All Disclaimers apply
Chap. 3
Eriol smoothed his look of annoyance into an inscrutable mask as another group of eligible females and their mothers moved toward him like some kind of gruesome army bent on getting their claws in their prey. With almost flawless timing and brilliant maneuvers, the group advanced in a manner equivalent of a young Napolean Bonaparte laying siege to a particularly tricky castle. A small smile touched his lips partly in irritation and partly in amusement; no matter what they did, he saw through all of their schemes. Making his decision quickly, he moved in the opposite direction, away from where he had stood moments before, shattering the hopes of that particular group.
I need a break. He sighed with relief as the coast seemed clear and headed toward the double doors leading to his gardens. As expected, he was interrupted once again when pudgy woman moved into his path, blocking his exit.
" My, my, your grace!" Lady Mitcham said, sinking into a clumsy curtsey. " I didn't expect you see you here!"
Eriol felt like rolling his eyes heavenward, but restrained himself. " Why would I not be here, Lady Mitcham? Am I not the host?" he said in a bland, innocent tone.
" Why yes...of course!" she hastily tried to assure him. " It's just that...well...you don't attend many of these events during the Season. I assumed that the dowager duchess would play hostess..." she trailed off, seeing the mildly impatient expression on his face. " It's not that you're unable, of course, your grace," she quickly added. Eriol inclined his dark head in acceptance and made to move past her, but the lady engaged him in another conversation, loath to lose her chance to introduce her daughter. " Oh my, forgive me, your grace," she said falsely apologetic. " How forgetful I'm today! It never crossed my mind to introduce my daughter to you." With that, she waved forward a pretty blond woman who was fluttering her eyelashes at him in a coquettish manner. " This," she said triumphantly, seeing that the other women were practically seething with jealousy, " is Margaret, my first."
"Charmed, I'm sure," Eriol responded, his voice tinged with sarcasm that escaped the notice of both the mother and the daughter. " Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to."
As he turned away, another mother waylaid him. " Your grace, I would like for you to meet my daughter, Katherine. She's already received many offers from several gentlemen this week..."
Eriol brushed her aside. " If that is so, Lady Raleigh, my compliments to you. I highly recommend that you marry her off to one of them."
He grimaced as yet another woman approached him.
" Your grace-"
" I'm sorry, Lady Wickham," he interrupted. " Though I would like to stay, I've been informed of an urgent matter. Excuse me," he said quickly and abruptly walked outside.
" Oh dear," said Lady Wickham. " I think that went quite well. I do think, Lizzy," she said, turning to her daughter, " that he fancies you."
Chap. 3
Eriol smoothed his look of annoyance into an inscrutable mask as another group of eligible females and their mothers moved toward him like some kind of gruesome army bent on getting their claws in their prey. With almost flawless timing and brilliant maneuvers, the group advanced in a manner equivalent of a young Napolean Bonaparte laying siege to a particularly tricky castle. A small smile touched his lips partly in irritation and partly in amusement; no matter what they did, he saw through all of their schemes. Making his decision quickly, he moved in the opposite direction, away from where he had stood moments before, shattering the hopes of that particular group.
I need a break. He sighed with relief as the coast seemed clear and headed toward the double doors leading to his gardens. As expected, he was interrupted once again when pudgy woman moved into his path, blocking his exit.
" My, my, your grace!" Lady Mitcham said, sinking into a clumsy curtsey. " I didn't expect you see you here!"
Eriol felt like rolling his eyes heavenward, but restrained himself. " Why would I not be here, Lady Mitcham? Am I not the host?" he said in a bland, innocent tone.
" Why yes...of course!" she hastily tried to assure him. " It's just that...well...you don't attend many of these events during the Season. I assumed that the dowager duchess would play hostess..." she trailed off, seeing the mildly impatient expression on his face. " It's not that you're unable, of course, your grace," she quickly added. Eriol inclined his dark head in acceptance and made to move past her, but the lady engaged him in another conversation, loath to lose her chance to introduce her daughter. " Oh my, forgive me, your grace," she said falsely apologetic. " How forgetful I'm today! It never crossed my mind to introduce my daughter to you." With that, she waved forward a pretty blond woman who was fluttering her eyelashes at him in a coquettish manner. " This," she said triumphantly, seeing that the other women were practically seething with jealousy, " is Margaret, my first."
"Charmed, I'm sure," Eriol responded, his voice tinged with sarcasm that escaped the notice of both the mother and the daughter. " Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to."
As he turned away, another mother waylaid him. " Your grace, I would like for you to meet my daughter, Katherine. She's already received many offers from several gentlemen this week..."
Eriol brushed her aside. " If that is so, Lady Raleigh, my compliments to you. I highly recommend that you marry her off to one of them."
He grimaced as yet another woman approached him.
" Your grace-"
" I'm sorry, Lady Wickham," he interrupted. " Though I would like to stay, I've been informed of an urgent matter. Excuse me," he said quickly and abruptly walked outside.
" Oh dear," said Lady Wickham. " I think that went quite well. I do think, Lizzy," she said, turning to her daughter, " that he fancies you."