Will’s plans to seek out Hattie had to take second place to his family commitments. While he had managed to get his parents to hold off on a large welcome home celebration for the time being, he was still being pressured into attending social events.

A small gathering at a family friend’s home presented the first opportunity he had to meet with the young man Eve had sent her marital sights upon. Frederick Rosemount, second son of Viscount Rosemount.

From across the ballroom, he spotted Frederick and Eve as they walked arm and arm in his direction. Eve’s face was one of glowing happiness. She hung on every word that her young gentleman said.

“Oh dear. Prepare yourself for meeting the fabulous Freddie,” muttered Charles.

Will scowled. It was unlike his father to find fault with others. It was concerning that he was not finding Eve’s paramour to his liking.

“He can’t be that bad,” replied Will.

Frederick Rosemount strode confidently up to the two Saunders males and thrust out a hand to Will. Beside him Eve beamed with pride.

“William, well met. You must be so glad to be free of all those annoying, smelly Frenchmen.”

Will laughed at the remark. There was not much else he could do. He had become immune to the many English soldiers still based in Paris who felt they needed to continually remind everyone about the outcome of the war. London was even worse. It was full of jingoistic Englishmen who did not understand the suffering and sacrifice that many thousands of the French had endured during the bloody revolution and then under Napoleon.

Freddie snorted his approval at his own joke.

Will glanced in his father's direction. Charles had forced a social grin to his face, but Will saw a sadness in his father's eyes. A new future for France had cost the family dearly. Charles would never be able to return to the land of his birth and claim his rightful inheritance.

“It's good to be back. Though it feels like I barely know this city anymore. I got lost this morning making my way to Strathmore House,” he replied.

Changing the subject always seemed the best option in the face of such ignorance.

He had been hoping to find one or more of the Radley family at home, but none of his cousins had returned from the family seat in Scotland. The only member of the Duke of Strathmore’s family not presently in Scotland, David Radley, was at his estate in Bedfordshire.

“So, what are your plans? Do you intend to go into business with your father and Francis, or perhaps run for parliament? My father is always going on about me taking up some form of occupation. Tiresome business. I would much rather be out with the four-in-hand club,” said Freddie.

Will thought for a minute. At this stage he was not actually certain what he planned to do now he was back in England. The prospect of taking up the reins with his father had a certain appeal, but his brother Francis had shown a talent for business which Will knew he could not match. While Francis was more than capable of spending his evenings getting drunk and running amok with his friends, he also had the ability to be at work early in the morning studiously checking the shipping sheets of the goods Charles Saunders imported from South America.

Will had not previously considered a career as a politician, but his uncle Ewan Radley, the Duke of Strathmore had introduced him to various political figures during the summer and his interest had been aroused. The appeal of being in London and attending parliamentary sessions was to his liking. If Will knew one thing for certain about himself, whether it was Paris or London, he was most at home in the city.

“I plan to speak with his grace when he returns from Scotland, he mentioned a vacancy may be coming up in one of the local London seats before the year is out. I think I know enough of world events to be able to make a useful contribution in the House of Commons,” he replied.

Freddie patted Eve’s hand. She giggled.

“That will keep you tied down Will, old chap. Though you will need a wife before you seriously consider a career in politics. The electorate are never keen to elect bachelors to parliament, something about single men being untrustworthy. Frightfully tiresome business marriage, but I expect we shall all have to put our heads into the parson’s noose at some point. A chap can’t stay happy forever,” said Freddie.

He tilted his head back and laughed, genuinely amused by himself. Will watched Freddie with barely concealed rage. Marriage was no laughing matter. He was not the least impressed by this young man and his cavalier attitude, especially when it came to the prospect of marrying Eve.

Will had never considered marriage to be a tiresome endeavor. He missed being married. Only when he had been with Hattie had he realized how empty his life had been.

Yvette had transformed Will from a selfish self-centered youth to the man he was now. He owed a lot to both his former and future wives.

At this moment however, his mind was more concerned about the man Eve had set her matrimonial sights upon. As Freddie and Eve moved away, Will wanted desperately to punch Freddie in the face. He turned to his father.

“I cannot for the life of me see what she sees in that spotted youth. Eve cannot be serious about him. And if she is, I can't believe you and mama would allow her to go through with it. He will only bring Eve misery,” he remarked.

His father sipped at his wine. “He is from a good family. His father, Viscount Rosemount, I know personally to be a decent chap. It’s the lad’s first year in London without his father or older brother to keep him in check. I grant you he is running a little wild. But didn’t we all at that age? We have to give him the benefit of the doubt and hope that he will come to his senses before he does anything stupid.”

Will did not need his father to remind him that he had run off to France and become a spy at the same age as Frederick. He knew exactly how it was to be reckless and without a sense of his place in the world.

Eve’s heart however, was an entirely different matter. He would not stand idly by while some fool tore his sister’s heart to pieces. Charming and self-assured though Freddie may be, Will was not above setting him straight.

“What is mama doing about it?” pressed Will.

He knew his mother well. Adelaide Saunders would be well aware of Frederick Rosemount’s shortcomings. She would not allow her daughter to throw her life away on a blackguard if Frederick transpired to be such a man. She would nail shut all the doors of the churches in London if that is what it took to keep her daughter from making a foolish choice.

“She is playing this out carefully. Eve has a will of her own and the last thing any of us need is for her to do a midnight flit to Gretna Green. I trusted your mother to raise the four of you, and you have all turned out well. I have full confidence that she will protect your sister from any harm,” replied Charles.

Will was not so convinced. He knew Eve and if she was determined to throw herself at Freddie, she would do just that, parental approval or not.