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“It should be, my lord. If not, we can always change out horses on the way to Surrey. I can then return later for them.”

“Very good. See to them now. Unless you hear otherwise, be prepared to leave no later than five.”

The carriage left, and Perry used one of the two keys Chapman had given him to enter the house.

It was on a fashionable street, sandwiched between two much larger townhouses.

He toured the ground floor first, finding a parlor, dining room, kitchen, and two rooms off the kitchen which could be used to house a cook and two maids.

Upstairs, he found three bedchambers. One was as large as the other two put together.

In the attic were two additional servants’ rooms. A footman could stay up here.

This would be all the house his mother needed.

Because of its size, he thought she could forgo a housekeeper and merely instruct the two maids what to do herself.

Returning to the ground floor, he locked the door and pocketed the key, walking the short distance to his own townhouse.

He had only been to it once, immediately after he finished up at Cambridge.

His father had instructed him to come to town, and Perry had done so.

He had stayed a couple of days, only seeing his father once, still slightly drunk the next morning.

He hadn’t seen his mother at all. Though his father had told him it was essential to remain in town and partake in the Season, Perry had turned down that request and retreated to the country.

He approached his own door, knocking upon it since he hadn’t thought to bring a key. A footman opened the door.

“Yes, my lord?” he politely inquired.

Glancing past the footman, Perry saw Lufkin, who had been the butler during his past visit.

“Lufkin,” he called.

The butler turned, his eyes widening. “Lord Martindale! We were not expecting you. Or rather, we were—because your carriage and coachman arrived.” Quickly, he hurried to the door. “Let his lordship pass,” he ordered the footman, who looked nonplussed at Perry’s arrival.

“Is Lady Martindale at home?” he asked.

“She is, my lord,” Lufkin replied. “In her parlor with Lady Parmley.”

He recalled the name, and a vague impression of a woman who had come for a brief visit to Beauville formed in his mind. From what he remembered, the woman was a malicious gossip.

“Thank you.”

He started toward the parlor, and Lufkin quickly joined him. “Will you be in town long, my lord?”

“No, not long at all,” he said breezily. “Not even for dinner. Tea, perhaps. I will be returning to the country once I have spoken with Lady Martindale. I will inform you that I have decided to attend next Season, however. I will send a messenger to let you know my plans closer to that date.”

“Very good, my lord.”

“And Lufkin? Lady Martindale will be departing shortly. For good. My horses will not be ready yet to take her to her new residence. Would you have a footman summon a wagon or two so that her trunks might be transported? And have Lady Martindale’s maid to commence packing immediately.

” He thought a moment. “Also, have a hansom cab waiting in front. Pay him extra for any time he has to wait.”

The butler’s eyes widened. “I will do so, my lord.”

Lufkin then hurried ahead and knocked on the door, opening it. “Lord Martindale, my lady.” The butler turned back to Perry.

And smiled.

He sauntered into the room, seeing the startled look on his mother’s face and the sly one on Lady Parmley’s. “Good afternoon, ladies,” he said genially.

“Martindale! I did not expect you,” his mother said. Then quickly recovering, she said, “It is lovely to see you. Do you recall Lady Parmley?”

He took the woman’s hand. “I do indeed.” Perry left it at that, turning his attention back to his mother.

Obviously, she did not want Lady Parmley to be party to any conversation between them and said, “I am so sorry to have to ask you to leave, my dear. With Martindale here, I simply must give him my full focus.”

Disappointment filled Lady Parmely’s face. “Of course, darling.” She kissed her hostess’ cheeks. “Do call upon me tomorrow. We can share tea.”

He waited until the other woman left the room before taking a seat. His mother turned to him and hissed, “Whatever are you doing here, Martindale?”

“Do I need a reason to be in my own townhouse?” he asked drolly.

She wrung her hands together, knowing she had been caught disobeying him. “No. Of course not.”

“Why did you not do as Mr. Chapman requested, madam?” he asked quietly, his gaze boring into her.

