"I do not know her at all. Although I do believe Elizabeth may have met her some years ago."
Josh finished his tea, placing the cup on the table before them. "I shall write to them and hope that they will attend. You would like Lord Hammilyn, Victoria. He has wolfhounds like you."
She grinned at her brother, her eyes lighting up at the mention of her favorite breed of dog. "Oh, well, I shall like him very much, and I will always have a conversation subject to swing to should the worse happen, and I find dreaded silence has ensued between us."
"Just right," Penworth said, standing. "I shall be back soon. But I want to get that missive off before it grows too late."
Albert listened as the duke made his way down the hall, heading to the library downstairs.
"Is something the matter?" he asked her at her silence, hoping he had not pushed her too far out at the hunting lodge. When she had turned up at his door there, he had not expected they would progress to such acts, but now that they had, he would never regret their actions.
He wanted her as his wife. He would seduce his wife with actions similar to what he had performed on her. There was no shame in that. Not unless she refused him when he gained enough confidence to breach the taboo subject that she seemed to detest.
She shook her head, but worry clouded her emerald eyes. "Not particularly, but I do think you ought to consider Lady Sophie for your wife. Tonight if she attends, you must try to use the tools that I have given you to see if there is a connection there."
"And if your brother is interested in the lady?"
"Then you shall both try, and we shall all see who the victor is. But you do not have to marry her this evening, merely see if she is pleasant and suitable to your character. Suppose you can converse with her without getting tongue-tied and anxious all the better. I shall be there with you too. I shall not let you fail."
A cold, hard stone lodged where his heart beat. "You are determined as ever to have me married before the end of the next Season. Not every female that I meet is someone whom I want to shag for the rest of my life."
Her cheeks heated, and he was glad of it. He frowned, starting to dislike being pushed toward women he had no interest in whatsoever. He knew whom he suited, whom he adored and wanted by his side for the rest of his life, and it was the very woman telling him to marry another.
"I know that. I'm merely trying to help. You did agree to my aid."
"Of course," he acknowledged. "But can I not tell you should I find a woman who sparks my interest and then move forward with a plan? This throwing women at my head at any available turn is starting to grow weary."
"But we have only just started, and we're only using these women as practice. Do not be so prickly, Lord Melvin. I am only trying to assist you."
"And I suppose you are still determined to die old and alone, never marrying due to being broken hearted by an ass."
She gasped, and he regretted his hard words immediately. "Victoria, I—"
"Right, the letter is off to Lord Hammilyn. I should think they will attend. When I ran into him yesterday in the village, he was doing nothing but rusticating at home."
"Sounds delightful," Albert mumbled, watching Victoria, who sat glaring at him. "I shall have cook do a light supper this evening instead of a meal."
"That sounds just the thing," Penworth said, sitting back down on the chair he vacated only minutes before with not a clue his sister and friend were at odds.
"Cheer up, Victoria. Lady Sophie will be good company for you. Keep you occupied since I know you tend to grow bored."
"I'm not bored," she said defensively, throwing a quick look in Alberts's direction.
He poured himself another tea, wishing it were something stronger like whiskey or brandy. He could use a little fortification right about now. Should Victoria grew bored did not bode well for his plans and hopes. Would she find life here at Rosedale beyond her endurance? Would she never settle or always wish for adventure?
He would love to travel if he found the right woman to go with, but he could not be away constantly. His estate, his writing required him to be in England several times a year. The idea of them, of being her husband, grew ever smaller in his mind's eyes, edged a little further out of reach.
"You could have fooled me," Josh teased, grinning. "Maybe while you're trying to fix up Melvin or myself with Lady Sophie, you could think about your own future. Of who else in London would suit you now that you’re available once again."
"No one will suit me." She shot out of her chair, striding for the door, her gown swishing about her legs as her forceful steps carried her away. "I'm going to die old and alone without family. That is what I'm going to do. To hell with men and their needs for a family and bed partner. I'd rather love myself, trust in only myself before anyone else."
"Victoria, that is uncalled for," Josh said, standing, scowling at his sister, who stormed down the hall before a door slammed somewhere in the depths of the house. Her bedroom door Albert supposed.
"I do apologize, Melvin. I say I was only teasing her. I do not know what could be upsetting her so."
Albert knew what had sparked such a temper, but he could not be sorry for
