Free Countess by Coincidence by Cheryl Bolen Page A

counsel I’ve received from Knowles.”
    The old woman rolled her eyes. “I have difficulty believing any of those young men of yours wise.” She shrugged. “Enough berating of your friends. We must discuss the ball to introduce you and your Maggie to Society. I should like to have it next Friday. Would that be agreeable to you?”
    Now he rolled his eyes. “If that’s what makes you happy, Grandmere.”
    “I know you don’t fancy balls, but you’re no longer a single man who’ll be besieged with scheming mamas desiring to unite their daughter to a handsome, titled young man.”
    “I beg that you not describe me in such a manner.”
    “You refer to the word handsome ?” His grandmother's brows arched.
    He nodded, shooting a glare at the elder woman.
    She spun to face Margaret. “Do you not find him handsome, my dear?”
    Colour rose in Margaret’s cheeks. She could not tell a lie. “I do.”
    He eyed her, a softness in his expression, but said nothing.
    “Why else, my boy, would you merit so fine a catch as Lady Margaret? Of course she was attracted to your handsomeness. You must own, you had little else to recommend you to so fine a lady. But be assured I am acquainting her with your finer qualities so she won’t feel she’s made a grave mistake by marrying you.” She looked from John to Margaret. “Neither of you will ever regret this marriage.”
    To keep her husband from being embarrassed, Margaret asked him, “What will you be doing today?”
    “I should like to buy a carriage for you.” He shrugged. “Should you like to accompany me?”
    Her pulse accelerated. “I should love it above all things.”
    “You two must take my coach, then,” the dowager said.
    * * *
    He felt deuced awkward looking at his prim wife as she sat across from him in his grandmother’s carriage. What did one say to a gently bred lady?
    How surprised he’d been to find her at Grandmere’s. Now that his grandmother was not able to get about as much as she had as a younger woman, he worried about her being lonely and made it a point to visit her often. He was her only living flesh and blood, and she his. No matter how the old woman chided him, he loved her very much.
    He thought even more highly of his wife for making a visit to his grandmother one of her first priorities after the acknowledgement of their marriage. “It was good of you to seek out my Grandmere.”
    “The pleasure was mine.”
    “Pay no attention to her praises of me. She is vastly partial to her only grandchild.”
    Maggie chuckled. “You are blessed to have her—and I shall be happy to claim her as my own grandmother.”
    “Your grandparents are no longer alive?”
    “They’re all gone. My parents too.”
    “Ah, something you and I have in common. But you are fortunate to have so many siblings.”
    “Indeed I am. And with my brother’s marriage I’ve gained another sister of whom I’m exceedingly fond.” She looked up at him. “You must now think of Aldridge as your brother.”
    Why did the duke have to be such a dull stick? He hadn’t always been that way. It was said the Duke of Aldridge had been a great scoundrel—before he was snared by Cupid’s arrow and fell so blindingly in love with the former Elizabeth Upton, Haverstock’s sister.
    John could think of no one, except possibly Haverstock, who would be so unfavorable a candidate to be his brother. The two were as serious a pair as he’d ever known. “I cannot deny that I’ve always wanted a brother.”
    Silence once again filled the coach. A pity he could think of nothing to say to the woman.
    Finally she spoke. “There’s something else we have in common, I’ve learned.”
    He raised a brow.
    “Your grandmother tells me you do not tell falsehoods.”
    “It is the same with you?”
    She nodded.
    He did not know why he had always abhorred lying, but he did know that none of his friends were always truthful. “I daresay not many people can make such a claim.”
    “I