Heiress in Red Silk (Duke's Heiress #2) - Madeline Hunter Page 0,33

friends?” Agnes trilled the words incredulously. “Dear boy, you do not have good friends, at least ones that any of us know about. You are too . . . you for good friends.”

“That is not true.”

“Indeed? Who is your good friend among the gentlemen I know?”

Just like her to demand he name one. “Stratton.”

They both veered back in shock. “Stratton? The Duke of Stratton?” Dolores sent a sidelong glance at her sister. “I find that hard to believe.”

“He and I are very good friends.” He spoke with Stratton on occasion, but he was seriously stretching the truth. However, the man was so formidable, and so quelling a presence, that he did not worry about being found out. Bold though his aunts might be, neither one of them would dare to quiz Stratton on his friendships.

“Well.” Dolores looked a bit cowed.

“Indeed,” Agnes murmured.

“He has a garden party every Season,” Dolores said. “Do you have any influence there? I should like to be invited if you can manage that. He so rarely entertains.”

He was getting in deep now. “I will see what can be done, but I can promise nothing, of course.”

“Of course.”

“Me too,” Agnes said petulantly.

Kevin just looked at her. Barring two possible exceptions, none of the family was stupid, least of all this relative. Agnes immediately saw the problem.

“And of course I will send around an invitation to the dinner,” she said. “I only sought to spare you. I had no idea you might be disappointed.”

“Thank you.” He stood to take his leave.

“You will remember about the garden party?” Agnes said.

“Of course.”

Chapter Eight

Rosamund stood. Her new maid, Jennifer, held the dinner dress so she could step in. The raw silk slid up her body, and Jenny settled it on her shoulders. Rosamund remained motionless while the maid fastened the dress in back.

She had never been dressed before. She wondered if she was even doing it right. Who would have thought that in addition to those tutors she had met the other day, she would need one in order to learn the proper way to have servants.

Jenny was new, as were the housekeeper, cook, footman, and chambermaid. All had started since she returned from seeing Lily, but she had interviewed them before she departed. Minerva had a friend who placed servants in homes, and nice Mrs. Drable had sent her excellent candidates. In one afternoon she had acquired the people needed in this big house.

That made her feel both important and wasteful. She could do all of it herself, especially getting dressed. She had to admit that Jenny had an artful hand with dressing hair, though, and knew how to fold or hang the garments coming from the modiste just so.

She ran her hand down the dinner dress. Madame Tissot had made sure it was finished, after Minerva informed her an event was imminent. “I want you to look your best as you enter the lion’s den,” she had explained. “It may delay the attack for ten minutes or so.” Minerva did not like most of Chase’s relatives, that was obvious.

How bad could it be? She had survived Kevin’s father, hadn’t she? And that horrible wife of Walter Radnor. She doubted anyone tonight would be ruder than they had been. She had a plan too. She intended to stay close to Minerva, using her as a shield, and say nothing at all unless spoken to directly. If she did have to speak, she would do so very carefully, and hope to avoid those slips in grammar that plagued her.

“There now.” Jenny stepped around and gave Rosamund an inspection with her pale blue eyes. “Have you any jewels you want me to clasp on for you?”

Rosamund shook her head.

“No mind. You are lovely without them. They would be a distraction.” Jenny lifted a wrap and a tiny reticule. “Would you like to go down now?”

“Yes. You don’t need to accompany me. I’ll make me own way.” She took the wrap and reticule while she mentally kicked herself. My own way. She chanted the correction in her mind all the way down the stairs.

Minerva had insisted she and Chase bring her in the carriage with them, and soon it arrived. Chase came to the door, escorted her out, and handed her over to a footman who helped her into the coach.

Another man sat within. A very handsome man who looked much like Chase, but whose features possessed fewer of Chase’s strong bones. Another relative, apparently.

Minerva introduced him. Not just any relative. This was