Page 22 of A Date with Dishonor

‘I’ve not yet found an opportunity to tell Hugh my opinion on the woman he despatched me to meet.’ Alex slid a sideways glance at Hugh before his eyes captured Elise’s anxious gaze.

She inched up her chin, aware of the mordant humour in his attitude. ‘And now you’ve met Lady Lonesome, is she to your liking, sir?’ She discreetly tilted her head in her sister’s direction. ‘Do you approve of Beatrice and will you be advising Mr Kendrick to carry on? Or will you do the honourable thing and say the woman you met was a fraud and advise him to forget all about her?’

‘I’m not a convincing liar; the woman I met wasn’t a fraud, far from it. But I’ll advise him to forget about her, although I doubt I will,’ he finished self-mockingly.

‘I think you will, sir, quite quickly,’ Elise rebuffed coolly although his words had enhanced the pink in her complexion. The memory of what they’d done was for her not easily pushed aside and she was sure he knew it. He, however, might have forgotten the colour of her hair by tomorrow. ‘Now I must join the others. Mr Chapman is keen for us to leave soon before all the hackneys are taken.’ A light touch of his fingers on her arm made her start and momentarily she halted close by.

‘Will you own up to your sister about what happened and that you know Mr Best’s identity?’

Elise hesitated, then shook her head. She didn’t want to lie or tell half-truths but she knew she had no option but to do so. Beatrice was a lively gossip and might unwittingly betray her confidence, thus bringing disaster upon them both. She glanced up at the viscount about to say goodbye, but suddenly became aware that their conversation had been under scrutiny by many people. With a curt bob for him she ignored the whispering behind gloved hands and, head high, joined her family and friends with a smile pinned to her lips.

* * *

‘Well, I must say, the trip to Vauxhall turned into a thorough success.’ Maude Chapman bit into her toast and beamed at the four young ladies seated at the breakfast table with her. She seemed oblivious to the fact that her daughters and their guests seemed unusually quiet as each of them pondered on the previous evening’s excitement.

Beatrice was looking dreamy-eyed while pushing kedgeree to and fro and thinking of Hugh Kendrick’s warm hazel eyes. She was also congratulating herself on having sensibly refrained from going to meet Mr Best and vowed henceforth to chase all such nonsense from her mind. She determined to tell Elise of her decision as soon as possible and apologise for worrying her over it all.

Verity was smiling privately while attacking her poached eggs. In her opinion the Dewey sisters—and by association, she and Fiona also—were undoubtedly under animated discussion at many a breakfast table right now. She had observed several ladies yesterday who appeared ready to surrender their eye teeth for a chance to swap places with Elise and keep moody Viscount Blackthorne company.

Fiona was forcefully banging a spoon on a boiled egg while wistfully hoping that Mr Whittiker would stay away today and give her an opportunity to finish the still life she’d started some weeks ago. She knew she had a duty to her parents, and her mama in particular wanted to see her married, but she’d sooner keep the status quo if they could afford to and send James to look elsewhere for a wife.

Elise darted glances at reflective expressions and took a sip of tea, but felt little inclined to eat anything other than a slice of toast. A new day had brought no lessening of the turbulent emotions she felt over her behaviour last night with Viscount Blackthorne. Added to which Beatrice was no closer to realising her wish to have a husband and a move to town. During the journey home yesterday evening her sister had chattered on about charming Mr Kendrick and how she hoped their paths would cross again before they returned to Hertfordshire. Elise knew dispiritedly that she must nag Beatrice to pay attention to the fact that Hugh Kendrick had no prospects.

Maude Chapman patted her lips with a napkin. She’d been happily mulling over the events at Vauxhall while she ate and could find nothing wrong in what had occurred despite the fact that the Dewey girls had obviously netted the attention of two handsome bachelors and it had drawn spiteful comments from green-eyed people. Were the girls’ success with the gentlemen to give rise to gossip...so much the better in Maude’s opinion. She knew that she and her daughters had long remained on the fringes of the ton, but she had a feeling all that was about to change thanks to Elise and Beatrice.

The post was soon due to arrive and Maude was confident it would bear exciting news. She anticipated receiving cards from families who a week ago would have overlooked her and her daughters when drawing up their guest lists. Before the day was out Maude was expecting her mantelshelf to be littered with invitations for them all to go to balls and parties. She knew the workings of the minds of mothers keen to pair off their spinster daughters: women such as she herself wanted present at their soirées people sure to lure the rich and influential to their doors. Maude had an inkling—as she was certain did many other ambitious hostesses—that if Elise Dewey were to attend a party Viscount Blackthorne might turn up, too. And, of course, he had many eligible bachelor friends and one thing might lead to another...

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