Chester Savoy held the carriage door as, first his wife, Alice, and then Emily descended from the carriage at the entrance to Linfield Hall.

Wesley, the butler, hobbled down the steps with two footmen to take charge of the luggage. The Duke burst through the door and called out, “Welcome. So happy you all could make it. Chester…” he said, addressing the husband. “Miss Emily, welcome.” And then his sister rushed to him and they embraced.

“I am ready for the most delightful weekend,” she said, after kissing her brother on the forehead.

Chester conferred with Wesley to make sure the luggage was all accounted for and then he greeted Mark.

“Strapping weather, eh? I hear you have a stocked fish pond. Might like to take a try at the game. Brought along me own tackle. Will there be an opportunity this weekend?”

“Whatever suits you, Chester—by all means. Make yourselves at home and no need to stand on ceremony. The cooks have been cooking up a storm and all is ready for a jolly time. The bars are stocked. The fountains are running full blast. And I believe the deer are running, if you fancy a shoot.”

“Excellent. Jolly good,” Chester said, as he followed Wesley up the entrance steps, once again, counting each piece of luggage.

Alice had married well. Chester was only slightly older than she was. He was from a family that owned a midlands brewery and pubs. His managers ran the business, so he did not have to do a great deal more than check in with them occasionally, and care for his wife and children with his inheritance.

Chester was a large man. Not flabby or fat, but burly in the manner of a man who could lift and carry a barrel of ale. His red cheeks and nose gave him the appearance of one who drank too much, but he did not. He was a devoted family man and adored his wife as she did him.

Mark came down the steps to welcome Emily who was hanging back as the family greeted each other.

“I am so happy to see you. How have you been holding up since the audition?” he asked.

“Fair to middling,” she said. “But I have been working hard and have prepared a program for a recital this weekend to entertain your guests.”

“Excellent idea. There are a number of gentlemen and their families who are most influential in the music world. Several of whom I want you to meet and interview. I believe one or two might be in a position to do what Andre could—or would—not do.”

Mark offered her his arm and they ascended the steps.

“And the Duchess? Will she be in attendance? I should love to see her again.”

“Of course, she would not miss this crowd for anything. She loves company and chides me that we do not entertain enough. However, the county fair is this weekend, and she has several entries in the flower show, so she will be slightly distracted by worrying about the results of the competition.”

They entered the house and a lady’s maid greeted Emily and led her to her suite.

“Miss, I am Sally. If you need anything at all, I am at your service,” she said with a curtsy.

“Thank you, Sally. I will need help with dressing for dinner. And I should like to bathe before I dress. Will that be a problem?”

“Not at all, Miss. We have water on the boil all weekend just for the guest’s baths.”

“Thank you. That will be all for now,” Emily said.

“Shall I unpack your valise first?”

“Oh, yes, that would be nice.”

Emily went over to the large array of windows overlooking the lake and gardens in front of the house. It was a lovely afternoon and the clouds were scuttling by in the late spring breeze. She had no idea what to expect from this weekend, but she believed Mark was working hard on her behalf, and she took comfort in that.

* * *

Mark was conferring with Wesley in the library over the service for dinner that evening.

“I expect a few of our European guests may be delayed because of high seas over the channel. Therefore, I cannot say with any certainty what the final dinner count will be, Wesley.”

“Not to worry Your Grace, I shall lay a full table and seat the guests so that there will be a few empty spaces in the middle should your guests show up late.”

Mark nodded. “That should suffice. Thank you, Wesley. Oh, and make certain there is enough hock on ice for the second course.”

“Of course, Your Grace.”

Wesley turned to leave the library just as the door opened and Sophie came in, looking fresh and eager to enjoy the weekend.

“It has been a long time since you had such a weekend crowd. It is quite delightful. I was afraid you were sinking into your dotage and becoming an old fuddy at an early age.”

She came over and wound her arm around Mark’s waist.

He took her hand and released himself from her hold by turning from the scoop of her arm.

“I hope you enjoy yourself, but please remember this is partially a working weekend for me. I am tasked with firming up a tour for my protégé, Miss Dunn. There are a number of guests who are of the London and European musical circles and I must give them a great deal of my personal attention throughout the weekend.”

Sophie pouted. “You are beastly, Mark. I want to have fun. Why must you always be working on something? Work is for weekdays. Weekends are supposed to be for sport, laughter, and gaiety.”

“Well, it is still only Friday, so you must give me some leeway,” he said teasingly.

“Well, then, are there any charming young gentlemen with whom I may amuse myself while you abandon me?”

“Let me see. There is the charming Mr. Clinton, who is a banker in attendance with his arthritic wife, Clementine. And there is the gentleman from Whitehall who perambulates in a wheelchair and coughs up phlegm. And, lest we forget, there is the delightful Chester Savoy, my charming sister’s husband who comes from a brewing family. I am sure any or all of them would be delighted to entertain you.”

“Oh, Mark, you are a terrible bother. I am not certain I even want to stay.”

“But then you will miss out on Miss Dunn’s--what I am certain will be--charming recital.”

Sophie threw her hand up in the air. “Oh, I can hardly wait for that yawn. I can see this is to be a long and boring weekend. I am so glad I brought along my intriguing novel. I shall bury myself under the covers and read all night and sleep in all day.”

“You may do exactly as you wish, my dear Sophie. And I promise to spend time with you at some point during the weekend. Perhaps we might go riding, or hunting, if there are others who would be interested. Is that something you might enjoy?”

