Marjorie Farrell Read Online Free PDF Page B

concern. He was not the snob the countess was, but on the other hand, had no romantic illusions that unequal matches led to anything but unhappiness for both partners and their families. A daughter of an authoress, Irish or not, was certainly not the wife Charles would expect him to sanction as Jeremy’s guardian.
    “Lavinia, you say he thinks he has fallen in love. Is it not early days to worry? Surely he is due his experience of first love? He will tire of such an inappropriate young woman once he gets to know her better, surely? How did he meet her?”
    Lavinia shuddered. “It could not have happened more ‘romantically.’ He was riding home from visiting the Worthingtons and passed through Hampstead. He stopped for an ale and was looking out the tavern window when he heard an awful commotion and saw a young child swooped up from under the wheels of a curricle racing through. The rescuer was, he says, the loveliest girl he has ever met. She was shaken, of course, so he walked her home. She lives there in some rustic cottage. He has been calling on her since March.”
    “And what of her mother? Surely she does not encourage this?”
    “Of course she does. You men are sometimes so naive. What more could a mother ask than to have her daughter married to an earl? I am sure she has trapped Jeremy in some way.”
    “Do you not think his interest will die a natural death, Lavinia? After all, we are not speaking of marriage.”
    “But that is precisely the point, Sam. He is speaking of marriage. He tells me he and this girl have some sort of informal agreement. She says she will not agree to anything public, however, until he is sure his family approves.”
    “Does her mother know of this?”
    “Jeremy tells me no, but I am convinced the mother has been behind this all along, feeding her daughter lines from some Minerva novel, lines to convince my son that she may be poor but has a sense of honor.”
    The viscount had to admit he was unpleasantly surprised that Jeremy had informally betrothed himself to an unknown. If the mother and daughter were smart enough, they could very well institute a breach-of-promise suit. Which could be what this is all about, Sam thought, unwilling to be so cynical, but having seen precedents in several noble families. At the very least, Jeremy would have to pay a considerable sum to release himself. At the worst, the mother could create a real scandal that could take the young man several years to recover from.
    “What do you want me to do, Lavinia?” Sam asked quietly.
    “Oh, my good friend, I knew you would see it my way this time. I am afraid for Jeremy. He is only twenty, and I can’t bear to have him used or ruined by this harpy and fake bluestocking. Couldn’t you see her and frighten her off in some way? Buy her off, if need be. I authorize you to do anything to get her claws out of my son.”
    Lavinia was quite impressive in her outrage, Sam thought. Underneath her superficial airs and blond beauty, there was some real feeling. Her love for Charles had been real and her love for Jeremy was too, the viscount knew even though he teased her about her overreactions. At times like these, when she revealed a bit of herself, Sam felt a little less cynical about himself and his youthful passion. There had been something, after all, to be passionate about.
    He sat down next to Lavinia and took her hands in his. “My dear, I will go tomorrow to visit this Mrs. Dillon and her daughter and try to discover exactly what the situation is. Now, what is her full name?”
    “You will go tomorrow? Early in the morning, before Jeremy has a chance to visit? And I do not want him to know I have been to see you, Sam. He will hold it against me, I know.”
    “Well, I can hardly say I just happened to stop in by chance. But I am willing to play down your concern and exaggerate mine as his guardian. Now, what is the woman’s name?”
    “Honora Dillon. Mrs. Honora Dillon.”
     

Chapter 2
     
    The