Page 8 of Entertaining the Earl (Vows in Vauxhall Gardens #2)

“L ord Bourne seemed to be paying you a lot of attention last night,” Mama said as they sat in the parlor sewing before luncheon. She had a self-satisfied smile on her face, and Susannah avoided her eye, sure that her mother would be able to tell she was lying if she looked directly at her.

“Yes, he was,” she agreed. No lie there at least—although she wasn’t exactly being honest by withholding the reason why.

“He is a very handsome young man,” Mama added, and Susannah managed to stab herself with her needle, and shoved her finger in her mouth before the blood dripped on the handkerchief she was embroidering.

“Do be careful, Susannah.”

She was used to her mother’s admonishments; sewing was not her forte. But perhaps, once her mother believed she had caught the attention of the earl, she would be allowed a little more freedom to sit and read…

“He has asked me to promenade with him, after lunch,” she said, and was rewarded by a beam from her mother. “Once he has returned from seeing his aunt.”

“What a turn of events,” her mother said as she completed a perfect row of stitches.

“Your father knew having the earl to stay would improve our social standing, but he never imagined… Make sure you are wearing one of your new day dresses, Susannah, and have Louise do something more flattering with your hair. He is the bachelor of the Season—you must make sure you keep his attention.”

*

“And how are things going, with the Lyttletons?” Aunt Elizabeth asked, as her butler poured the tea.

“They are very accommodating. How is it that you know them?” Colin asked.

“Mr. Lyttleton managed some very profitable investments for your late uncle, and Mrs. Lyttleton calls on me from time to time. I’m glad you are finding staying with them useful.”

Colin reached for his teacup and took a sip, although the liquid was still far too hot. “I must admit, I had forgotten what London society was like. The intense interest in me…it is certainly helpful to attend functions with a family, rather than alone.”

“As I thought. You are a very attractive possibility for the ladies looking for a husband. You cannot be surprised by their attentions.”

He shook his head. “Not surprised, so much as a little overwhelmed. I am used to being Colin, not the Earl of Bourne.”

Aunt Elizabeth tutted. “You have been the Earl of Bourne for many years, and simply shirking your responsibilities by pretending to be anything else.”

“You know Father and I—”

“You had your disagreements, yes. I am not blaming you for the estrangement, but I am disappointed it has taken you so long to return, now that he is gone and you are the earl. You have responsibilities, Colin, you must not forget that.”

“I am here. You told me the estate needed me, and I have returned.”

His aunt crossed her arms and huffed. “I should not have needed to tell you to return. ”

Colin closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, suppressing a sigh of frustration. He had never asked to be the earl, and he had returned as soon as she had bid him too.

The estate had managed for all these years; he wasn’t so sure his presence was as essential as Aunt Elizabeth seemed to think.

“Your father certainly had his faults,” Aunt Elizabeth conceded, “but he was always invested in the earldom, in the future of the title, in the productivity of the land.”

Colin could not help but snort in disgust at this evaluation. “Oh yes, he was very attentive to the earldom. But what about Mama? Did he ever think of her?”

“Colin, there is no use raking up the past. I simply want you to step up to the duty that you were born to inherit.”

“And I shall. But I have no wish to be like my father. The man had mistresses in every corner of London and probably a whole host of illegitimate children. You know my mother died of a broken heart—and for that, I can never forgive him, no matter how good he was at being the earl.”

His aunt looked away, clearly not wishing to engage with the distasteful topic, and Colin sipped his tea to have something to do.

“I do not wish to argue with you, Colin. I am pleased that you have returned, and I think you will make a good earl once you have settled into the role.”

“Thank you, Aunt,” Colin said, forcing his voice to be polite. He supposed she couldn’t help but have some loyalty toward her deceased older brother…but Colin did not feel that way.

The man might well have been a good earl, but Colin knew now that he had not been a good father, and he had not been a good husband. And he wanted to be better than him—in all areas of his life.

“I heard that you danced with Miss Lyttleton more than once at Vauxhall Gardens,” Aunt Elizabeth said, changing the subject.

“You’re very well-informed,” Colin said, reaching for a biscuit on the plate before him.

Aunt Elizabeth shrugged. “I may not attend many functions now, but that does not mean I do not hear about them. You are aware, I am sure, what people will say if you are too attentive to her.”

“I understand the implications, yes.”

His aunt frowned, clearly surprised by his nonchalant attitude toward what she was suggesting. “She is a sweet girl, but rather plain, no? I would not imagine that she would catch your eye above all the other shining jewels the Season has to offer.”

Irritation filled Colin’s veins. The attachment they were portraying to the world might have been fake, but he did not like how overlooked Miss Lyttleton was.

It seemed as though everyone wrote her off as dull and plain without giving her a second glance.

And yet, when one conversed with her, she was rather intelligent.

