An Expectation of Love: A Regency Romance (Landon House Book 6) Read online

  An Expectation of Love: A Regency Romance

  Landon House (Book 6)

  Rose Pearson

  Landon Hill Media

  Contents

  An Expectation of Love

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Epilogue

  A Sneak Peek of A New Beginning

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

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  © Copyright 2020 by Rose Pearson - All rights reserved.

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  Respective author owns all copyrights not held by the publisher.

  An Expectation of Love

  Chapter One

  “And now it is to be your turn, Dorothea!”

  Lady Dorothea smiled up at her father, feeling her heart soften as she looked up at him. “Will you be quite all right, father?”

  Much to her surprise, the Duke did not immediately answer. Rather, his gaze drifted towards Lady Hayward who was sitting with them at the dinner table. There came a gentle smile on his face that Dorothea had never once seen before, something that spoke of a tenderness that had never been outwardly expressed.

  “I am sure I shall manage,” he said, after a few moments. “I will, of course, miss your company.”

  Dorothea smiled back at him before throwing a quick glance towards Lady Hayward who now had a dusky pink color in her cheeks. “I will miss you also, father,” she said, as Lady Hayward looked back at Dorothea and nodded in evident understanding. “You will be all alone in this house!”

  “Ah, but I shall not be,” the Duke replied, with a grin. “I am to have Lady Hayward’s sons here during the Season, so that we might discuss particular matters of business.” His eyes alighted on Lady Hayward once more, sending a wave of unease through Dorothea as she observed something more that had not been evident before. “And so that I can give any further guidance that is required.”

  “You have been a great help to them both,” Lady Hayward replied, warmly. “I am very grateful to you.”

  “As I am to you!” the Duke exclaimed, his green eyes seeming to alight for a moment. “You have guided my daughters through London and have made certain that each of them have wed a most suitable gentleman.” He sighed contentedly and lifted up his wine glass before directing it towards Lady Hayward. “And I am certain that you will do the very same for my dear Dorothea.”

  Lady Hayward nodded, smiled and looked towards Dorothea. “But of course,” she said, as Dorothea returned the smile with one of her own. “I am sure that Lady Dorothea will make the most excellent match, Your Grace. She will be the talk of London!”

  “So long as it is not for all the wrong reasons!” the Duke chuckled, which made Dorothea blush with embarrassment. “I look forward to hearing of your success, my dear.” He smiled fondly at her and Dorothea’s embarrassment began to drain away, her excitement and anticipation of making her own way to London beginning to grow steadily. Her sisters had all made excellent matches, that could be in no doubt, although the sister before her, Lady Maria, had only found a husband during her second Season. Dorothea was determined that she would not need to do so. She would be able to find a suitable match during her first Season, she was quite certain.

  “As always, you are to make quite certain that Dorothea has all that she requires,” the Duke remarked, waving one hand towards Dorothea as Lady Hayward nodded. “She has been a little more indulged than her sisters, I confess, but that does not mean that she should not have the same extravagances that they received also!”

  Dorothea glowed at this remark, knowing very well that what her father said was quite correct but feeling no guilt or shame over that particular remark. As the youngest of all the daughters, she had enjoyed more of her father’s company and, given that she looked a great deal like her late mother with her red hair and oval face, the Duke was all the more inclined towards pandering her a little more. She could still remember how he would fondly pat her on the head when she had been a small child, how she would look up at him and think just how very tall he was. He had always had time for her, even when she had nothing but foolishness to share with him and despite the fact that her sisters were not as welcome as to do as she did.

  “I will make quite certain that Lady Dorothea is given all that she requires,” Lady Hayward replied, making Dorothea frown gently. “It will be another excellent Season, I am sure.”

  “Requires?” Dorothea repeated, as Lady Hayward took a sip of her wine. “I should hope that I will be given more than just that!” She laughed and looked towards her father, who smiled tolerantly before picking up his fork again. Looking towards Lady Hayward, Dorothea was surprised that there was not the same benevolent smile on her face but that, instead, there appeared to be a small frown forming between her brows. Her eyes held no laughter and there was nothing that spoke of mirth or even good humor. Dorothea frowned and returned her gaze to her plate, feeling, for whatever reason, a little embarrassed.

  “I am sure all will go splendidly well,” Lady Hayward murmured, as she set down her knife and fork. “I look forward to another Season in London, Your Grace.”

  “And you will return here, once it is at an end?” he asked, a look in his eyes that Dorothea could not quite make out.

  Lady Hayward nodded and smiled. “Indeed,” she said, as Dorothea looked on in both confusion and uncertainty. “And with me, I shall bring another engaged and very happy young lady.” She looked at Dorothea and smiled, no trace of a frown lingering on her face. “What say you, Lady Dorothea?”

