Madeline cast her gaze to the sky. “She refused to have anything to do with him and remained with me, Harry, Penelope, and Eloisa the entire time.”

“Penelope and Eloisa were there?” Eleanor did not remember seeing them.

“It is not at all surprising you did not notice them,” her twin said. “The only person you seemed to have eyes for was Lord Montagu.”

“Did you find out anything helpful?” Madeline asked.

Last evening was one of the rare times they had not gathered in their parlor to discuss the entertainment. “He made me laugh.” Eleanor smiled, remembering how hard it had been not to go into whoops. They rode through the gate into the Park. “To the oak tree?”

Her sisters nodded, and they quickly urged their horses to gallop. Eleanor gave Adela her head and reached the tree first.

When they reached her, she said, “He is coming to tea. We are going over the list of positions he needs to fill.”

“Other than a wife.” Alice really was frumpish today.

Madeline ignored Alice. “What positions?”

Eleanor realized she had told Matt about Montagu’s needs but not her sisters. “After we talked about the mines, he told me of a difficulty he was having . . .”

“Hmm.” Madeline started her horse at a walk. “You are correct. That would help both him and our family.”

“I heard you laugh.” Alice seemed to have shaken off her sour mood. “What did he say?”

“He told me about his sister’s first Season and how she did not like it.” They had met Lady Lytton, but had either of her sisters spoken with the lady? “Knowing her a little, it did not surprise me at all.”

“What is she like?” Madeline asked.

As Eleanor told them about her ladyship, it occurred to her that for the first time in her life, they were not doing everything together. Usually that only happened when they were physically in different places for one reason or another. “I am going to make sure at least one of the Danes is with us at tea.”

Alice smiled for the first time that morning. “What a good idea.”

Madeline nodded. “If he likes them, that will be two more qualities he meets.”

“If he listens to my recommendations, it will be three.” Eleanor was growing more excited about the possibility that Montagu was the gentleman for her. “I also invited him to join us at the opera next week.”

Her sisters’ eyes widened.

“Is he coming with us?” Alice’s astonishment was clear by her tone.

“He is.” Eleanor could feel the smug smile on her face. “He seems quite interested in learning more about it.”

“He is doing much better than any of the other peers we have met,” Madeline said.

Eleanor was struck by the emphasis Madeline had put on peers thus not including Harry Stern in her assessment.

“Particularly St. Albans.” Alice pulled a face.