“I would expect nothing less from my friend,” Audrey said. “Was she upset at the slight?”
Fletcher shook his head. “If she was, she didn’t show it, and then Easton dismissed them quite out of hand. I could tell he was seething, but Lady Clifford didn’t want to cause a scene, and we rode on.”
“I must write to her and express my outrage at her mistreatment by those vile women,” Audrey said. “I willnever forgive them for ambushing us the first time we were promenading in the park together.”
“My darling, do not upset yourself. It’s not good in your condition,” Fletcher said.
“Condition? What condition?” Mia asked, her brows bunched together. “Audrey, are you well? You must tell me if you’re sick. Should we leave London?”
Audrey shook her head before placing a hand protectively over her belly. “I’m not sick, dearest. I’m with child.”
Mia nearly dropped her teacup at this unexpected news, and her mouth fell open. What did that mean for her Season? Would it be cut short? She knew her sister hadn’t had an easy time while carrying William.
Audrey squeezed her hand. “Dearest, do not let this news upset you.”
“I’m not upset,” Mia lied, smoothing her face. “In fact, it’s wonderful news. Another niece or nephew for me to spoil.”
“You mustn’t worry about your Season. I plan on attending as many events as possible with you.”
“Of course, but you must put your health first,” Mia said, knowing it was the right thing to say but not entirely happy about it.
Wait! What was she thinking?
She inwardly chastised herself for being selfish. It was wonderful news. Her sister had done everything for her throughout her life, and she vowed to be more appreciative of her. What was a silly ball or musicale compared to the love and devotion of a beloved sister?
She’d greatly admired how Lord Easton jumped to his sister’s defense, and she wanted to be more like that. After all, family was everything.
“I do hope LadyWhitestone did not upset you too much,” Easton said as he and Kathryn made their way back to Devon House. “I must say those women are the worst gossips I’ve ever had the displeasure of encountering.”
“I confess I used to shake with fear whenever I encountered them during my Season. I was always on edge, thinking that I must be perfect—perfect in what I wore, what I said, and who I talked to—or else they would make some disparaging remark about me, and it would run rampant through theton.”
“I’m so sorry; I didn’t know how unhappy you were back then. I would have spoken to them on your behalf if I’d known.”
“You’re a dear brother, but I’m afraid there wasn’t much you could have done. Anything you said would have been twisted and repeated in the most ugly way possible.”
“You may be right, but it was my own failing that I didn’t know how you were suffering. I’m your older brother and should have been looking out for you better,” Easton said, reaching across and squeezing his sister’s hand.
“Thank you, Easton. Please don’t fret over it anymore. It’s all in the past, and I’m so very happy with my husband and children, I rarely think of my failed Season.”
“I’m very pleased you’re happy. Sir Samuel is a good man.”
“Indeed he is. So, I noticed you were speaking with Lady Victoria earlier. Are you interested in courting her?”
He shook his head. “No. I was merely being polite.”
“I see. Are you sure about that?”
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
“No particular reason, although I did think you were interested in Miss Parker.”
“Miss Parker? No, not at all,” he denied vehemently, maybe a little too vehemently.
“Lady Victoria is a lovely young woman, so if you’re not serious about courting her, I would ask you not to give her a false impression about your interest,” Kathryn said.
“I would never do anything to cause her undue upset. I merely asked her to save me a dance at the Gardner ball. Nothing more.”
“Good,” she said with a slight nod.