remember what’s supposedly proper and what isn’t,” Wesley grumbled as they headed toward the entrance to the Fifth Avenue Hotel.
“There’s a gentlemen’s guide book to etiquette in my father’s library. I’ll lend it to you as soon as I return home.”
“Someone wrote a whole book on the subject?”
“There are several books on the subject, for both ladies and gentlemen. Don’t despair, Wesley, you’re not wholly without manners.” She favored him with a smile.
“I suppose by that you mean to say I’m not completely hopeless?”
“You’re far from hopeless!”
“So we’re still planning to visit Central Park tomorrow?”
“If my father gives his permission, then yes.”
Chapter Five
Central Park
A T D INNER , W ESLEY C ONSUMED a large bowl of consommé to take the edge off his hunger, but he was really looking forward to the roast beef and rice with a side of asparagus and potato salad. Mr. Oakhurst, to his right, dipped his spoon into a fragrant bowl of julienne soup.
“Your Grace, I’m having some difficulty confirming Mr. Cavendish’s references,” he said. “His most recent employer, Mr. Jenkins, embarked a few days ago on an ocean liner bound for Europe.”
“That’s bad luck,” Wesley said.
“I did manage to speak with his housekeeper, a Mrs. Thumb. She confirmed Mr. Cavendish’s employment and indicated he was extremely charming, well-liked by the staff, and performed his duties to Mr. Jenkins well. Mr. Cavendish told Mrs. Thumb his fondness for drink was the reason for his dismissal.”
Wesley shrugged. “Mr. Cavendish told me that during the interview.”
Lady Frederic glanced up from her mock turtle soup, aghast. “Wesley! You knew and hired him anyway?”
“Perhaps Mr. Jenkins drove him to it,” Wesley said. “I won’t be nearly as difficult.”
“Be sensible, Your Grace,” Belle chimed in. “Wouldn’t it be better to hire a valet with his faculties unimpaired?”
At her use of his title, Wesley slid Belle a withering glance across the table.
“Mr. Cavendish had most of his faculties during our interview, Miss Oakhurst , and I could scarcely smell any whiskey at all.”
She lifted her chin. “You’re joking.”
“Of course I am. The man was completely sober.”
“At any rate, I did manage to exchange cables about Mr. Cavendish with Lord Henry Overton,” Mr. Oakhurst said.
“I’m sorry, who was that again?” Wesley asked.
“He’s the younger brother of Mr. Cavendish’s previous employer, Lord James Overton. Although Lord Henry did not recall Mr. Cavendish specifically, he said his brother had been exceedingly arrogant and despicable. It was his opinion that if Mr. Cavendish managed to work for his brother more than a fortnight, he was worth his weight in gold.”
Wesley grinned. “There you have it. I was right to hire him, wouldn’t you say?”
“So Lord James Overton was just as horrible as the tenth Duke of Mansbury?” Belle said.
“Annabelle, think about the company you’re with,” her father murmured.
Her cheeks flushed scarlet as she flicked a guilty glance first at Lady Frederic and then Wesley. “I beg your pardon. I shouldn’t have said that about one of your family members. It was frightfully rude.”
Wesley’s gaze lingered on Belle’s face. Her creamy complexion was rendered brilliant by her blush. “It’s all right Miss Oakhurst. My father didn’t like Uncle Septimus any more than you did.”
“Nevertheless, I do apologize. I didn’t know what was in the duke’s heart, and I shouldn’t have said it. I understand he wished to reconcile with his brother, so perhaps he came to regret his previous dealings with him,” Belle said.
“Don’t make yourself uneasy, dear,” Lady Frederic said. “I resented Septimus more than I can express. Had he shared just a small portion of his estate with Frederic, my husband wouldn’t have been forced to make his living in America.”
His mother’s eyes grew misty.
“There’s a gentlemen’s guide book to etiquette in my father’s library. I’ll lend it to you as soon as I return home.”
“Someone wrote a whole book on the subject?”
“There are several books on the subject, for both ladies and gentlemen. Don’t despair, Wesley, you’re not wholly without manners.” She favored him with a smile.
“I suppose by that you mean to say I’m not completely hopeless?”
“You’re far from hopeless!”
“So we’re still planning to visit Central Park tomorrow?”
“If my father gives his permission, then yes.”
Chapter Five
Central Park
A T D INNER , W ESLEY C ONSUMED a large bowl of consommé to take the edge off his hunger, but he was really looking forward to the roast beef and rice with a side of asparagus and potato salad. Mr. Oakhurst, to his right, dipped his spoon into a fragrant bowl of julienne soup.
“Your Grace, I’m having some difficulty confirming Mr. Cavendish’s references,” he said. “His most recent employer, Mr. Jenkins, embarked a few days ago on an ocean liner bound for Europe.”
“That’s bad luck,” Wesley said.
“I did manage to speak with his housekeeper, a Mrs. Thumb. She confirmed Mr. Cavendish’s employment and indicated he was extremely charming, well-liked by the staff, and performed his duties to Mr. Jenkins well. Mr. Cavendish told Mrs. Thumb his fondness for drink was the reason for his dismissal.”
Wesley shrugged. “Mr. Cavendish told me that during the interview.”
Lady Frederic glanced up from her mock turtle soup, aghast. “Wesley! You knew and hired him anyway?”
“Perhaps Mr. Jenkins drove him to it,” Wesley said. “I won’t be nearly as difficult.”
“Be sensible, Your Grace,” Belle chimed in. “Wouldn’t it be better to hire a valet with his faculties unimpaired?”
At her use of his title, Wesley slid Belle a withering glance across the table.
“Mr. Cavendish had most of his faculties during our interview, Miss Oakhurst , and I could scarcely smell any whiskey at all.”
She lifted her chin. “You’re joking.”
“Of course I am. The man was completely sober.”
“At any rate, I did manage to exchange cables about Mr. Cavendish with Lord Henry Overton,” Mr. Oakhurst said.
“I’m sorry, who was that again?” Wesley asked.
“He’s the younger brother of Mr. Cavendish’s previous employer, Lord James Overton. Although Lord Henry did not recall Mr. Cavendish specifically, he said his brother had been exceedingly arrogant and despicable. It was his opinion that if Mr. Cavendish managed to work for his brother more than a fortnight, he was worth his weight in gold.”
Wesley grinned. “There you have it. I was right to hire him, wouldn’t you say?”
“So Lord James Overton was just as horrible as the tenth Duke of Mansbury?” Belle said.
“Annabelle, think about the company you’re with,” her father murmured.
Her cheeks flushed scarlet as she flicked a guilty glance first at Lady Frederic and then Wesley. “I beg your pardon. I shouldn’t have said that about one of your family members. It was frightfully rude.”
Wesley’s gaze lingered on Belle’s face. Her creamy complexion was rendered brilliant by her blush. “It’s all right Miss Oakhurst. My father didn’t like Uncle Septimus any more than you did.”
“Nevertheless, I do apologize. I didn’t know what was in the duke’s heart, and I shouldn’t have said it. I understand he wished to reconcile with his brother, so perhaps he came to regret his previous dealings with him,” Belle said.
“Don’t make yourself uneasy, dear,” Lady Frederic said. “I resented Septimus more than I can express. Had he shared just a small portion of his estate with Frederic, my husband wouldn’t have been forced to make his living in America.”
His mother’s eyes grew misty.
Similar Books
