He gave Georgie a rueful look and she laughed. “I have been told that part of finding a daughter-in-law is knowing who would not suit.”
“Where are the mothers?” She knew that some were attending the house party, but she had not seen any of them.
“They are in dowager Lady Turner’s wing. My understanding is that they are leaving the new Lady Turner and Mrs. Fitzwalter to handle the guests but will step in if needed.”
“That is an interesting idea.” It would certainly force Mary and Amanda to remain alert. Neither of them would wish to be embarrassed by an older lady being called to manage the events.
“That is not precisely how I would put it. I find young ladies to be far too interested in getting to the church and not for the Sunday sermon.”
“If you think that, why did you agree to come?” She tasted the fish and found it to be extremely fresh.
He shrugged. “I couldn’t say no to Turner. He’s been a friend for a long time. Why are you here?”
“I am visiting Lady Littleton. Lady Turner and Mrs. Fitzwalter are neighbors. Ergo, we agreed to come to the major entertainments.” Georgie smiled to herself. “I suppose we will assist with the younger ladies.”
“The good thing is that there are no truly older gentlemen. Or no one over five and thirty. Most of the rest of them are like me and not interested in marriage. I expect it will be entertaining for a week.”
Georgie recalled how at least two ladies had attempted to trap Frits into marriage last Season. “I would suggest that you gentlemen could be more at risk than the ladies. You might want to make sure you do not stroll around alone.”
Suddenly alert, Lord St. Albans straightened. “That is an excellent idea. I shall tell the others.”
Deciding she had done her civic duty, Georgie applied herself to the third course that had been set out, and chatted with the gentleman on her other side for a few minutes.
She had just finished an excellent piece of an apple dish when Mary Turner rose. “I believe it is time to leave the gentlemen to their port. Ladies?”
Once the ladies had repaired to the drawing room, and glasses of wine and lemonade had been handed out, the talk turned to the single gentlemen.
Adeline came to stand by Georgie just as Miss Lydia said, “I think Lord Turley is very handsome, even if he is too old.”
Georgie was just about to take a sip of claret and was very glad she had not. What had he said to the girl? In fact she might not be able to drink it at all because the next thing she knew Adeline retorted, “He is not older than my husband who is one and thirty.”
Miss Lydia glanced at Adeline. “That is what my sister says about her betrothed, but she is older than I am. That is most likely the difference.”
“Said with the certainty of the very young,” Georgie whispered, and tried not to laugh. “She sounds almost exactly like my younger sister. I would wager she is not above sixteen.”
“I think you are probably right.” Adeline took a sip of claret. “When I have a daughter, remind me that she may not be presented to Polite Society until she is at least eighteen.”
“I don’t think Frits would let her come out until then.” Georgie was finally able to control her urge to laugh, and finally got to taste the wine which turned out to be very good.
Adeline grinned. “He might not want her to come out at all.”
“Who is coming out?” Frits asked as he came to stand next to his wife.
“Our potential daughter.” She smiled at him. “We were discussing one of the ladies who we believe is much too young to be in Polite Society.”
Turley took his place at Georgie’s side and appropriated her hand, placing it on his arm. The thought that she should really put some distance between them came to her again, but it felt so right having him next to her. If only he’d fall in love with her everything would be perfect.
“Let me take a guess,” he said. “Miss Lydia.”
Georgie was finally going to find out what he had said. “Do you have any idea why she became so quiet at dinner?”
“I might.” The devil placed his fingers over her hand, warming it in a way that a fire never could. “After telling me it would not take her as long to wed as it had her older sister, I asked who she was marrying.” He stopped and looked at each of them.
“Well?” Frits asked.
“She is betrothed to the Duke of Leicestershire’s heir.”
Georgie almost rolled her eyes. “I think any mother or father would forgive a daughter being out for three years if at the end of it she had made such a good match.”
“Indeed.” Turley raised a brow. “I believe it was that realization that made her understand how foolish she sounded.”
“I can guarantee you,” Frits said, “that when my daughter comes out she will be far beyond making a cake of herself.”
They all nodded in agreement.
Adeline yawned, and Frits glanced around the room. “Do you see either Lady Turner or Mrs. Fitzwalter? We must go home before Adeline becomes too tired.”
“Lady Turner is next to the piano.” Turley motioned with his chin. “We will all go. That way no one can delay us.”
Georgie was ready to depart as well. She did not wish to be caught in any musical performances that usually occurred after dinner. It had been fun to attend the dinner, but it was time to return to Littlewood.
Frits signaled to one of the footmen. “Please call the Littleton coach.”
Once the servant left, they made their way to the piano where Mary Turner was arranging piano performances by the young ladies.
“We do apologize,” Adeline said. “I am growing tired and my husband insists on taking me home.”
“Yes, of course.” Mary moved them away from the group that had surrounded the piano. “I suspected that would happen.”
Several minutes later they drove through the gate and onto the road. Adeline slumped against the side of the coach. “All of a sudden I have lost all my energy.”
Georgie knew that her friend would be much happier with her head on Frits’s shoulder. “Frits, change places with me. That way you can take care of Adeline.”
Once they resettled and Adeline was comfortable, Georgie wished she could lean against Turley. Instead, she peered out the window. It was past ten and had been dark since six. “It seems so light.”
“It’s due to the combination of the road materials and the moon,” Turley remarked. “Littleton’s father found a Scottish engineer by the name of Telford who had a new way to build the roads. He convinced the neighboring landlords to rebuild all the roads to the villages and estates. After I saw how much better the roads were, I did the same thing at Rivercrest.”
Frits snugged Adeline closer to him. “It makes a great deal of difference when we have a lot of rain. The roads don’t become muddy bogs.”
Georgie gazed out the window again. “It’s almost as if the roads are glowing under the moonlight.”
“It does,” Turley agreed. “It will make traveling back and forth this week easier.” He put his fingers over the hand she had on the cushions. “Did you have an interesting conversation with St. Albans?”
Georgie grinned, but he probably couldn’t see it. They had not lit the inner lights. “I discovered that his mother is very much like Frits’s mother. She knows everything about everybody. And that he came to the house party as a favor to Lord Turner. He has no interest in marrying any time soon.”