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S erenity had hoped to see Lord Thorpe at the gate of the square, but even through the fog she could perceive it was not him. Then she came close enough to discover it was Lord Charles.

He bowed and said, “Lady Serenity, I hope you do not mind me pushing into the dog walking. I was pressed by Lord Furtherington to walk his dog while he is out of Town. Apparently, the dog will not allow a servant to do it. It occurred to me that my home neighborhood would be a more pleasant location than the environs of The Albany.”

“Oh. Goodness,” Serenity said, really for lack of anything better to say.

“Lady Serenity,” a deep voice said, emerging from the fog. It was him. Lord Thorpe. He had come.

“Charles. What do you here?” Lord Thorpe said, the scowl in his voice rather apparent.

“I’m walking Lord Furtherington’s dog as a favor to him. I decided on this neighborhood as being the most amiable, which happens to be my own family’s neighborhood, I would remind you.”

“Silence!” Valor shouted.

Serenity sighed. Valor was meant to apologize. That was not a very promising start.

Valor stepped forward. “Lord Thorpe, I am very sorry about anything I may have written and then may have had delivered to your house. It was a fit of pique due to my youth and I am forbidden to have dessert for a week. Though, I have not checked about having dessert in other people’s houses, so that might still be all right. ”

She curtsied.

Lord Thorpe bowed. “Thank you, Lady Valor, but I have not seen such a letter. I imagine my butler removed it from my mail tray, suspecting it to be a pique of youth.”

“That was lucky!” Valor said, entirely believing that bit of nonsense. Though, Lord Thorpe was very gracious to pretend he’d not read it.

“As that is the case, I am certain that dessert at my house must be all right.”

“I would think so!” Valor said.

Just then, Nelson edged toward Lord Charles’ dog, which was a liver and white colored spaniel. The two dogs growled at each other. Then Havoc growled and the spaniel backed away and hid behind Lord Charles’ legs. Nelson wagged his tail as if he’d won the point.

“Perhaps separate those two dogs,” Mrs. Right said. “It seems they do not care for one another’s company.”

“Very good idea, Mrs. Right,” Lord Thorpe said. “Lady Serenity and I can walk ahead.”

“I have to go back in the house,” Valor said. “Winsome is to take me in, as my papa says I’ve already done enough this season, whatever that means.”

“She knows perfectly well what that means,” Winsome said, grasping Valor by the hand and pulling her away.

“I’m to stay, as I am the oldest but for Serenity, Patience, Grace, and Felicity,” Verity said. “Lord Charles, I will walk with you, as I understand quite a lot about spaniels and would wish to compare notes. What is his name?”

“Oh, uh, well, Lord Furtherington never said.”

“Ah, a usual thing for a lord to forget his dog’s name,” Verity said. “In particular with spaniels, I have heard said.”

Serenity smiled. Lord Charles was about to have a time of it. Whenever Verity claimed to know quite a lot about a subject it was bound to be peppered with nonsense and hopeful imaginings.

They proceeded through the gate and Nelson playfully jumped around Havoc who put up with it in all good humor.

The fog that Serenity had at first found so inconvenient was now thought lovely.

It blanketed the square in a soft hush. But really, it could be raining rocks and she would have found her circumstances lovely at this moment.

He had come. He had played off Valor’s ridiculous letter as if he’d not even read it. Lady Marchfield had been wrong.

They walked ahead in silence as Verity chattered on about all sorts of spaniel nonsense. Was Lord Charles really expected to believe that the word spaniel came from the original Latin for sprightly?

Apparently not, as Lord Charles had just pointed out that the word alacer was Latin for sprightly.

“You misunderstand, Lord Charles,” Verity said, “I am referring to the older Latin.”

Was there an older Latin? Serenity peeked up under her lashes and saw Lord Thorpe tightly pressing his lips together lest he laugh. It was a very good sign. Lady Marchfield thought her father’s household was drowning in eccentricity, but if it was, Lord Thorpe did not seem to mind it.

She was to the lord’s right and she noticed him switch his leash to his left hand. Her left hand was already currently free. His hand brushed her own. He was doing it again.

Serenity went happily round the square, brushing Lord Thorpe’s hand by accident while Verity waxed on about spaniels. It was the best day of her life. A single tear rolled down her cheek but as she did not have a free hand to brush it away she let it fall and counted on the fog to disguise it.