  Dorothea chose to smile, setting aside the strange intimacy that she had witnessed between Lady Hayward and her father. “I think that would suit me very well, Lady Hayward,” she replied, as her father beamed with evident delight. “I look forward to our time together in London.”

  “And when are we to go into town?”

  Lady Hayward laughed as Dorothea spoke with great eagerness, her excitement more than apparent.

  “We have only just arrived in London, Lady Dorothea!” Lady Hayward exclaimed. “Are you not fatigued from the journey?”

  “Not even a little!” Dorothea declared, as Lady Hayward continued to chuckle. “I am so very excited about being here in London, I can hardly wait to make my way into society!”

  Lady Hayward’s smile began to fade as she sat down in a chair near to the fireplace, which, much to Dorothea’s relief, had been lit in preparation for their arrival. She could not imagine how cold the house would have been, had the staff not done so! After all, whilst it was the summer months, the house had been entirely empty over the winter, for Lady Hayward had returned to her son’s estate for Christmas and Dorothea had remained at home with her father. The chill would have taken some time to remove itself from the house, making Dorothea all the more grateful for the warmth.

  “There is much that you need to be careful of, Lady Dorothea,” Lady Hayward said, quietly. “Whilst society might look wonderful and grand, there are a great many pitfalls that can strike you without warni
ng.”

  Dorothea frowned and sat down opposite Lady Hayward, not quite understanding what she meant. “But society is quite wonderful,” she argued, as Lady Hayward shook her head. “I have heard my sisters speak of it in the most glowing terms.”

  “I am sure that there were other aspects of society that were also mentioned, Lady Dorothea,” Lady Hayward replied, carefully. “Do you not recall?”

  Dorothea was prevented from answering immediately by the arrival of the tea tray, which was set out before them. The small cakes, biscuits and steaming teapot made Dorothea realize just how hungry and thirsty she was, and for some minutes, she was taken up solely with pouring the tea and serving the refreshments to Lady Hayward as well as to herself.

  “Lady Dorothea?”

  Looking up, Dorothea saw Lady Hayward looking at her questioningly. It took a few moments for her to realize what the lady meant by such a look, recalling the question that had been asked of her.

  “In truth, Lady Hayward, I did not pay much attention to any particular warnings or the like that were given to me,” she said, speaking truthfully. “I was much more interested to hear of all the delightful things that had taken place!” She clasped her hands together at her heart, a rapt expression on her face. “It has given me the most wonderful picture of what I am to expect this Season.”

  “Indeed.” Lady Hayward looked a little dismayed at this remark, her blue eyes a trifle clouded as she returned Dorothea’s gaze. “And might I ask what you anticipate, Lady Dorothea?” She spread her hands. “It is not so that I might criticize you in any way but rather so that I am fully aware of your expectations.”

  “Oh, of course.” Dorothea picked up her tea cup and took a small sip before setting it down again. She had spent many years dreaming of what her Season might be like and now, finally, it was her time. “Well, I know that there will be a great many social occasions for me to enjoy and, as you know, I have had lessons from the dancing master.”

  Lady Hayward nodded. “Of course.”

  “I know all that is expected of me,” Dorothea continued, quickly, “in terms of propriety, you understand. I am aware that I should never once leave your side without your permission or without another chaperone. There will be many gentlemen and ladies to be introduced to and I must endeavour to make the very best impression on them.” A small flare of heat ignited her heart, spreading up through her chest and into her cheeks. “I should hope to dance with a good many gentlemen in the hope that, in time, some might wish to call upon me.”

  “You expect to make a good match this Season.”

  Dorothea laughed. “Well, I should not like to be as Maria was!” she exclaimed, although Lady Hayward did not smile in response. “I should not like to waste an entire Season and a winter season also here in London, without having even a single offer of courtship!”

  Lady Hayward said nothing for a moment or two and Dorothea’s laughter died away, the sound echoing around the room and, much to Dorothea’s dislike, bringing with it a small flare of embarrassment.

  “Might I ask you something, Lady Dorothea?” Lady Hayward asked, reaching forward to pour herself another cup of tea. “What if Lady Maria was wise in her considerations? What if she chose to eschew the company of gentlemen that she knew would not suit her and that, in doing so, deliberately made her choice that only particular gentlemen would be worth giving her time?”

  Dorothea hesitated, having never truly considered that aspect of her sister’s decisions. She had always thought that Maria had simply not made a particularly good impression upon the beau monde and that, therefore, her delay in marrying had been entirely her own fault.

  Now, it seemed, she had been mistaken.

  “I – I suppose that such a decision would be wise,” she agreed, speaking with a little less exuberance. “I did not think – ”

  “I have encouraged all of your sisters to take their time when it comes to choosing a suitor,” Lady Hayward interrupted. “Lady Maria was, I will confess, rather anxious about her lack of success but I was not at all worried. It will be so with you.”

