Page 5 of Clarity

W hen Alex was shown into the drawing room, Clarity again thought how handsomely he’d turned out. He had sprouted up to be as tall as her own father. His face had lost the vestiges of boyish roundness, instead presenting slightly hollowed cheeks and a firm chin, reminding her of the Elgin marbles.

Broad-shouldered, his wavy brown hair that had forever been in disarray was mostly tamed, and his green eyes, always vivid, now seemed glitteringly attractive.

In short, he was a dash-fire man.

She hoped he wouldn’t be overwhelmed when greeted by not one or two Diamond females but by five, including her mother. Adam and her father had mercifully made themselves scarce.

After Alex greeted all in turn, beginning with Lady Diamond, they took seats. Clarity poured the tea, and the normal polite conversation was exchanged regarding the weather and the streets, which were often clogged by traffic. After a few minutes, her two youngest sisters made their excuses and abruptly left.

“Don’t mind them, Lord Hollidge,” Lady Diamond said. “They were merely curious to see someone from their infancy whom they couldn’t recall.”

“And I disappointed them,” he surmised.

Clarity startled. It was an odd assessment of himself. She had told Bri and Ray about the fun young man who once thought he could steal the honey from a hive only to awaken some terribly angry bees. She and Alex had enjoyed the sweet nectar on toast, despite his hand and cheek smeared in the housekeeper’s vinegar balm, which she promised would ease the sting.

Maybe her sisters had hoped to witness some manner of mischief or hijinks in their Piccadilly drawing room. However, they saw merely a man wearing a snowy-white cravat and highly polished shoes. He was neat enough even for Purity’s approval.

Rather than being disappointed, her younger sisters were probably bored.

Ever since her parents had brought up his aunt, especially with her mother displaying such vehemence against her the night before, Clarity thought it would be a good idea to ask after the hag, as she had failed to do during the ball.

“You mentioned to me Lady Aston shares your home? How does she fare? Is she well and ... ?” She stopped herself asking if his aunt were happy since the woman had never seemed to be before. She’d been nothing but a killjoy.

“My aunt is well. Thank you for asking. In fact, Lady Aston sends her regards.”

Clarity exchanged a glance with her mother, who quickly took up the mantle of courtesy.

“Please give her our regards in return,” Lady Diamond said.

Clarity tried again. “What did you study at university?” She recalled he’d been interested in botany when they were children. “Anything to do with plants or bugs?” She added the latter because, despite the bee incident, he’d captured his fair share of lightning bugs and once raised caterpillars until they became butterflies. But her hopeful smile was returned with a puzzled frown.

“I studied classics and read the law. My aunt thought it a favorable course of study, as there was a goodly amount of history and ancient languages involved. Although I shall never practice law, of course.”

“Of course,” Clarity said. Yet if he’d wanted to, despite being a viscount, surely he could practice as a barrister or even a solicitor. Feeling helpless to make the conversation flow, she sat back and nodded to her sister to try.

“Our brother attends Oxford,” Purity informed Alex, “at All Souls College. I’m sure he would appreciate having someone as well educated as yourself with whom to converse. About history and the classics.”

“May I suggest he try The Royal Society at Burlington House? Now that I reside in London, I intend to go to lectures there.”

“Adam’s education will take approximately two years, an average time spent gaining one’s degree,” Clarity pointed out. She couldn’t help being curious. “May I ask what else you have been doing to keep you from London after your matriculation? I sincerely hope you were able to travel the Continent as you once dreamed of doing, or at the very least made it up to John O’Groats.”

Alex’s glance fell to the teacup he still cradled, and she already knew the answer.

“You don’t have to answer, Lord Hollidge,” Purity said, reminding Clarity she’d overstepped in interrogating him. She’d been impolite.

“Take no offense,” her mother added. “My eldest daughter thinks of you still as her childhood friend, one with whom she can speak familiarly. Please do not think we are prying. I’m sure we all wish the bonds of friendship had kept us close after your parents’ deaths.”

“I take no offense,” Alex said, but Clarity thought he looked irritated when he addressed her again.

“While I was longer at Cambridge than your brother due to my studies, I then spent the past few years living at each of my family’s holdings. My aunt thought it the best way to learn how to follow in my father’s footsteps. I have a duty to carry out, and despite not having him here to guide me, I intend to do it well.”

They all fell silent, and Clarity had the inappropriate urge to reach out and hug him.

“And now you’re back in London,” her mother murmured. “If there is anything you need that we can assist you with, I hope you will let us know. To me, Alex,” she said, purposefully using his name, “you are family.”

His eyes widened, and his face softened becoming less that of a chiseled man and more the boy Clarity remembered.

