Free Joan Wolf by His Lordship's Mistress Page A

resemblance between them momentarily remarkable.
    They had dinner in the family dining room. When the rest of the party—several aunts and uncles and assorted cousins—arrived tomorrow they would be using the great formal dining room in the north wing, but for tonight Lady Linton had put them in the more intimate room she knew her son preferred. Lady Caroline sat on Linton’s right and conversed with him with a sweet seriousness that was peculiarly pleasing. By the time dinner was over Linton had decided that his mother was right—she was a very nice child.
    He was true to his word and went out of his way to be kind to Lady Caroline. The assembled Romneys might have overpowered an army, he told her humorously, and if she felt herself overwhelmed she had just to say so.
    “Oh, no, my lord,” she had replied with her sweet smile. “I can’t ever remember having such a good time. Your family is such fun. And Lady Maria has always been so kind to me.”
    He looked at her, his eyes full of blue lit-up laughter. “Maria enjoys helping people,” he said, the gravity of his voice in vivid contrast to his eyes.
    “I think she does,” replied Lady Caroline. “She might rather overwhelm one at first, but I can never forget what a good friend she was to mama and me when my father died.”
    He looked a little rueful. “That is the problem with my sister,” he said frankly. “Just when you are ready to murder her for her overbearing ways she turns around and does something so damn good that you’re left with nothing to say.”
    She twinkled up at him. “I like her. And I like Annabelle and the boys.”
    “Yes. Well I have to admit I like them too. Do you and Annabelle care to ride with me to the Harley farm tomorrow?”
    “I should love to,” answered Lady Caroline delightedly.
     
    * * * *
    Maria was true to her word as well and made no attempt to hector her brother, although she watched him shrewdly. She had been very pleased with herself for thinking of Caroline Shere for Linton. The girl was totally unspoiled, beautiful with a touch of gentle seriousness about her that Maria thought would appeal to her brother very much. At first she watched with satisfaction as he went out of his way to be a gracious host to the young girl, but as the week went by a cloud began to darken her magnificent green eyes whenever they lighted on her brother’s disgracefully good-looking face.
    “I don’t understand Philip,” she complained to her mother. “He can’t hope to find another girl as sweet and as beautiful as Caroline, yet he is letting her slip through his fingers.”
    “I thought he was being very attentive to the child, Maria,” responded Lady Linton. The two women were in Lady Linton’s private sitting room where Maria had run her mother to earth in order to air her grievances.
    “Oh, he is being charming!” Maria replied bitterly. “He treats her as if she were Annabelle’s age—and his niece to boot. Really, mother, I could shake him.”
    Lady Linton put down her embroidery. “Leave Philip alone, Maria,” she said, and there was a ring of authority in her voice.“He will marry when he is ready to.”
    “And when will that be?”
    “When he has fallen in love, I expect,” came the firm answer.
    Maria’s eyes fell. “They have been after him for years, all the mamas with their pretty little daughters. He could marry anyone—and it is not only the earldom.He is just so damn handsome, and nice, that girls fall in love with him constantly. But he has never shown any serious interest in anyone.”
    “He has not found the right girl,” replied Lady Linton.
    Maria sighed. “I suppose you’re right, mother. You needn’t worry about me nagging him, at any rate. From now on I plan to leave him strictly alone. If he doesn’t like Caroline Shere he will have to find another paragon by himself.”
    Lady Linton raised her eyebrows. “Do you mean that, Maria?”
    “I do.” Lady Maria’s eyes flickered a