  Dorothea shook her head. “I have no thought of delay,” she said, firmly. “My intention is to find a suitable match and to wed just as soon as I am able. That way, my father will be contented, I will be settled and all will be well.” She was certain that she heard a small sigh escape from Lady Hayward’s lips but when she looked sharply back at her chaperone, there was no evidence of it on Lady Hayward’s expression. “And I shall then be a married lady of the ton.” A sigh of satisfaction left her lips at the mere thought of such a prospect, for Dorothea had no desire to simply be a flirtatious, flitting debutante that simply made their way through society for a Season without any serious thought of matrimony. No, she fully intended to set her gaze on the goal of finding herself the very best match she could – and to the very best of gentlemen, of course. Her determination would not allow her simply to throw away her weeks in London, doing nothing more than harmlessly flirting with the various gentlemen of the ton and wondering what sort of gowns she might next purchase.

  “Very well,” Lady Hayward replied, with a resigned sigh. “If that is what you are determined to do, Lady Dorothea, then I cannot argue with it. It means, I suppose, that you will consider carefully any gentlemen that might approach you.”

  “Of course,” Dorothea replied, reaching to refill her own teacup. “Although, given that I am the youngest of the Duke’s daughters, I do not think that I will be particularly sought after!”

  Lady Hayward shook her head. “That is a mistake, Lady Dorothea,” she said, speaking with such seriousness that Dorothea was a little taken aback. “You may be the last of the Duke’s daughters but you still bear a high title, have an excellent dowry and, of course, an inheritance of your own. There will be many gentlemen who seek you out and you will have to do your utmost to consider each of them with great wisdom.”

  “But what is there to consider?” Dorothea asked, blinking a little in surprise. “I know that there will be some rogues, of course, but surely they will be very well known by the beau monde and thus, I will not have to make any judgement upon them.”

  “Lady Dorothea,” Lady Hayward said, sitting a little further forward in her chair. “There will be gentlemen who seek you out solely due to the fact that they wish only for your dowry and your inheritance, when it comes. They may pretend to be interested in you, to be glad of your company and the like, but their motives are entirely false.”

  Dorothea sucked in a breath, staring at Lady Hayward in utter disbelief. “My sisters have never mentioned –”

  “Most likely, they might well have done, Lady Dorothea,” Lady Hayward interrupted, speaking a little more loudly than before. “But given that you appear to be so very determined to believe that society and the ton are nothing more other than utterly delightful, might it be that you have, in fact, not given their words the consideration that they were due?”

  Swallowing hard, Dorothea considered what she was to say in response, feeling a little rebuked. She did not want to admit that what Lady Hayward said might, in fact, be correct but neither did she want to brush off those words without true consideration.

  “You must take great care,” Lady Hayward continued, speaking a little more gently. “I will do my utmost to guide you, of course, given that I am to be your chaperone, but it would be wise for you also to be very careful in your considerations of the gentlemen of the ton.”

  “I understand,” Dorothea replied, no smile lingering on her face now as she looked into the serious expression of Lady Hayward and realized that she had not considered the beau monde in the correct light. She tipped her head just a little, hesitating for a moment as she wondered whether or not the question in her mind would be foolish to speak aloud. “I must wonder if…” Trailing off, she looked away, aware of the flush of heat in her cheeks.

  “Speak, Lady Dorothea,” Lady Hayward said, encouragingly. “I would have an openness between us.”
br />   Nodding, Dorothea took in a long breath, pushing her embarrassment aside. “Would such gentlemen be of any particular title?” she asked, as Lady Hayward reached for what was now her third honey cake. “What I mean to say is, would a baron or a viscount be more inclined towards seeking my hand solely for their own benefit, as opposed to an earl or marquess?”

  Lady Hayward considered this for a moment, her gaze drifting to the corner of the room. “I think, Lady Dorothea, that all gentlemen could be inclined towards such things,” she said, after a few moments. “An earl may appear to have the very best of things but be severely lacking coin. A baron might have a low title but have an excellent fortune and a profitable estate.” She lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “It is best to be cautious in all things, regardless of their title.”

  This was not what Dorothea wanted to hear. She had, of course, no intention of marrying any gentleman with a title lower than that of an earl and had hoped that such a well titled gentleman would not be as crafty nor as cunning as Lady Hayward had suggested.

  “You intend to choose a gentleman with a high title, then?”

  “I had considered it, certainly,” Dorothea replied, not at all ashamed of her response. “I think it wise.”

  “It is wise, certainly, for it would maintain your status,” Lady Hayward replied, quietly. “Is there anything else you would expect?”

  Dorothea shook her head. “Aside from being well titled with a good fortune and being entirely amicable, I have nothing of particular consideration,” she replied, as Lady Hayward nodded. “Do you have a good many acquaintances in London, Lady Hayward? Will our first social occasion be very soon?”