Free Lady Brittany's Love by Lindsay Downs Page B

“—the bill will be sent directly to my townhouse. I should see firsthand what I’m buying.”
    Laughter came from both ladies and Eli.
    “Son, on that note, and bank note, you are more than correct. However, I would wonder at your sanity for wishing to join the ladies in a dress shop. Of all the years I’ve been married, not once have I been so bold as to venture into one and I don’t intend to now,” the earl emphatically announced.
    “Ah, but my darling husband I do feel, even at this late hour in our marriage, the time has come when you do,” the countess declared.
    “If that be the case, my dear, then I’ll have a brandy. Lord Samuel, would you care to join me?”
    “Yes, thank you, then I must return home to dress for this evening.”
    “As we’ll be attending the same ball would you care to dine with us?” Barbara asked.
    Samuel peered over to the countess which brought Brittany into his range of vision and her smiling eyes. From the expression he knew what his answer would have to be as it seems he’d truly won her heart.
    “It would be my pleasure to join you. I’ll come in my carriage so we can all travel together,” he suggested.
    Later, with a promise to return at seven for dinner, Samuel climbed the front steps to his townhouse and was met by Stanley.
    “M’ lord, you have several letters from your estates awaiting your attention.”
    “Thank you. I’ll deal with them post haste. Also, I’ll be dining at the Sexton’s this eve. Have my town carriage in front a little before seven. Tonight have the bays set between the shafts as we’ll be attending the Allen ball.”
    “Certainly, m’ lord. Which jacket and trousers will you desire?”
    “I haven’t worn the black in a few days so set that one out. I’ll bathe and dress at six,” he instructed his butler as they climbed the stairs to the first floor.
    “I’ll inform Cook and make sure your water is ready.”
    With a nod Samuel entered his office, started to pour a brandy then thought better of it. Turning back he set to work on the letters from his estate manager.

 
     
     
    Chapter Twelve
     
     
    On waking to a warm sunny day Samuel ordered his landau so he would be able to drive Brittany around Hyde Park later. With his first meal of the day finished, he took time to handle the morning posts before setting off to meet her at the dressmaker’s shop. As much as he had second thoughts about joining the ladies pleas from Eli at the Allen ball that convinced him otherwise.
    Climbing down from his open carriage he saw the earl sneak out of the dress shop and step up to him.
    “M’ lord, you seem a bit hazard,” Samuel uttered, shaking the poor man’s hand.
    “Lord Samuel, if I knew what ladies went through in selecting a gown, between the design and material, I’d never have married. How they ever come to a decision is beyond me?”
    When Samuel saw his future father-in-law slump his shoulders he suspected things were worse than he could have imagined.
    “Do you believe the ladies would miss us if we slipped away to White’s?” Samuel queried.
    “Most definitely they would. I direct your attention to the window behind you. There you’ll notice my mother and your sister, Lady Wallace, glaring at the three of us,” Cole announced, as he stepped forward from the doorway.
    Samuel wasn’t surprised when his groan was parroted by Eli, which brought the men to laughter. Fashionable ladies and gentlemen strolling by stared at them. Then, to all his astonishment Lady Wallace, with the countess behind her, stepped out of the door.
    “Gentlemen, I would recommend you follow me back in as decisions need making and for some unusual reason my goddaughter requests your opinion Lord Samuel,” she demanded.
    Discretion being the better part of valor, Samuel realized he’d met with defeat, not that he appreciated having to surrender, he did as instructed. From the footfalls following, he knew the other two were reluctantly joining