Lady Flora's Fiancé: A Comedy Romance (Sweet Historical Romance Shorts) by Lim Iris

Author:Lim, Iris
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-02-05T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 4

"Your ladyship," the patently grumpy Brewster Park butler called out to Lady Brewster the day after next, just a few minutes after the last house guest had entered the drawing room. Henry smirked, knowing exactly what the grouchy Mr. Oswald was about to announce. "A visitor has arrived, ma'am."

"I see," Lady Brewster, oblivious to the mayhem about to descend upon her, responded gently. "Have they left a card?"

"Yes." Poor Oswald looked ready to combust as he cleared his throat. Everyone else in the room, young and old, did not seem to notice. "Along with an entire entourage, it appears."

"Oh, is that so?" Lady Brewster frowned slightly.

"Perhaps the neighbors just want a glimpse of our lawn," Lady Flora quipped beside Henry. "It has been an age since we've had three clear days in a row."

The way Lady Flora lounged against the couch allowed her skirts to brush against Henry's breeches. Given how much he liked the contact, he rather rejoiced in the increasing informality of her demeanor. It was nice to think that she no longer tried to present herself to be someone she was not around him. Even a duchess needed to let down her guard at times.

Henry cleared his own throat, if only to clear his own mind.

"It is—not the neighbors, your ladyship," Oswald corrected unnecessarily. Henry pretended to check his watch while he waited for the portly butler to get his act together. How fortunate that his own staff were far more competent. It would have been nigh impossible to pull off this ruse without his steward and valet holding down the fort for him.

"Who is it then? A traveling party?" Lady Brewster, bless her heart, inquired sweetly.

"No, well, yes, your ladyship. It appears that—the Duke of Stafford has arrived, after all."

The impact of old Oswald's statement was immediate, with Lady Brewster and her daughter gasping—though in vastly differently ways—and the three other men suddenly paying close attention to the entrance.

"Oh, do invite him in," ordered Lady Brewster before she sighed. "Oh, I hope Mrs. Lee has had the rooms aired properly already today. We have nearly stopped hoping that he would come at all."

"If the duke cannot handle a poorly-aired room for one day, Mama, then he may just not be the sort of guest one needs," Lady Flora grumbled as Oswald excused himself to admit the supposed duke.

"I find myself having to agree, Lady Brewster," Henry added, earning him an almost admiring look from Lady Flora that he most certainly did not deserve but rather liked nonetheless. "The accommodations at Brewster Park have been nothing short of wonderful, and I doubt a day's neglect could possibly cause any guest any sort of discomfort."

Lord Gregory snorted across the room, as punctual as if he were an actor being cued his lines. "Of course you, a mere solicitor, would think so. But noblemen have standards that must be met, you see."

"And have our standards at Brewster Park been a disappointment to you, my lord?" Lady Flora challenged.

"Not

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