Page 47 of The Duke's Bride in Disguise
Chapter Ten
The tick of the clock on Lady Darlington's mantelpiece was so loud that Ava wondered how the poor woman could stick it. Though perhaps the Viscountess Linford was not as perturbed by the silence which filled the drawing room, as Ava was. She certainly didn't seem inclined toward breaking it anyway, Ava thought mutinously, as Lady Darlington silently took another sip of tea.
"The weather has been most agreeable," Ava ventured through gritted teeth. She had been visiting with Lady Darlington for nearly half an hour and so far, any attempts at making conversation with the disagreeable woman, had been met by bland smiles and stony silences. Things were truly bad if she was discussing the weather, Ava thought with despair; Mr Hobbs had always said that conversations about the weather were the last refuge of the unimaginative—but she had tried! Lud, how she had tried.
Tit-bits of gossip, remarks upon the latest fashion plates in TheBelle, rumours about Princess Charlotte's health; all these things had been met with indifference by Lady Darlington, and Ava had near given up hope.
"Indeed," Lady Darlington smiled, her paper thin skin stretching over her high cheekbones as she did so, "I find that spring in London is usually quite agreeable—though I can't bear summer here. I insist to Lord Darlington that we leave before the end July, even if Parliament has not finished."
"Of course," Ava replied, delighted that, at last, Lady Darlington had responded to her overtures. "It is most sticky and unpleasant during August. Do you spend much time out of doors, when the weather is fine?"
"I do enjoy the park when the sun is out," Lady Darlington confessed, before touching a hand to her high cheekbone, "Though one must be careful of one's complexion."
"Of course," Ava, whose nose was covered in a dusting of freckles replied, "I rather enjoy the park myself, though I must confess that I am fonder of trips to the theatre. Do you enjoy the theatre at all, Lady Darlington?"
At last, Ava thought with a sigh of relief, she had managed to manoeuvre the conversation in the right direction.
"I can't say that I do," Lady Darlington replied, pursing her mouth in annoyance.
"I adore the theatre," Ava replied, valiantly battling on despite Lady Darlington's facial expression resembling that of a person who smelled something rather unpleasant, "Especially Shakespearean plays. The Duke invited father and I to see Douglas McCasey perform in the Theatre Royal—he's rather well known. Have you heard of him?"
"I can't say that I have," Lady Darlington replied, her voice like ice.
Ava watched as the viscountess' face turned puce with annoyance and her regal face creased into a deep frown. Ava already knew that Lady Darlington was lying, for she had seen her arguing with McCasey on The Row, but now Ava was certain that there was history between the actor and the viscountess—for Lady Darlington looked ready to explode.
"He's quite talented," Ava continued, hoping to probe further, but Lady Darlington appeared to have had enough.
"I'm sure that he is," she said, as she rose to stand in one fluid motion, "Though I do not care for the theatre, as I have told you. Now, you must excuse this old lady, I need to rest."