She came over and took his arm and snuggled up to him and said coyly, “What I would really like is to snuggle up to you next to a cozy fire, wrapped in a blanket, and sipping your wonderful aged cognac.”

“But, my dear Sophie, it is almost summer and we are not keeping any fires going this time of year.”

“But you understand what I am trying to say,” she said, becoming agitated and pulling away from him.

Mark sighed. Sophie was becoming more of a burden than a joy, even though they had a longstanding friendship.

“Sophie, I must go. I have many guests who require my attention. Please know I want you to be here and I trust you will be able to entertain yourself. My staff is always at your disposal if you require anything. Now, if you will excuse me, I must leave. However, I shall see you at dinner this evening, with drinks before in the green salon at seven.”

* * *

Emily had inquired from Wesley where she might find the Duchess. She was in the conservatory and Emily was directed where to find her.

She entered the wonderfully moist and fragrant space and stopped to admire the plants and trees before looking around to find the Duchess.

“Hello? Your Grace? It is Miss Emily Dunn. Are you in here?”

“Over here, my dear,” a voice called out from a far corner of the glasshouse.

Emily wound her way through the jungle foliage to where the Duchess was standing with a young man carefully placing an arrangement of cut roses in a box.

“Now stuff this wool tightly around the base to support the vase,” the Duchess said.

“Yes, Your Grace,” the man said, taking wool out of a bag and stuffing it inside the box.

The Duchess turned to Emily as she came forward. “What do you think of my entries for the county fair flower competition?”

Emily first examined the beautiful arrangement of perfectly formed roses. It consisted of roses of different colors and in various stages of opening—from buds to fully open blooms.

“When is the judging?” she asked.

“Tomorrow morning. I trust the more open blooms I have cut will last through the night without any petals falling.”

“It is magnificent. And what is this second entry?”

“It is my new variety of African violet. I bred it myself. Is it not lovely?”

“Stunning. And what a gorgeous deep burgundy color with just that spot of yellow in the center. I do not see how you cannot win first prize in both categories,” Emily said, even though she did not know much about growing flowers.

The Duchess turned back to the young man. “Protect the violet similarly, and then be very careful as you take them to the fair pavilion. There must be no jostling as you drive the trap.”

“We shall barely crawl along the road,” the man said with a big grin.

The Duchess nodded and turned back to Emily. She took her arm, and asked, “Will you please escort me back to the house? The floor is rather uneven and I am always fearful of falling.”

“It would be my pleasure, Your Grace.”

“Come, then,” she said, leaning on Emily’s arm for support.

As they headed for the house, the Duchess would stop now and then to pinch a faded flower or snap off a dead branch.

She sighed before saying, “I do not have the energy I used to have to care for all of my babies. Of course, we have staff that cares for the plants, but I always took a personal interest in everything here. But, alas, it is no longer possible.”

“However, your entries for the fair are lovely. You should be very proud of those.”

The Duchess cast Emily a brief glance. “Alice tells me you have become fast friends.”

“Oh, yes, we have. I feel we are like sisters.”

“She told me about your disappointment with the French concert promoter. I was truly sorry to hear about that.”

Emily gave a wan smile. “His Grace assures me it is but a temporary setback. In fact, much of this weekend is about me meeting notables in the music world who may be able to accomplish what we are seeking.”

They had arrived back in the main section of the house. As they passed through the entry hall, they saw the bustle of arriving guests, servants carrying luggage, or other staff whisking linens from the laundry, or carrying snacks, tea, or coffee from the kitchen to serve the guests who had already arrived and settled in.

“Would you like me to escort you to your rooms, Your Grace?” Emily asked as the Duchess took a firmer grip on her arm.

“Yes, please.”

As they ascended the staircase, Emily saw Miss Sophie coming down, dressed in her riding costume. Emily nodded to her but Sophie ignored her.

Finally, back in her rooms, the Duchess greeted Baggs and said to Emily, “Thank you, my dear, for your kind assistance, will you stay for tea?”

“I should like that very much, but I promised tea with the Duke as he wants to introduce me to some of his honored guests.”

“Of course, I understand,” she said as she sat down in her favorite chair with a comfortable sigh. “But before you go, just a word.”

“Of course,” Emily said going over and standing before the Duchess.

“I am a little concerned about your growing attachment to my grandson.”

“But I assure you it is quite innocent and purely professional.”

“Hmm. I trust that might be so. However, the way he talks about you concerns me.”

Emily felt a blush rising in her cheeks and she lowered her eyes and felt a tremble in her hands, which she clasped together to steady.

“Are he and Miss Sophie engaged yet?” Emily asked. “I know his father wishes it. But he has said nothing to me about it.”

“No, they are not. And I have spoken to you before about my concerns about her. But, as of yet, no other suitable young lady has presented herself. I was somewhat hoping that he might meet such a lady this weekend. We have such a crowd and I know several families have come with eligible young daughters—His Grace is such a catch. Perhaps he might find a suitable young lady.

“And I want you to keep an eye open for me. Let me know if you see or meet any young person you think might be a good match and I shall make sure my grandson is apprised of the fact.”

Emily’s heart sank at the assignment, but she graciously said, “Of course, Your Grace, I should be pleased to help however I may.”

“Oh, and if you wish, I am heading over to the flower show tomorrow morning, if you would like to accompany me,” the Duchess offered.

“Oh, yes, I should like that very much—provided His Grace does not need me for something connected with the concert tour.”

“I understand. We can discuss it further at breakfast tomorrow morning. I breakfast at eight.”