“I expect you are missing her, particularly now.” She smiled sympathetically. “Fortunately, my mother has remained in York with my father. She is wonderful, and I love her, of course. But her advice is usually terrible. If she suggests a thing, we immediately know to do the exact opposite.”
Lady Melinda laughed. “Did she advise you to run from Lord Wainscott? She would have been right about that.”
“Alas, she gave me no guidance on him. The mistake was all my own, and I got quite the comeuppance for it. But I have a large and loving family in London to help me get over the embarrassment. By the way, all Farthingales love to meddle. If you ever need help, please do not hesitate to ask. Offering our opinions, whether wanted or not, is something we excel at.”
“Miss Farthingale, I can see why my father and Captain Brayden like you. Even though I ought to consider you competition for his affections, I find I cannot gather even a smidgeon of resentment. I like him, mind you. But I do not love him.”
“Is there someone you do love? Someone other than the fake marquess you’ve been spreading the word about?”
She arched an eyebrow in surprise. “How do you know he is fake?”
“Because you are a beautiful woman, Lady Melinda.” Indeed, she had her father’s gray eyes, but hers were warmer, almost slate blue in color. Her hair was dark and was done up in a style that perfectly framed her pretty face. “You are also smart and witty. If he exists and you’ve set your cap for him, I don’t think he’d have the will to resist you.”
“Your Captain Brayden did not fall in love with me.”
Thank goodness. But she was not going to repeat this to Lady Melinda. “Toss in your dowry and your father’s title, and I think your marquess would have at least made his presence known. Yet he remains unseen by anyone except you.”
“Fine.” She shrugged. “If you believe there is no man, then you may report this to my father and ease his mind.”
“No, it is not my place to tell him what you are thinking or feeling. I wish you would. Just don’t lie to him. He raised you and loved you and cared for you, would give his life to protect you. Does he not deserve something better?”
She emitted a wistful sigh. “I’ll think about it.”
Dahlia did not press Lady Melinda any further on this topic. Perhaps there was no marquess, but Dahlia suspected there was someone else. What if this someone else was married? Oh, dear heaven. That would be a disaster in the making.
“Has my father invited you to our home yet? On the pretext of viewing it for our redecorating scheme? If not, I shall do so now. We are at home to visitors tomorrow. Our calling hours start at two o’clock. But do come around at one so we may have some time alone to chat.” She glanced over at Heather. “Bring your sister along, if you’d like. Who is that big Scot standing beside her? He keeps looking over at you.”
“Captain Robert MacLauren. He is best friends with Ronan and Joshua Brayden. I’m sure he’d rather be anywhere else but here watching over me.”
Lady Melinda nodded. “I see. These men look out for each other, don’t they?”
“Yes. I think this was ingrained in them during the war, to protect each other in the heat of battle. It is something that will never leave them.”
“My father’s estate manager also served in the war. He was shot and now limps because of it. I’m sure it must be painful, especially on stormy days. But he never complains about it.”
So this is the man.
“Will he be at your house tomorrow?”
She nodded. “He is always around. My father relies on him heavily. Why do you ask?”
“My Uncle George is one of the finest doctors in London. He was an army surgeon for a while, during the earlier years of the war. I’m certain he would not mind having a look at his leg. Perhaps there is something he can do.”
Her widened with excitement. “Do you think he would?”
Dahlia nodded. “Yes, most certainly.”
Lady Melinda gave her a hug, a gesture noticed by everyone in the room, including the Duke of Stoke. Well, he’d been telling everyone that she and Lady Melinda were close friends. Perhaps they would become that now. “Thank you, Miss Farthingale. I’ve been suggesting to the stubborn man this is something he ought to do. I will be forever indebted to you if you can make this come about.”
She laughed. “I have done nothing. It is my uncle who would be working this miracle, assuming anything can be done. Since this estate manager has now become the object of our meddling, what is his name?”
“James Dawson.”
Yes, this was her secret love. Dahlia could tell by the breathy way Lady Melinda said his name. Did the man know of her feelings? More important, were they reciprocated?
Heaven help them both.
What would the Duke of Stoke do when he found out?
CHAPTER TWELVE
Ronan studied The Invictus listing ever so slightly in the icy waters at the mouth of Tilbury’s harbor. She was surrounded by a circle of boats. However, only the smaller vessels had been able to circumvent the massive obstruction and sail out of the harbor. The larger fishing boats were either trapped inside, unable to get out or trapped outside, unable to get in.
“Bloody, blasted mess,” Joshua muttered.
Ronan merely grunted, unwilling to say anything while they stood beside the harbormaster and the Marquess of Tilbury who had raced home like the wind to personally inspect the dung heap left at his doorstep.
Well, The Invictus was no pile of dung.
But the situation certainly could be described as that. Ronan, having been assigned to save the day, had stepped into it up to his neck.
“What’s your plan, Brayden?” the marquess asked, barely containing his rage as he stared across the harbor.
The barges had arrived. Since they were too big to maneuver around the battleship and pull up to the docks, they were now floating idly in the river. “The plan is to tow her out to sea. I’ll need to be brought to the barges first, then to The Invictus. May I commandeer one of the smaller fishing boats for this purpose? The navy will pay the man, of course.”
The marquess was still frowning. “And what of the cavalry regiment?”
“Since there is no uprising to quell, I–”
“Uprising? In my town?” The marquess was livid. “What arse ever told you that?”
“An entire cabinet ministry of arses,” Joshua retorted.
Ronan shot his brother a quelling glance. He did not need this conversation to make its way back to London and gain more enemies. “We dismissed the possibility at once, of course. But I wanted the regiment to use as muscle. We’ll have to get the ropes secured to The Invictus, among other things.”
“What other things?”
“Lord Tilbury, I do not know yet. Perhaps constructing a temporary bridge. Perhaps assisting the injured on the ship. Whatever arises.” He turned to the harbormaster. “I’ll need that small boat as soon as possible. We need to accomplish as much as we can in daylight.”
Once the harbormaster ran off to wave back one of the fishing vessels, Ronan returned his attention to the marquess. “How well do you know these waters?”