Free Laura Matthews by A Very Proper Widow Page B

menu. One would have thought she was preparing the meal itself, from the way she gloated. He did no more than offer her a civil nod and a few distracted and unintelligible words, so caught up was he in brooding about Frederick’s son.
    Was it his duty to take some part in the boy’s upbringing? Surely John was too young to need much more than physical care at this point. Later, perhaps, he would have the boy to visit him for a few weeks each year, over a school holiday or during the long vacation. And it would probably be best for him to introduce the lad to London when the time came. Nothing was worse than a woman’s thinking she could undertake that task, or for a young man to attempt it with other empty-headed school friends. No, that was his responsibility; Frederick would have wished it.
    Because he wasn’t sure Vanessa Damery would go along with his mental schemes, he found himself devising arguments to persuade her. They were reasonable arguments, with which no rational woman could possibly find fault, but he found that in his mind, she did. And he plotted ways in which to convince her, dialogues in which they occasionally crossed swords, with him always prevailing, of course, by saying something like, “You may be an attractive woman, and you’re not without intelligence, but you have no concept of the intricacies of society, my dear Cousin Vanessa.” He wasn’t sure how he had become that familiar with her, but she was always won over in the end.
    “Was there something further you required, Lord Alvescot?” Vanessa asked from the doorway.
    Alvescot looked up from his distracted study of the salt cellar to find that he alone remained at the table. No one else was in the room at all, except his hostess, who stood with amused eyes and a wide grin waiting for him to come out of his trance. He rose swiftly to his feet, very nearly knocking over his chair, and muttered, “I was considering some rather serious matters, madame.”
    “I’m sure you were, and I wouldn’t have interrupted you except that Paul didn’t know whether to go to the estate office or wait for you. I sent him on, but I thought you might wish to join him soon.”
    “Well, yes,” Alvescot agreed, feeling rather foolish. Why the devil was she always catching him at some disadvantage? His long-legged stride had already brought him abreast of her and he scowled at the mischief in her eyes. “There is, of course, the matter of your son. I promised to watch him ride today. Perhaps you could suggest the most convenient time. I shouldn’t like to disappoint the lad.”
    Now her face softened to a warm smile. “I’m so glad you remembered. Why don’t I have Lucy bring him to the stables about four-thirty? Then you’d have time to spend a few minutes with him before changing for dinner.”
    “That sounds an eminently sensible arrangement,” he said stiffly, stepping past her to open the door. But before he actually twisted the handle another thought worked its way into his sluggish brain. “Ah, there is the ride to the canal tomorrow. Did he mention that to you?”
    “Yes.”
    “And are you agreeable?”
    “Certainly, but I should just mention that he may not actually know how to get you there. His sense of direction is not well developed as yet.”
    Alvescot cleared his throat. “Would you care to accompany us in that case, Mrs. Damery? I’m sure you’re familiar with the location.”
    “I thought perhaps you might be yourself, Lord Alvescot.” When he shook his head, she said, “Then you’ll need a guide. I’d be happy to come.”
    “Thank you. John seemed to wish to take a picnic basket with us.”
    “Yes, he asked if he might.”
    The earl nodded his approval. “Shall we leave at noon then? Or should you be here to have your meal with your . . . guests?”
    Vanessa made a gesture of reckless abandon. “Let them fend for themselves this once,” she said with a teasing laugh. “Noon it is.”
     

Chapter Six
     
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