The Earl of Ice by Helen A. Grant

Author:Helen A. Grant [Grant, Helen A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance
Publisher: Arrow Publications, LLC
Published: 2016-08-31T18:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

In London the season was well underway and the city was crowded. Rollo was in attendance, escorting his mother to the usual events whilst keeping a close watch on his brother and his brother’s friends. He did not want a repeat of the previous year’s wager, so he kept his ear close to the ground at White’s and at his fencing club.

Last year he had received a well-written letter from Diana thanking him for sending Demon, and from this he’d assumed that she had recovered her spirits and was keeping well. He had wondered if she would return to London this season and had looked out for her and her cousin, but it seemed they were not here this year. He could understand that, for society would not have forgotten the incident from last year. As for himself, he certainly would not want to see Diana cruelly treated by the so-called respectable members of the ton.

Wednesday evening found Rollo at Almack’s Ball. He did his duty when asked and danced with this year’s debutantes as introduced by Lady Sefton. His main focus that night was how soon he could politely leave and join his friend Bono at White’s. He was just about to make his escape when his brother approached.

“I am thinking of heading to Bath this weekend,” Oliver blithely informed him.

This came as a surprise. As far as Rollo was aware, his brother had never shown any inclination to go to that city. In fact, quite the opposite. Oliver had once referred to Bath as “a poor place for old folk and desperate people.”

“Why the sudden desire to visit Bath?” Rollo inquired, alert now and wondering what scheme may be afoot.

“Woody has just come back from Bath and said he had seen Miss Colpert and Miss Wells there,” Oliver replied. “If you remember, Straw formed quite an attachment to Miss Colpert last year, until Cotson spoiled everything. So the three of us plan to go to Bath so that Straw can try to gain Miss Colpert’s favour again. He was very taken with her.”

“Yes, I remember only too well,” Rollo answered dryly. Did these young men not remember the effect of their antics on Miss Wells? However, even if he refused permission for his brother to go to Bath, he could not prevent Woody and Straw from going. What effect would those gentlemen turning up in Bath have on Miss Wells? If she had managed to put the incident from last season behind her, wouldn’t their presence rake it all up again? How would she cope? He remembered how anxious she’d been around Oliver at Brockwood Hall last year. Surely he owed it to her to make sure she was not distressed by his brother’s and his friends’ presence in Bath.

“If you are all set on going to Bath, I do not suppose I can prevent it. However, I am growing weary of London and will accompany you. Give me time to rent a house in Bath and we will journey together.

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