Page 75 of The Undaunted
“Congratulations, my boy,” Lord Easton said.
“This is most unexpected,” the duchess said.
“Well it wouldn’t be the first such surprise,” Lady Heathway said.
“But if I may be the voice of reason here, you are not at all suited,” Lady Easton said. “Richard, you require somebody who is demure. Caroline, I am very fond of you, but you are not—”
“Aunt, I do not requiredemure.However, Iwillhave to button down. You know, loosen my neckcloth, and ease my expectations of things.”
“Excellent, just as I’ve forever advised, Nephew,” Lord Easton said. “How clever of Caroline to help you see it.”
“Your neckcloth has seemed to have already undone itself,” Lady Easton said with a sniff. She paused, then said, “I do not at all see why you must button down. Why should you lower your standards of how things ought to be?”
“We’ve talked about it between us,” Lord Bertridge said. “At the same time I’m buttoning down, Caroline intends to button up.”
“I cannot be opposed tothatnotion,” Lady Easton said with aspersion.
“And on occasion,” Lord Bertridge said, “when perhaps my temper wishes to make an appearance, I am to shout at the sky or lecture a fencepost.
“The sky? A fencepost? Richard, you will seem a lunatic.” Lady Easton sunk down in a chair. She eyed the glass of Madeira and then took it and drained it.
“Lady Easton,” Caroline said, untangling herself from Richard and coming to grasp the lady’s hands, “you have been too good to me.”
“I rather think I have,” Lady Easton muttered.
“And I know it must seem very strange to you that Bertie and I are suited, and yet it is so. We really are suited, though we are so different.”
“Who isBertie?” Lady Easton asked, looking around as if somebody else was set to make an appearance.
“Now, you know who she refers to perfectly well, my dear,” Lord Easton said, laughing.
“But what about the duke’s daughter, Richard? It was a set thing between us.”
“I am afraid we have been a littletooset in our plans. It seems unexpected things happen in life and there is little we can do to predict them.”
“Oh, I do not like that notion at all,” Lady Easton said.
“Nor I,” Lord Bertridge said, “but there it is.”
Chapter Nineteen
Caroline and Richardwalked back to the house, despite Bramley’s fears of murderers, footpads, and pirates. Richard gently took her hand and they walked along the road that ran beside the sea. The waves gently rolled in as they discussed their future.
“I suppose I do not have the slightest hope of a set menu each week,” Richard said.
“Ah, similar to Lady Easton’s schedules. I do not see why not,” Caroline said. “We shall have surprise on Mondays, wonder what it is Tuesdays, far too spicy Wednesdays, you’ll never guess Thursdays, astonishing Fridays, alarming Saturdays, and shocking Sundays. You’ll always know what to expect.”
“I am entirely resigned to it.”
“Or, I can simply see what you like best and what I like best and plan accordingly.”
“I likeyoubest. I could care less what’s on the table unless it’s you on the table.”
“I find that rather shocking, my lord.”
“Do you?”
“No, not really.”