She had a quick wit, too, although it was often hidden by her shyness.

And her eyes…her eyes seemed to have hidden depths that he had only discovered when he had held her gaze for a few moments too long.

“I am not planning to hurry down the aisle tomorrow, Aunt. You needn’t worry yourself. But Miss Lyttleton is pleasant company. I plan to promenade with her this afternoon, once I have taken my leave of you.”

*

“How was your morning?” Lord Bourne asked as they strolled through St James’s Park, Susannah’s maid following behind.

“It was…” Susannah began. She had been going to say pleasant, for that was surely the expected response—but this relationship between them wasn’t real, and so she thought she could be honest. It was easier to talk with him when they were walking, rather than seated opposite each other, because she couldn’t focus on how he had dimples when he smiled, or how his eyes sparkled when she asked him about his tr avels. “It was rather dull, I’m afraid.”

Lord Bourne chuckled. “I’m sorry to hear that. No daring adventures in your novels this morning?”

“Alas, my mother decided it was essential that we practice our embroidery…not that she needs to practice, with her perfect stitches.”

“You do not enjoy embroidery then, Miss Lyttleton?”

She made the mistake of glancing up at him, and felt that all-too familiar whoosh in the pit of her stomach, which was always accompanied by all her thoughts disappearing from her head.

“Miss Lyttleton?”

She struggled to remember what the question had been, and what her answer ought to be, and for a few painful seconds they walked in silence, with him probably thinking she was the most empty-headed girl in London.

“I probably should not admit it,” she said, when her mind finally decided to provide her mouth with words again, “but I find embroidery incredibly dull.”

The earl laughed again. “It looks incredibly dull, so I cannot say I am surprised!”

“As a lady, of course, I am meant to enjoy it…”

“Just as I am supposed to enjoy shooting,” the earl said. “And yet I find I have no desire to spend my leisure time surrounded by death and suffering. When the hunting season is upon us, I shall be derided for my lack of enthusiasm for the sport, I am sure.”

Susannah focused on where she was walking, and did not look up at him, for she knew the effect that had on her. “It makes complete sense to me. We all have different tastes—I am never sure why society is so desperate for us all to be the same. How incredibly dull it would be if we were.”

“It certainly would be,” Lord Bourne agreed. “When I was traveling, I was amazed at just how different life can be in different countries, different cultures… There is no reason why we must all live in exactly the same way.”

“And yet if you deviate from what is considered normal, you are a social pariah—in London at least,” Susannah said. “If you did not come by your wealth in the way everyone else did, or if your interests do not align with the rest of society…”

“Or if you prefer to travel the world and be called ‘Colin’ than being an earl, and the target of all the marriage-minded mamas of the ton…”

She did look up at him then. His face was serious, and his eyes determinedly focused on the path before him. She had not realized he felt so out of place in London. She knew he had not experienced London society in many years, but he always seemed so confident when he was out in public.

“Do you think you will be happier in the countryside, when the Season is over?”

He looked down at her and gave her a smile that made her trip over her own feet. He reached for her arm to steady her, but that only made her heart race. She hated how ridiculous she always appeared to be in front of him.

“Are you well?” he asked.

She nodded, and kept her eyes forward. Yes, I’m simply besotted and overcome by your handsomeness. “Yes, thank you.”

“You mustn’t think I’m unhappy, Miss Lyttleton. I certainly have no right to be. After speaking with my aunt this morning, I suppose I am just reflecting on how my life has changed. Please, ignore me.”

“I wouldn’t want to ignore you,” Susannah said, before hurriedly adding, “Was your aunt well?”

“She…is older than when I last saw her, but she seems well,” he said, but she felt as though he had wanted to say something else.

Why had he remained out of the country for so very long—even once he had inherited the title?

No one seemed to know, or at least they had not discussed it in her presence .

“You asked if I would be happier in the countryside,” he said, as they reached the edge of the park.

“And in truth, I have no idea. I am so used to moving around, to never truly settling, to having no one relying on me, that I am not sure whether I know how to live in a traditional way, as an earl.”

“I suppose you could travel again, once you have reacquainted yourself with the estate?” Susannah suggested. He actually listened and seemed interested in what she had to say, when she managed to get the words out, and it was an unusual and pleasant experience.

He sighed. “Yes, I suppose so. But if I am to be a responsible earl… Well, one day I will need to wed, and have heirs to inherit. I cannot run away from it forever.”

“I doubt I will ever see anywhere farther away than Newcastle,” Susannah said with a sigh she couldn’t stop.

“Your father has no wish to travel?”

She shook her head. “Now that he is accepted in the ballrooms, drawing rooms, and clubs he has always admired, he doesn’t particularly like to leave London at all, let alone go farther than our home in Berkshire. And they are convinced that my best chance of finding a suitable husband is here.”