“Maybe you will come over for dinner soon, and we shall play charades,” she offered. “You were always adept at sussing out riddles and at miming, and I would be honored to partner with you. My brother is very good, but I believe no one is better than my younger sister, Brilliance, except possibly you, ten years ago.”

Alex shifted uneasily in his seat.

“Charades,” he repeated, as if it were beneath him. “I haven’t played since I was last at your house in Derbyshire, and rightly so.”

Rightly so? Was he intimating no one of their age enjoyed a rousing game of charades? That could not be.

Before Clarity could decide if she’d been belittled, he addressed her mother again.

“I am in need of a wife. You have plenty of daughters, and therefore, I believe you can assist me. My aunt thinks one of them will be suitable.”

Shocked silence met his words, spoken as though he were talking about borrowing a book or choosing a horse. Clarity was relieved Bri and Ray had vanished, for they would have impolitely laughed or even shrieked with mirthful delight at his words.

The silence dragged on longer while her glance went from Purity to their mother and back again.

“Well,” Lady Diamond said, puffing out her cheeks, appearing momentarily nonplussed. Sipping her tea, she took her time. At last, she spoke.

“I have two daughters who might be suitable were you to form a tendre of the heart with one of them. The others are too young.”

Alex nodded agreeably. “My aunt thinks the most important thing is a meeting of the minds and having similar temperaments so that we may cohabit peacefully. That seems reasonable to me. With the right wife, she and I can offer one another support through the tribulations of life. My aunt said nothing about the heart.”

Purity had begun to lean forward, appearing fascinated by this dry discourse on a marital relationship. Their mother was caught between nodding politely and shaking her head in disagreement, her mouth slightly open.

Finally, Clarity said, “Balderdash!”

“Clarity!” her mother began.

“Mother, please.” Then she directed all her attention to Alex. “If I were you, I wouldn’t take advice from your aunt when it comes to affairs of the heart, or in this case, of the mind and temperament. After all, Lady Aston has been a widow for longer than I have been alive. Was she ever in love? Has she ever inspired such feeling from another?”

Crossing her arms, Clarity sat back. Alex regarded her with unconcealed irritation.

“Besides,” she continued, not obeying her mother who was waving her hand to silence her, “my parents have a love match, having developed the most wonderful tendre for one another almost at first meeting. As did yours.”

“Lady Clarity!” Alex exclaimed, his expression darkening. “How on earth can you know what my parents felt for one another?”

“Nevertheless, she is correct,” her mother chimed in. “Your parents were deeply in love, but your aunt is also right in that they were like-minded and shared the same happy, easy-going nature.”

They all fell silent again.

Purity rose to her feet. “I believe I shall leave you three to discuss this further.”

Alex quickly stood. “But Lady Purity, it is you who I came to court.”

Clarity nearly gasped out loud. Mortified by his declaring a preference for her younger sister, she rose, too, watching Purity’s mouth open and close. Her reaction would be funny if the matter weren’t such a serious one.

Lastly, Lady Diamond stood. “Clarity and I will leave you two to speak privately.”

Alex looked shocked. “I didn’t think that was allowed, my lady. Perhaps you should send in a maid.”

Their mother sighed. “Are you here to compromise my daughter?”

“Of course not!” His vehemence was out of proportion to her soft words.

“I didn’t think you were. I trust all my children to behave properly. Moreover, I respect them. Since you are both adults, I shall leave you to your private discussion of courtship.”

She glanced at each of her daughters in various stages of dismay. “Come along, Clarity.”

As soon as the room cleared and the two of them were alone, Alex decided to press his suit formally. While he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off Clarity when she was near him, Purity was the one who would be the most suitable. Her older sister was too volatile. Even as she strode out the door, his gaze following her movements, she’d appeared to be in a high tweague.

“Please,” he said to Purity, “will you sit once more?”

“I will, but I must tell you, you are making a mistake.”

“Am I?” Alex didn’t think so. He thought things through, planned, calculated, and then acted.

“Yes. I am sorry to tell you, my lord, I have no interest in becoming your wife. I have no wish to offend you, and I am honored that you — or your aunt — considered me suitable, but I also don’t want to waste your time.”

“You see, that is precisely why you are right for me. You understand the importance of something as precious as time.”

“Hardly a basis for a loving marriage,” the young lady said.

“No, but it’s a start.” Besides, Alex was not interested in the “loving” part, only a successful marriage. Before he could try to persuade her, however, she shook her head, and he could see she was determined.

“I believe I am a good judge of character,” Purity told him. “And I can tell you are a kind and thoughtful man. Yet you seem to depend upon the advice of an older woman. Your aunt’s ways and her opinions will most likely not endear you to the young ladies ready for marriage. I would suggest you allow my sister to tutor you.”