They returned to their original starting place far too soon.

“Lady Serenity,” Lord Thorpe said, “an excellent walk, I think.”

“Indeed, yes.”

“Charles,” Lord Thorpe said, “one hopes Lord Furtherington is not long out of Town. Of course, if that be the case, I am certain Lady Verity would be indulgent enough to speak to you further about spaniels.”

Serenity could hardly control her laughter as Verity said, “Oh yes, there is a lot more to say.”

Lord Charles bowed and said, “Until this evening, Lady Serenity. At the early dinner taking place at my family’s house in Town.”

He turned and stalked off, dragging his unnamed spaniel with him.

“Come loves, we will take our leave,” Mrs. Right said. “Good day to you, Lord Thorpe.”

“Mrs. Right,” he said.

Her dear housekeeper pulled Serenity in the direction of the house, followed by Verity positing all sorts of spaniel information that might be communicated to Lord Charles at his earliest convenience.

In not too many hours she would set off again, but this time to Lord Thorpe’s house to dine. She wondered what it looked like inside. She wondered if she would one day find herself the mistress of it. Life could not be more wonderful.

*

Roland had not been at all enthused to see Charles pushing into his walk with Lady Serenity. Nor was he enthused to understand he was determined to come to the dinner. He’d hoped it had just been an idle threat, but apparently it was not.

However, aside from those minor irritations, all went forward swimmingly.

He’d wondered what Lady Serenity would do when he’d switched his leash to his opposite hand and allowed his right hand to brush her own.

She did not pull away. No, not at all. They’d brushed hands all the way round the square.

It felt as if it were an unspoken engagement, almost. After all, a lady like that did not go round brushing a gentleman’s hand for nothing.

“When do you think you might ask the question?” Quinn asked. “Tonight might be as good a night as any.”

“I must approach the duke first, I think,” Roland said. “I believe he would approve the match, but when it comes to a duke I imagine it’s best to afford them every courtesy. At least, my father always expects it. I will arrange an appointment with the Duke of Pelham. Soon.”

Quinn suppressed the smallest of sighs, and Roland was very much aware that he wished him to get on with it.

He did not bother explaining that he wished for a little more time to introduce Lady Serenity to something closer to his real nature, as he already knew what Quinn thought of the idea.

His butler thought the reveal of the real Marquess of Thorpe could be a surprise after the wedding.

But, he could not be comfortable with that idea.

“Typical of Charles to crash in on your walk. I wonder where he got the dog?”

“Probably from some lazy fellow at The Albany who was delighted to have him take out his dog,” Roland said. “He claimed it was a certain Lord Furtherington, who I have never heard of.”

“He is determined to come to dinner too?”

Roland nodded. “Have the place cards been arranged as I wish?”

“They have. Charles will be in the middle of the table with Lady Valor on one side, Lady Verity on the other, and Lady Winsome across. Lady Serenity will be to your right. As you do not have a hostess, the duke will take the far end of the table.”

“Excellent. With any luck, Lady Verity will tie up Charles about spaniels on one side and Lady Valor, well, who knows what she’ll want to talk about.”

“It is such a small party, consisting only of the duke’s family. Certainly that is a heavy hint regarding the direction this is going.”

“I would think so, though I also think Lady Valor will remain convinced it’s all being done in her honor. Which I suppose she has a right to, since I did say it was to be early on her account.”

“Lady Valor should be very flattered by the attention paid to the arrangements—the menu is exquisite. The champagne is iced, the aged hock gently cooled, and the claret uncorked to breathe. Orgeat has been prepared for the younger of the sisters. White soup to begin. The venison and partridges from the estate arrived this morning. Cook has made up a plate of quince paste cut in the shape of the duke’s house.

The rest of it, boeuf en croute, broiled game hens, baked turbot in a dill sauce, vegetables of all sorts roasted, mashed, and sauteed, two salads, an excellent cheeseboard, trifles, cakes, and ice creams, all being prepared. ”

Of all the things Roland might worry over, the components of the dinner were not on that list. Quinn and his housekeeper led the staff forward and each one of them, down to the scullery maids, were an expert at their jobs.

“The water is being heated for your bath and I,” Quinn said, rising, “will poke around the dining room to ensure the footmen have got the places set correctly with the right porcelain and crystal. I sent Jeffrey in there with a ruler an hour ago, so it should be in order.”