Henrietta slid her friend a look. “No, I did not mind at all. You know that I have not yet made any decisions.” Dorie raised a brow. “Well, I have decided not to make a decision. Unfortunately, falling in love with him would be very complicated.”
“I can assure you that the falling in love part is not complicated at all. It is the dealing with the family that is sometimes difficult.” Dorie furrowed her brows. “Did you not think your grandmother liked him?”
“Yes.” Grandmamma would never have introduced him if she had not. “I suppose you are correct about the falling in love part. Still, I was not even interested in any of the gentlemen last Season or in the autumn Season, and now three men have caught my attention.” That in itself was amazing. “But you are correct. Thus far, Fotherby is the most interesting of the three.” Henrietta recalled how Lords St. Albans and Bolingbroke flipped a coin over who would escort her to the front door. At first she’d thought it was silly, but upon second thought it seemed as if they were playing a game. And she did not intend to be an object of their sport, or whatever they were doing. Still . . . “I suppose you should invite Lord Bolingbroke and Lord St. Albans as well.”
Dorie’s brow puckered. “I shall have to discover which young ladies are in Town.” A delighted smile appeared on her face. “Did you hear that we will have another set of Tice and Martindale?”
“No.” There couldn’t be. “Do you mean to say their mothers each managed to have three daughters each with like ages?”
“Four.” Dorie nodded. “I wonder if they will wish to wed gentlemen who live near each other, the same as their sisters did.”
“We will know shortly.” Henrietta also hoped that the two young ladies did not decide to use the same antics their sisters had last Season. Tricking a gentleman into marriage was a horrible thing to do.
“I do hope they are more mature than their sisters,” Dorie commented.
Yet was that fair? The sisters had acted like complete featherheads during the Season, but, once married, suddenly had become responsible matrons. But this was the Season they were discussing. “I do as well.” Henrietta halted Lilly in front of her sister’s house. “We will meet all the young ladies at Lady Bellamny’s party in a few weeks.”
“Perhaps I shall have my al fresco luncheon after her ladyship’s event,” Dorie said. “It will be nice to invite some of the ladies making their come out.”
“I agree. I remember how wary I was until I met you, Georgie, Adeline, and Augusta. It is hard to believe we have only known each other for a year.”
“It seems as if we have been friends forever,” Dorie agreed.
A groom came forward, and Henrietta unhooked her leg, then slid down from her mare. “Do you have plans for today?”
“I am going to take the girls shopping. Would you like to join us?”
When Dorie had married Exeter, he’d come with two much younger sisters. Well, much younger than he was. The oldest, Penelope, was only two years younger than Dorie. Penelope would make her come out next year. “Yes. I’d like that.”
Henrietta climbed the steps and the door opened. “Good morning, Parkin.”
He bowed. “Good morning, Miss Henrietta. Did you have a pleasant ride?”
“I did. Lady Turley decided to join us in her phaeton.”
His eyes widened into a horrified look. “Not one of those high-perch ones?”
“No, no.” Henrietta strove not to laugh. “The normal one. It was very safe.”
“Thank the good Lord for that.”
She almost expected him to make some sign.
“I must hurry. I know I smell like a horse, and I am starving.” She forced herself not to run up the stairs.
Less than an hour later she entered the breakfast room to find her sister already there. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” Dotty replied from behind a newssheet. “How was your ride?”
“It was wonderful. I love riding in the morning.” Henrietta picked up a plate and began to fill it.
Once she’d taken her seat and poured tea, her sister said, “I received a message from Mrs. Perriman. Mr. Meadows assisted her yesterday in rescuing a young woman and her daughter.” Dotty lowered her paper and frowned. “For some reason that name sounds familiar. I wonder if he was the one who gave the one-thousand-pound donation?”
“That is what we surmised before.” Henrietta used her brightest tone. Her sister was definitely becoming forgetfut. She was glad she had not yet taken a sip of tea. She would have spit it out. She took a sip now. It was odd to keep information from her sister, and a spear of guilt struck her.
“Yes.” Dotty picked up a piece of toast, glanced at the marmalade, and shook her head. “She praised his ability to take instruction from her. Apparently, the husband, or whoever he was, came after them. She thought he might attempt to fight the man, which would have caused a delay, but he went to the carriage when she told him to.”
“That was good of him.” She needed to change the subject. “Where did she take the woman and child?”
“Richmond. As you might suppose, the woman was terrified the man would find her. But I think she will be safe there.” Dotty bit into the toast.
“I agree.” Henrietta wished she could tell her sister that Fotherby planned to sign the house over to them. “Did she say anything else about Mr. Meadows?”
“Only that he was very well dressed.” Dotty took a sip of tea. “He must have gone to a tailor, but he did not hesitate to wear the old coat she gave him, and a hat.”
“He sounds like an extremely helpful man.” Henrietta almost cringed. What would her sister do when she found out the truth? “Has Merton left already?”
“He has. There is a vote in the Lords today.”
Applying herself to her breakfast, she wondered if he and Lord Fotherby would meet.
Dotty glanced at Henrietta. “Mr. Meadows has been helpful. He clearly likes to aid others.” Her sister’s brows rose slightly as she gave a light shrug. “Perhaps I should tell Mrs. Perriman that I would like to meet him.”
This time she had been in mid-sip and quickly brought the serviette to her lips.
“Is something wrong?” Her sister gave her a searching look.
“No, not at all.” Her voice croaked like a frog’s. Henrietta cleared her throat. “That is a wonderful idea.” This whole situation was going to come crashing down on them. Then what would happen? But she was not in love with him. She hardly knew him. Still, she did not want him harmed. “I simply wonder if he runs in our circles. It is possible he might not be comfortable with us.” Oooh, God was going to strike her dead.
“My dear sister”—this time Dotty’s disapproving look reminded Henrietta of their mother—“when did you become such a snob?”
“Me? A snob? I am not. I simply do not wish him to be uncomfortable.” Henrietta was out on a shaky limb and she knew it. Their father, a vicar before he inherited the baronetcy from his brother, had been extremely clear that they should never treat others differently, no matter their social status.
Dotty’s glare made Henrietta feel like a worm. “I’ve never heard such rot from you.”