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The king grinned widely and then kissed Lady Lockwood’s hand, patted Lord Lockwood on the shoulder like an old friend, and moved on to the next group of people.

“I can’t believe the King of England spoke to me,” Chloe said in a voice full of awe.

Lydia took her hand. “Nor I.”

The countess harrumphed again. “His Majesty is a most excellent host and always takes time to speak to each of his guests.”

Lydia squeezed Chloe’s hand. “But I doubt he tells all of his guests that they are a rare jewel !”

“I find myself in complete agreement with His Majesty,” Mark said, and it was impossible not to see his admiration for her young charge.

Or the way Chloe lit up when she was near him.

He offered her his arm. “Now that you have met my family, may I introduce you to more of my friends? And you, Lord Kingston? And Mrs. Wickham?”

Lydia nodded. She did not want to be left with the haughty countess. Thomas offered his arm to Lydia, and they followed the younger pair to a semi-circle of fashionable people. She couldn’t help but think that Mark and Chloe looked very well together.

THOMAS HAD NEVER before tasted pineapple. The flavor was sweet and quite nice, but the texture felt strange upon his tongue. It almost stung.

At least while he was eating, no one expected him to make conversation.

Unfortunately, Lydia and Chloe were on the opposite side of the large dining table and much lower.

He was seated by the lords and ladies of the highest rank.

Thomas ought to have felt comfortable around them, but he found himself missing Lydia’s friends who were less formal and frankly, more enjoyable to talk to. Or rather listen to.

“Why have we not seen you in town, Kingston?” Lady Dennings asked. She was a woman around his age with a great deal of décolletage on display. Thomas could not meet her eyes or even look in her direction.

“I prefer life in the country, Marchioness. As did my late wife.”

“But you must come to the Little Season in the fall,” she persisted. “If not for yourself, for your lovely young daughter. If her fortune is half as much as her mother’s was, your daughter will have no difficulty making a great match.”

Thomas felt his cheeks grow warm. He hadn’t married Euphemia for her sizeable dowry—he’d married her because his mother had negotiated a contract with her father.

His mother’s own marriage had been arranged.

She’d seen no reason for Thomas to follow his heart.

And at the time, he’d been too shy to speak to women and would probably have not had the courage to court anyone.

Nor did he regret his marriage. It had led to the birth of his daughter, Chloe, who was the joy of his life.

But if he married again, he wanted to choose his partner and to love her.

“A large dowry cannot overcome all difficulties,” Lady Lockwood said haughtily. “Eccentric and overly intelligent young women rarely marry well.”

Thomas’s mouth dropped open. He could not believe the audacity of the woman to say such a thing about his daughter.

“It depends on your definition of marrying well,” Lady Dennings said, pointing at Chloe and Mark with her fork.

Their heads leaned toward each other, and they appeared to be deep in conversation.

“I believe that the daughter of a viscount with a large fortune would be acceptable in any family of rank.”

“Miss Holden is merely my nephew’s acquaintance. My nephew knows his family obligations.”

Closing his mouth without speaking a word, Thomas spotted Lady Margaret on the other side of Major Lord Mark Ross.

It would appear that the countess intended for her nephew to marry her daughter.

A month ago, Thomas might have warned his daughter to guard her heart against such a young man.

But Lydia had taught him to see himself and his daughter in a much more flattering light.

Any young man, son of a duke, or a titled gentleman would be privileged to marry his wonderful daughter.

Lady Dennings lifted her glass of wine as if to toast the countess. “I have found that army men do not follow orders well—even family ones. In fact, it was your nephew who asked me to include Viscount Kingston, Miss Holden, and Mrs. Wickham on His Majesty’s guest list.”

Thomas lifted his wineglass and gently clinked it against the marchioness’s. “To following your heart.”

She repeated his toast, and they both sipped from their glasses.

Lady Lockwood huffed and turned away from them to speak to her husband on her other side.

Thomas wondered if her neck ever ached from sticking her nose so high into the air.

His lips twitched at his wit, and he wished that Lydia was beside him.

He was certain that she would laugh loudly at his little joke.

Thomas couldn’t resist trying to catch her eye.

Lydia smiled and gave him a small wink. It was enough to last him through the rest of the eighteen-course dinner.

Until, at last, he was again by her side.

Lydia placed her hand on his arm, and Thomas’s entire body tingled with warmth and pleasure. He never wanted to be seated so far from her again. Therefore, he needed to do something about it.