Her hands fluttered nervously now. “Oh, that young whippersnapper? I did not think he was truly serious, Martindale. After all, you are not even in residence now. I saw no harm in my staying a while longer.”

His tone even—and deadly—Perry said, “He is my solicitor. And had my full authority.” Pausing, he let her squirm a moment. “I told you I was having a house found for you. That you were to leave this townhouse once that occurred.”

“But it happened so fast,” she protested. “I have resided here for decades. There would be so much to organize before I left.”

“I instructed you to have your maid pack because I knew it would be quick,” he countered. “The house is ready for you. I have seen it. It is fully furnished.”

“But it might not be to my taste,” she told him, obviously searching for any excuse to delay her departure.

“That is of no consequence. You have the furnished house. I have instructed Mr. Chapman to place the funds for your quarterly allowance in your account. The only thing left to be done is to hire your servants. You may hire a cook, two maids to clean, and a footman.”

She frowned. “You had mentioned a housekeeper, Martindale,” she said.

“I changed my mind since you did not move when requested to do so.”

Her eyes flashed with anger, but she held her tongue, knowing she might suffer further consequences if she did not fall into step with his plans.

“I have already instructed Lufkin to have your maid pack. I expect you to be ready to leave in two hours’ time.”

“Two hours? Why, that is not—”

“That is what I am giving you. Take it—or leave it, madam. The choice is yours.” He looked at her a long moment. “Besides, other than your wardrobe, you will be leaving everything else behind.”

In defeat, she suddenly looked her age. He could not bring himself to find an inkling of sympathy.

She reaped what she had sown. She had never had any feelings for him, and he felt likewise about her.

He was not being cruel, going above and beyond the marriage settlements by providing her a house and servants in town, as she preferred.

She stood. “Excuse me.”

“I will be in the library. Come find me when you are ready to depart.”

Perry watched her leave and then went to the library.

It was barely adequate, and he knew he would take pleasure in filling it with all kinds of books.

A part of him wished that Lady Dru and he could do this together, but he was a practical man.

He would find a wife who enjoyed reading, and they would complete this task together over many years.

He lost himself in a book and only realized his mother had entered the room when she cleared her throat.

“Are you ready?” he asked politely.

“I am. If you will summon the carriage.”

“The horses are still resting from their journey from Beauville. I have arranged for transportation. It should be waiting outside by now.”

Perry accompanied her downstairs, where two footmen were loading one of her trunks into a nearby wagon.

She gasped. “You expect me to ride in... this? How humiliating!”

“I can either walk with you the few blocks to your new residence, or you can accept a ride in this hansom cab.”

He withdrew one of the two keys and handed it to her, giving the cab driver the address.

Her face was red with fury. “So, this is it?”

“This is it,” he said calmly. “And remember, if I hear even the faintest bit of gossip that you have disparaged me, I will remove you from the house I am so generously allowing you to stay in. You can then move to the Beauville dower house for good.”

She shuddered. “I will keep to this devil’s bargain.”

Perry refrained from laughing. “See that you do, madam.”

He did the polite thing and handed her into the hansom cab and watched her set off, her head held high, her back stiff.

One of the two wagons, which was already full, starting out after her.

He waited until the hansom cab turned the corner before entering his house again, finding Lufkin and Mrs. Lufkin waiting anxiously in the foyer.

“Lady Martindale is not to enter the premises again. If she has forgotten something, give it away.”

“Yes, my lord, “the couple echoed.

“Might I have a tour of my townhouse now, Mrs. Lufkin?”

The housekeeper beamed at him. “Certainly, my lord. If you will follow me.”

At the conclusion of the tour, he took tea in the library and then said goodbye to the Lufkins before heading to the mews.

“Are the horses ready to travel?” he asked his coachman.

“Aye, my lord.”

“Then let us return to Beauville.”

Perry climbed into the carriage and settled against the cushions, satisfaction filling him.

He was pleased to have taken a stand against his mother, and he did not fear her as he had as a child.

The tour of his London home had shown him what a lovely place it was, and he was coming to terms with returning in the spring to find his bride.

With Lady Dru’s help, of course.