Courting Miss Hughes

Chapter 1

In the crisp air of a March morning, Arthur patiently watched as a black carriage make its way to the front of the manor. His mother had invited her friend Mrs. Briggsby and her family to stay with them while their house was being renovated. Though his mother was not of uncharitable nature, this particular kindness towards Mrs. Briggsby certainly had hidden match-making motives. Why else on earth would someone invite a mere acquaintance and her whole family, which consisted of four young ladies and her husband, to stay with them for good portion of spring, before the start of the season? Not to forget, his mother was a woman of rank, A marchioness no less. She did not need to show kindness toward anyone to gain favors in society. She always had her title work its way.

As the carriage came to a halt, his mother's apparent excitement piqued. She gave him a sheepish smile, which he replied to with an arched brow. Ignoring him she hugged Mrs. Briggsby as she stepped down from the carriage.

"Welcome, Mrs.Briggsby !" His mother exclaimed. "I have much-awaited your arrival." Arthur could only roll his eyes.

He was a man of one and thirty. He did not need his mother to manipulate him into choosing a bride. In the past she had accepted his choice to delay marriage. He always made up an excuse of being busy, helping his father with estate management or chaperoning his sisters through their London seasons. But with all his sisters married and his father being terminally ill, she was no more amenable to such excuses. She was determined to see him married and settled.

"Oh! how kind of you my lady to invite us all" said Mrs. Briggsby  "how ever would we repay such kindness?"

"You may do no such thing!" she put her reassuring hand over hers. "However, you can introduce us to all the lovely ladies here." There it was, Arthur thought. His mother's match-making motives shamelessly laid out in plain sight.

"This is Penelope, my eldest daughter." the blonde lady feigned a coy smile. "This is Eleanor," she said introducing the lady next in line. "And this is my youngest, Sybilla" 

All Briggsby ladies looked like younger replicas of  Mrs. Briggsby. With their blonde heads and light blue eyes. But then, out of the carriage stepped out a lady with raven black hair and striking sapphire blue eyes, a shade deeper than any blue he had seen. None of her features matched with Mrs. Briggsby or her husband who stood tall beside her. 

"And allow me to introduce my niece, Miss Katherine Hughes" Mrs. Briggsby said with some hesitance. The lady seemed to have caught the hem of her dress in the carriage somewhere and appeared to be having some difficulty.

Ryland, his ever so charming good friend had jumped the opportunity to help her. "Let me be of some assistance miss Hughes."

He had invited Ryland a week before Briggsby's arrival. He knew very well what his mother must be planning and having Ryland by his side, he might be able to keep all match-making schemes at bay. Ryland was the second son of a viscount and his confidant since his days at Eton. He had no title to inherit like Arthur, yet he always remained popular among ladies due to his handsome face and charming manners.

Before Ryland could offer any help, she had seemed to figure out where the hem was stuck and untangled it without giving Ryland a second look. Perhaps she was trying to hide embarrassment but her deflection left Ryland a little disappointed. He wasn't used to having his attentions go wasted when it came to ladies. They were often reciprocated with equal enthusiasm, if not more.

"Thank you, sir, but I do not believe I shall need your assistance anymore." She curtsied and walked past him to join her blonde cousins in rank.

This was going to be an irksome experience, Arthur thought. Having four ladies and more to come, if his mother could manage it, who were there to charm him into the trap of matrimony, with the likely aid of their matron, was not something he had looked forward to. His mother had dealt the cards, now it was his turn to play, and he was determined to have a winning hand. He wondered if Mrs. Briggsby had taught her young charges any feminine tricks to catch a gentleman. she seemed like a matron who is likely to scheme and trap wealthy aristocrats for her daughters. But he was not going to be trapped, not under any circumstance. He was far too experienced to fall for such things. Having experienced several London seasons himself, while chaperoning his sisters, he knew all the schemes matrons and debutants put forth. He was simply too wise to be entrapped.