No love for Louisa

FOURTEEN

"Of all the deuced insolence!" Adrian declared in irritation as he  came down to sit at the table for his breakfast.

"Really Adrian, such a mood so early in the day, what has you so vexed?" His mother enquired, as she eyed her youngest son with mild concern

"I am thinking about last night at the Winchester's party,  and that French fellow, Viscount Dupont inviting Rosemary to the theatre this evening, before I could get the chance" 

"Oh, I see" His mother replied in realisation, "I have noticed he has been paying her particular attention lately, it seems you have another rival for her affection on your hands" she finished sympathetically

"There I was, focusing on Fergus, thinking I had to keep my eye on him, and then  this Frenchie sneaks in, with his air of self importance, doing everything to impress her, and trying to make himself a serious contender;  Well I am not having it Mother!" Adrian stated "You must invite Mrs Marshal and her niece  Rosemary to come stay with is us for a few days when you  plan retire to  for the week to our country estate this weekend" he then insisted

"But, it will be such short notice, do you think she will  want to come?" The Duchess then pointed out with uncertainty

"Oh. I will be my most charming when I write and invite her, with your blessing of course,  so she will not be able to refuse," Adrian replied confidently, then his eyes narrowing slightly in thoughtfulness, "I just need to get her safely away from the Viscount for a few days, so its the perfect solution do draw her attention back on me where neither he nor Fergus can interfere"

"Well, I suppose there is no harm in trying, " his mother found herself relenting, "the things I do to please my sons" she then  murmured with a sigh.

 But at least she was glad that with Adrian's request,  that there would be no visits to the museum thankfully.

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Much to Adrian's relief, Rosemary was only too delighted to accept his invitation to come and stay at his family's country home, even if it threw Mrs Marshall's household into a bit of a tizzy  to quickly prepare for it.  

In the end they planned to go midweek , which give the Duke and Duchess time to prepare for their arrival.  Adrian decided he would stay in town, when his parents left on the  weekend  so he could accompany Mrs Marshall with the two ladies, Whilst  travelling alongside their coach on his horse.  Rosemary was enjoying having all his attention on the journey, as they set of, which is exactly what he was hoping for.

Louisa was feeling a mixture of emotions as she sat in the coach on their way to the Duke and Duchess's country residence. It had all happened so fast, when Rosemary received the written  invitation from Adrian, she had been ecstatic, and it turned out there was no way she would have even considered turning it down, even if it meant a whirlwind of activity, and some quick thinking of her aunt Hettie to make it happen.

  Of course Louisa had no choice but to go along with them, even though she felt a slight unease at the thought of being around the Duchess in particular. It weighed on her mind a little how  Mr Alex Carstairs must have cajoled his mother into the museum tour, when it was not something she particularly wanted, but she had done it anyway just for Louisa's benefit.

 He had more or less admitted as much on the day he returned her back to Hettie's in his coach, and now, being acutely aware of the circumstances, Louisa wasn't sure if she could look the Duchess in the eye. So she wasn't sure how she was going to get through the next few days or so without a measure of guilt.

But it also made her realise how much the Duchess cared about her son,  that she would  go to such lengths to please him, which she couldn't help but approve of at the same time, and wondered if that was where Alex got his caring nature from.