Once Marc had reached the ground, the man bowed. “My lord, welcome to Bottomswood. His lordship was afraid he would miss your arrival and bid me to tell you that you will be dining with Lord and Lady Turner this evening. I have arranged for a bath to be set up in your apartment, and a cold collation to be sent up. If there is anything else you require, please advise me.”
“Thank you. I shall send my valet, Ridgeon, if I require anything else.”
The man bowed again. “Allow me to escort you to your rooms.”
Marc inclined his head and followed the servant into the house and up the stairs. He made a point to notice the good repair of the house and furnishings. He’d need to marry well in order to keep his house in such good order. Thus far, his aunt had not selected a wife, but if he did not find one soon he had no doubt the old besom would be happy to involve herself. And that was the last thing he wanted.
From what he’d gathered, the only lady of excellent breeding and a fat dowry attending the house party was Miss Featherton. Marc would simply have to find a way to attach her affections or her attention before the week was over. The idea of a wife being selected for him left a sour feeling in his stomach.
* * *
When Gavin and Georgie reached the stables, he was surprised to discover that she insisted on rubbing down and brushing her horse.
She took the currycomb from a stable boy. “Thank you, Jamie.” Then she turned back to Gavin as he was wondering how she had remembered one stable boy from another. Littleton must have dozens of them. “My old groom—he is our stable master now—told me that I should get in the habit of grooming her myself. By doing so it would make her feel closer to me.”
Picking up another brush, he started to rub down his horse. “That sounds like good advice. Did he teach you to saddle her yourself?”
“Yes,” she said from the other side of her horse. “And, if the horse is already saddled, to look at the girth and make sure it is tight enough but not too tight.”
“More good advice.” He moved to Lochinvar’s other side. “I had a pony that would puff out her stomach when she was being saddled.”
“That could be dangerous.” Georgie placed the comb on a nearby shelf and led the mare into a stall.
“She eventually came to trust me. I think someone had cinched her too tightly at one time.” Gavin finished grooming his horse and put him in the stall next to Lilly.
He watched with appreciation as Georgie ran her palms over her mare’s legs and stomach before lifting her hoofs and looking at the bottoms. “I knew something was off.” She glanced at him. “Can you bring me the pick? There is a small stone I must remove before it causes her harm.”
Gavin handed it to her. She made him feel like a shirker, but he knew one of the Littlewood grooms would be in to perform the duty. He waited until she was finished with the mare. “Are you ready?”
“I am.” Georgie gave the horse an apple from a barrel kept in the stables. “I am hungry as well.”
That was one of the many things he liked about her. He knew from what his sister had said that ladies were encouraged to eat sparingly when out. But even in Town, Georgie had not been afraid to eat. He winged his arm out and she took it. If he accomplished nothing else today, she had got over her initial reticence about being with him. Unfortunately, he still had a long way to go. He’d have to think about what he could do to make her wish to marry him. Perhaps it was time to show her a different side of himself. One that was not as formal.
Gavin and Georgie joined Frits and Adeline for a substantial luncheon. After which, Adeline requested that Georgie help her with some plan for the nursery. That made Gavin wish Georgie was at his house redecorating that nursery.
Before she could rise, he pulled out her chair. “Would you like to go riding again tomorrow morning?”
Her blue gaze searched his eyes. He wished he knew what she was looking for. “Yes. I would like that.”
“Thank you.” He watched Georgie’s graceful glide as she left the room. There was no point in staying here hoping he’d be able to spend more time with her today. “I shall see you this evening.”
“As you wish.” Frits walked with Gavin to the hall. “Do you want to accompany us to Lady Turner’s dinner?”
He stared at his friend. “Lady Turner’s dinner?”
“Yes.” Frits nodded. “It is the first event of her house party. I am positive it is this evening. Come with me.”
They entered a small office next to his friend’s study, and spoke to a bespectacled older man sitting at the desk. “The dinner at Lady Turner’s house is this evening, is it not?”
“Yes, my lord.” The secretary picked up a card. “Yes, this evening.” The man glanced at Gavin. “She added a note that Lord Turley is also invited.”
His friend grinned. “I thought I was right.” They strolled back to the corridor. “Will you ride with us?”
“Yes, thank you.” Gavin would be stupid not to. Arriving with the Littletons and Georgie would give him more standing with her in the eyes of the other gentlemen present. He damn sure wasn’t going to give anyone a chance to think she was free while he worked on a way to make her his wife. “What time should I arrive?”
“About six thirty. That will give us an opportunity to have a glass of wine before we depart.”
“I shall see you then.” They ambled back to Littleton’s study before taking his leave. “Do you happen to know who the other gentlemen attending are?”
Littleton gave an irritating smirk. “Trying to find out who the competition is?”
Gavin knew there was no way his friend wouldn’t know exactly what he was up to. “Wouldn’t you do the same?”
“Of course. Unfortunately, I’m unable to help you. Adeline mentioned some of the ladies, but I don’t remember meeting any of them. I believe Turner was responsible for inviting the gentlemen.”
Turner? There was nothing wrong with the man but . . . “I do know that Bolingbroke is attending. Other than that, I imagine they will all be on the younger side.”
Littleton nodded. “We’re going to feel ancient.”
“If they are all younger, then I won’t have much to worry about. They’ll flirt with Georgie, but none of them will likely be in the market for a wife.”
“We will have to take their measure when we arrive.” Littleton sat behind his desk. “If you do not mind, I have some work I must finish before this evening.”
“I don’t mind at all. I’ll see you later.” Gavin strode out of the door toward the stables, and saddled his horse again. He arrived at The Lilacs in time to see a traveling coach being led to the coach house. It looked as if Lady Featherton and her friend had arrived. He took his time going into the house and washed up before going down to see Lady Littleton and Georgie’s grandmother. By the time he entered the room, they were having tea. “My lady.”
“Ah, here you are.” Her ladyship held out her hand as she greeted him. “Did you have a pleasant ride?”
“I did, indeed, and we are going again tomorrow morning. Frits asked if I wished to accompany them this evening. Apparently, Lady Turner is having a dinner to begin her house party.” It occurred to Gavin again that he wished he knew who would be present at the house party. He hoped that Lytton had not been invited, but couldn’t think of another reason for him to be in the area.