“Come, let us meet the earl.” Jane preceded Anne from the morning room, and Anne dutifully followed her upstairs to the drawing room.
As they entered the large chamber that overlooked Grosvenor Street below, Stone turned from the windows, a broad smile lighting his blue eyes. His light brown hair formed a widow’s peak, which perhaps contributed to the length of his face, along with the cleft in his chin. He was rather tall and still boasted a fit form, despite being in his early fifties.
“My dear Anne,” he said, looking to Anne before glancing at Jane. “Lady Colton.”
“It’s a pleasure to welcome you, Lord Stone.” Jane gestured toward the seating arrangement near the windows. “Shall we sit?”
Anne went to her godfather and pressed a kiss to his cheek as he embraced her fondly. “How lovely of you to visit.”
“Since you keep declining my invitations to dinner and have not invited me to visit, I decided to take matters into my own hands.” He sat in a chair after Anne and Jane occupied a small settee.
A tremor of unease wended its way through Anne. She hoped he just meant coming to see her but feared it was more than that. “I’m so glad you did.”
“Did you know Sandon is back in town?” the earl asked.
“Yes, Jane mentioned he was at a picnic last week.” Anne hadn’t wanted to accompany her.
“Ah, yes, of course.” He smiled at Jane, then pursed her lips at Anne. “I take it you weren’t there? But of course not. You haven’t gone anywhere. You mustn’t become a hermit, my dear. It only exacerbates the situation.”
And that certainly made her feel better. “The Season is almost over. I don’t think it matters if I go out. Next year will be here soon enough.” Maybe by then, the thought of going to a Society event wouldn’t make her stomach churn.
“Good afternoon,” Anthony said as he entered the drawing room. He stalked straight toward them and nodded toward the earl. “Lord Stone, welcome.” Anthony sat in another chair angled near the settee.
“Afternoon, Colton. I was just telling your sister-in-law that it’s past time she reenter Society. I’d like to host a dinner—nothing too large or overdone. It will be the perfect thing to show everyone that she is still the celebrated young woman who captivated everyone this Season.”
Not everyone. At least not permanently. Why wasn’t Bowles interested in continuing their friendship? Anne told herself to pay attention and stop thinking about him.
Jane looked to her husband. “I don’t know if you recall—or if I ever told you, actually—but Lord Stone is Anne’s godfather.”
“I don’t think I knew that.” Anthony cocked his head to the side. “A dinner would be nice, but it’s summer now, and the Season is almost over. An event at Ivy Grove would be enchanting.”
Why was he encouraging this? Anne narrowed her eyes at her brother-in-law.
He failed to notice. “Perhaps a picnic or a soiree—as you said, nothing overly large.”
Stone nodded. “Capital idea. We’ll celebrate Sandon’s return to London.” He cast a grin toward Anne. “And reintroduce Anne in the meantime. This is a wonderful plan!”
No, it wasn’t. It was terrible. Anne stared pleadingly at Jane, who pressed her lips together in a brief frown and shot a glance at Anthony, who again seemed not to notice.
“I wonder if I might suggest someone for the guest list,” Anthony said. “I’ve recently made the acquaintance of Mr. Bowles, a fascinating gentleman new to London.”
Anne sat up straighter. Perhaps it wouldn’t be terrible after all.
“Oh, yes,” Jane said, prompting Anne to look over at her again. Now she was helping? And why? What did she know about Bowles? Anne felt a moment’s panic.
“Mr. Bowles has two sisters with whom I’ve become acquainted, Lady Rockbourne and Mrs. Sheffield.”
Anne blinked. They were members of the Spitfire Society, the club Jane had formed with her friends Phoebe and Arabella, which had become a philanthropic association with well over a dozen members now. And they were his sisters? He’d been so close all this time.
“I’ll write their names for your list,” Jane offered. She rose and went to a writing desk in the corner.
Lord Stone smiled after her. “Yes, a picnic. This will be splendid. I’ll send the invitations immediately so we can have the event as soon as possible—Friday, I think.”
“So soon?” Anne asked. As much as she wanted a chance to see Bowles, that was awfully fast to plan and execute an event.
The earl waved his hand. “Bah. Plenty of time, and people will adjust their plans to come. I haven’t entertained at Ivy Grove this Season.” He smiled confidently. Perhaps even overly so. He’d always been a touch arrogant. Anne accepted that as part of who he was.
“We’ll look forward to it,” Anthony said with a smile.
Anne was torn between wanting to throw something at Anthony’s head and thanking him for inviting Mr. Bowles. She could do neither, of course.
Jane returned and handed Anne’s godfather a folded piece of parchment. “Here you are. Thank you for inviting them. I don’t know if Lord and Lady Rockbourne will come, but it’s kind of you to include them.”
“Ah yes, an…odd situation.” Stone rose as he tucked the paper into his coat pocket. “They will be quite welcome if they decide to come. Best to put all of that Chamberlain family nonsense behind us.”
Nonsense? They were a loathsome pair of siblings. Gilbert was about to be transported for extortion, and his sister, the former Lady Rockbourne, had orchestrated the vile rumor about Jane five years ago in order to steer Rockbourne to court her instead of Jane. It had worked, and Miss Dorothea Chamberlain had become the Viscountess Rockbourne. She’d died just a few weeks ago after falling from their balcony. The viscount, father to their young child, had remarried quickly. That was perhaps odd, but the new Lady Rockbourne—their friend Beatrix—was lovely.
She was also Lord Bodyguard’s sister.
Anne still couldn’t believe how their circles intersected, and yet they hadn’t met. What if they had done so weeks ago, before she’d met Gilbert Chamberlain? It didn’t bear thinking about.
Anne, Jane, and Anthony also stood. Stone took Anne’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “I’m so glad to have you back in Society. All the unpleasantness is behind you now. Who knows, perhaps on Friday you’ll meet the man who will truly become your husband.” He waggled his brows at Anne.
Bloody hell, he wanted her to engage in courtship again? She clenched her jaw and smiled tightly. “Who knows?”
He laughed as he let her hand go. Bidding them good afternoon, he took his leave.
“I’m sorry, Anne,” Jane said. “I know you don’t want to go, let alone have the earl try to matchmake.” She glowered at Anthony. “Why did you do that?”
“Do what?” His dark brows drew together. “You’re the one who’s been telling me Anne should get out.”
Jane darted a glance toward Anne but answered Anthony. “For a stroll in the park or to go shopping, not to a picnic.”
“But you tried to get her to go to the picnic last week.” Anthony shook his head and muttered, “I do not understand women.”