“I beg your pardon.” Alex had not expected such a suggestion.

“Truly,” Purity continued. “No one is more popular than our Clarity. Everyone wants her at their parties and dinners. If anyone can make you desirable enough to capture a wife, she can.”

He considered. On the one hand, Clarity had already infuriated him with her casual manner and outspoken nature. She challenged him, even over his wise aunt who had made sure he didn’t make a misstep in all the years since he’d had the title bestowed upon him. She hadn’t done it politely as her sister had, either.

What’s more, Clarity was fun-loving and silly, both useless and dangerous traits.

On the other hand, it was true that no woman he’d encountered at the ball had shown any interest in him, particularly after he spoke of crop prices and the difficulty in keeping good staff at a country estate when one wasn’t in residence.

“You may be correct. Perhaps Lady Clarity can even make me acceptable to you.”

Purity sighed. “I have no doubt she will be able to help you discover a suitable wife, but it shall not be me. Let me call her back in here and see if she is willing.”

Alex paced while Purity was out of the room. To his consternation, he suddenly heard raised voices.

“Are you mad?” It sounded like Clarity.

“Hush!” said her sister.

Then there was a flurry of phrases he could hardly make out.

“Why should I ... ? I insulted whom? That ... wretched aunt ... Absolutely not ... Naturally, I do ... No! For whose sake ... ? Oh, fine!”

The door was wrenched open, and Clarity stormed into the room, looking less than pleased. Coming almost toe-to-toe, she stood before him with her arms crossed.

“I understand you need assistance.”

Her eyes were flashing, and there were spots of color on her face. Both served to make her even lovelier.

“Your sister seems to think that is the case. Do you?”

“If you wish to find a wife who isn’t a hundred years old or as dry as dust, then yes. At least you know how to dress, and that’s a start.”

Taken aback, Alex told her, “I have an excellent valet.”

“Still, a pop of color would be most welcome. Do you have any purple or bright blue waistcoats?”

“No. My aunt says —”

“I will help you if you promise not to preface each statement with ‘my aunt says.’ Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

“Good. If we can loosen you up a little, then perhaps we can find you a wife before the Season is over.”

“Maybe even Lady Purity.”

Her cheeks reddened further. “Unlikely,” she snapped. Then she threw her hands wide, looking bewildered. “May I ask why you prefer her over me? She never even played with us when we were children.”

“I don’t prefer her.” He stopped himself. He wouldn’t lie to her. “Well, maybe I do. Only because she seems more mature, more like a life’s helpmate.”

She fisted her slender hands. He preferred her arms crossed, for he feared she might punch him in the nose.

“And me?” she demanded.

“And you, what?” Alex had forgotten the thread of their conversation.

“What do I seem like if not a helpmate?”

He realized he’d insulted her again. She was the elder sister after all.

“I don’t know you well enough to —”

“Of course you do! You know me better than you know Purity.”

He detected a hint of jealousy, which was nonsense since her sister had turned him down flat. And he hadn’t any interest in Clarity. Or shouldn’t, at least not for the position of a viscountess. He could easily imagine her in his bed — too easily — but that was probably due to how many weeks it had been since he’d broken it off with his mistress.

Even thinking such a randy thought was besmirching the high degree in which he held the Diamonds. He must drive her away, he decided, because her flashing eyes and her perfect lips sent desire slashing through him. And while he could picture her naked in his bed with the firelight dancing across her dark hair and pale skin, he could not envision taking her as his wife.

“If you wish,” Alex said, crossing his arms as she had done. “You seem like a flutter-budgie. A tad too bold, too talkative, and clearly impulsive. While we were both merry as a grig when we were children, you have not grown out of being exactly the same.”

Her mouth had opened, and he feared he’d truly insulted her beyond all repair. However, after a moment, her mouth snapped shut, and she sat on the sofa, head down, gazing at her hands in her lap. Then, to his horror, her shoulders began to shake.

Dear God! Was she weeping?

He hadn’t been around a crying female for as long as he could remember. Then it struck him. She might have been the last one when she’d skinned her knee, and it had been his fault, making her descend too quickly down a gnarly tree trunk. She’d dropped the last few feet, torn her dress, and scraped her knee. Tears had coursed down her grimy face, and he’d felt helpless then as he did now.

After that, the only tears he could recall had been his own, shed at his parents’ funeral. His aunt had stood stoically beside him and eventually leaned over to tell him she would do her utmost to bring him up properly. Alex had suspected that was the best she could do by way of comfort, never considering to put her arms around a grieving boy.

“Please don’t,” he said quietly, stepping closer. Should he rub her back? “I am terribly sorry.”

At that moment, he would offer to marry her at once if she would give him one of her beautiful dimpled smiles.