Grenville 02 - Lord John's Dilemma by G.G. Vandagriff

my last leave. I would like to start a family here in the country.”
    “Why Miss Lindsay, if you have no special feelings for her?”
    “Not everyone wants to marry a second son with no income,” he remarked. “And I should like to be close to Alex and Felicity. Do you have thoughts on the subject?”
    “Well, she has always had a schoolgirl crush on you, John.” Anabella smiled at him. “Perhaps that is a good enough foundation to begin a marriage. Although I must say, I’ve never like Lady Lindsay above half.”
    “I think I can manage Lady Lindsay. My only concern is that Miss Lindsay seems to want to live in London. I am hoping that when we have children, she will see the advantages of the country. And, of course, I am to be Alex’s estate agent.”
    Eyebrows raised, his sister asked, “Why? Miss Lindsay comes with the Lindsay property and fortune, as I understand it.”
    “I have no desire to be a man of leisure. I would not want to live off her money. I would manage the Lindsay property along with Alex’s.”
    “Alex said he feared you had become a Radical.” Her smile turned to a grin. “I do so love you, John. No one ever had better brothers.” Standing, she put her hand to the doorknob. “You can count on me to promote the match. I shall see if Felicity will invite the Lindsays to take Sunday dinner with us tomorrow. If you are feeling more the thing, that is.”
    “I should be able to bear it,” he said, smiling back at her. “Sunday dinner in one’s own house is a different proposition to an all-day fête in the North County.”
    As she was leaving, his mind returned to the daisy field and he thought of what he would have missed if he had driven Marianne Lindsay to the fête. He called after Anabella, “Make certain Felicity includes the governess in the invitation.”
    She poked her head back through the door. “The governess?”
    “She is a mystery Leticia and I are trying to solve.”
    Anabella’s eyes kindled with interest. Before she could ask a question, John said, “I shall discuss Miss Haverley with you another time.”
    As John attempted to return to the ledger, he found his mind wandering to yellow daisies.
    I should have kissed her.

{ 10 }
    T he invitation to dinner at Grenville Manor surprised Delia and Lady Lindsay in equal measures, it seemed.
    “This is not at all the usual thing,” said her ladyship to the governess. “Have you even anything to wear?”
    “Yes, my lady. I have a green silk gown that will do nicely.” It was her favorite gown because it drew notice to her eyes, which she considered her best feature. She had been unable to leave it behind in Dorset, she loved it so much.
    “You will have to do your own hair. Miss Lindsay’s maid will be quite run off her feet, having to do Miss Molly and Miss Mariah’s hair.”
    “I will manage,” Delia said. “I am very aware of the honor Lady Grenville does me by including me in the invitation.”
    “You certainly should be,” said Lady Lindsay, looking her governess up and down as though seeing her for the first time.
    Delia was in two minds as to whether she should wear the green silk as it was or denude it of its embellishments. She knew she could not risk outshining the Misses Lindsay, and the dress had been designed by the best French modiste in London. Its soft green was the exact shade of her eyes, and its cut displayed her petite but well-rounded figure to advantage. Under the bosom was a cluster of small pink roses made of ribbon, the ends of which trailed to the floor. There were also rosebuds around the edges of the puffed sleeves. In the end, she left them, too afraid of ruining the fragile silk of the dress by attempting to remove them.
    She arranged her hair simply by braiding the upper half and coiling it on top of her head, letting the lower half fall down her back in natural curls. Delia knew her looks could not hold a candle to Marianne’s cameo perfection, but at least she no longer looked