
Miss Talbot sighed and looked away. "Then you had best stay away lest you become tainted by association."
"I believe my reputation can withstand a short tête-à-tête. I am glad to have found you are not a missish little thing."
"If I were missish, I would not be in this trouble."
"But then you would not have had the pleasure of making my acquaintance, since I avoid debutantes as a general rule," confessed Grant.
"Are you one of those men who think nothing of riding neck-or-nothing to win some ill-conceived bet, but tremble at the thought of a debutante ball?"
"William Grant, Esquire, at your service, Miss Talbot."
"At least you can have no fear of a debutante ball in my honor. It is all to be canceled now according to my aunt, for who would come? I fear I shall be packed back to the farm with all due haste. I am disappointed I could not better represent my family. We have not been close, and I had not expected my aunt to sponsor my debut into society."
"She brings you out because you are a diamond of the first water, and she wishes you to add to her own social standing by sponsoring the most beautiful debutante of the season."
"You are funning with me."
"Indeed, I am in earnest."
Miss Talbot gave him a discerning gaze, so open and blunt he was inclined to squirm like an errant schoolboy. "I do not believe you are unfamiliar with giving a lady a compliment. Your sweet words flow from well-practiced lips."
"My word! I would not think a person so young as yourself to be so jaded!"