Read Online 106. Love's Dream in Peril by Barbara Cartland - Free Book Online
Authors: Barbara Cartland
Ads: Link
out a gold-embossed card.
“Penelope Ireton has chosen a date for her ball at last. She has been bragging on about it for months, while keeping us all on tenterhooks. I hate to admit it, Ranulph, but it will be the event of the Season.”
Lady Ireton was a widow, just a few years younger than Lord Ranulph’s mother. She was one of London’s best hostesses, famous for sumptuous luncheon parties and scintillating soirées .
Lord Ranulph had rather liked her when he had met her with his parents at the opera one evening, for she was a keen horsewoman and had been happy to tell him all about her very latest purchase, Rollo, a grey thoroughbred.
“Shall you go, darling?”
His mother was looking at him across the table as he pushed his plate of kedgeree aside.
“I don’t know,” he replied after a moment.
Lady Fowles looked rather cross.
“Why don’t you know? And what’s wrong with the kedgeree? Are you off your food?”
“I am not hungry, that’s all.”
“Well, I suppose it is rather hot this morning. But, darling, there really is no point in your being in London if you are going to mope around. You must go out and enjoy yourself and make the most of life and you simply cannot miss Lady Ireton’s ball.”
“I will think about it.”
“I should hope you will, darling. You know how much your father and I are longing for you to settle down. And that will never happen if you never meet any suitable girls.”
“No, Mama. Will you excuse me?”
Lord Ranulph left the breakfast table and headed for the Mews at the end of the street, where Major had now taken up residence.
It was a lovely morning, fine and clear, and the air was still cool and fresh. Perfect for a ride in Hyde Park.
As the groom saddled Major for him, Lord Ranulph felt that perhaps Lady Ireton’s ball might be worth going to after all.
At least he might have a chance to talk to her again, which would make up for the tedium of dancing with a host of young ladies who had nothing in their heads except the latest fashions.
*
Adella was about to go for her first drive since she had come to London.
She made her way downstairs very carefully for she was wearing a new blue-and-cream striped dress that had been delivered by the dressmaker’s that very morning.
It had a little jacket to match with blue bows on the sleeves and there was a pretty straw hat with a blue silk flower on it that rested on top of her golden hair.
Uncle Edgar was in the hall looking up at her.
“Well,” he said in doubtful tone, “I know nothing of fashion, but I am assured by the dressmaker that this is the very latest thing. I trust you will not look out of place among the throng of Society in Hyde Park.”
“Thank you, uncle. This is a beautiful dress. I like it very much.”
It was strange, but wearing the fine clothes almost made her want to speak in a different voice, cool and yet formal, as befitting a young lady.
“I should hope so,” Uncle Edgar declared. “It’s costing me a pretty penny to turn you out as befits a young girl in Society. Why it should be necessary for you to have an open carriage and pair I cannot think, but I am assured by members of my Club who have daughters of your age that this is correct.”
“It will be wonderful to be able to go for a drive,” Adella said. She had hardly been out of doors since she came to London two weeks ago.
All her time had been spent in having fittings for her new clothes and taking tea with the elderly wives of Uncle Edgar’s old friends from his days in India.
He shook his head and muttered to himself as he made his way back to his study.
Adella stepped out into the street and caught her breath as she saw what waited for her under the shade of the plane trees that grew all around Dorset Square.
An open landau, just the right vehicle that any lady would wish to be seen in as she drove around Hyde Park, had pulled up in front of the house.
But instead of Uncle Edgar’s bay carriage horses,
“Penelope Ireton has chosen a date for her ball at last. She has been bragging on about it for months, while keeping us all on tenterhooks. I hate to admit it, Ranulph, but it will be the event of the Season.”
Lady Ireton was a widow, just a few years younger than Lord Ranulph’s mother. She was one of London’s best hostesses, famous for sumptuous luncheon parties and scintillating soirées .
Lord Ranulph had rather liked her when he had met her with his parents at the opera one evening, for she was a keen horsewoman and had been happy to tell him all about her very latest purchase, Rollo, a grey thoroughbred.
“Shall you go, darling?”
His mother was looking at him across the table as he pushed his plate of kedgeree aside.
“I don’t know,” he replied after a moment.
Lady Fowles looked rather cross.
“Why don’t you know? And what’s wrong with the kedgeree? Are you off your food?”
“I am not hungry, that’s all.”
“Well, I suppose it is rather hot this morning. But, darling, there really is no point in your being in London if you are going to mope around. You must go out and enjoy yourself and make the most of life and you simply cannot miss Lady Ireton’s ball.”
“I will think about it.”
“I should hope you will, darling. You know how much your father and I are longing for you to settle down. And that will never happen if you never meet any suitable girls.”
“No, Mama. Will you excuse me?”
Lord Ranulph left the breakfast table and headed for the Mews at the end of the street, where Major had now taken up residence.
It was a lovely morning, fine and clear, and the air was still cool and fresh. Perfect for a ride in Hyde Park.
As the groom saddled Major for him, Lord Ranulph felt that perhaps Lady Ireton’s ball might be worth going to after all.
At least he might have a chance to talk to her again, which would make up for the tedium of dancing with a host of young ladies who had nothing in their heads except the latest fashions.
*
Adella was about to go for her first drive since she had come to London.
She made her way downstairs very carefully for she was wearing a new blue-and-cream striped dress that had been delivered by the dressmaker’s that very morning.
It had a little jacket to match with blue bows on the sleeves and there was a pretty straw hat with a blue silk flower on it that rested on top of her golden hair.
Uncle Edgar was in the hall looking up at her.
“Well,” he said in doubtful tone, “I know nothing of fashion, but I am assured by the dressmaker that this is the very latest thing. I trust you will not look out of place among the throng of Society in Hyde Park.”
“Thank you, uncle. This is a beautiful dress. I like it very much.”
It was strange, but wearing the fine clothes almost made her want to speak in a different voice, cool and yet formal, as befitting a young lady.
“I should hope so,” Uncle Edgar declared. “It’s costing me a pretty penny to turn you out as befits a young girl in Society. Why it should be necessary for you to have an open carriage and pair I cannot think, but I am assured by members of my Club who have daughters of your age that this is correct.”
“It will be wonderful to be able to go for a drive,” Adella said. She had hardly been out of doors since she came to London two weeks ago.
All her time had been spent in having fittings for her new clothes and taking tea with the elderly wives of Uncle Edgar’s old friends from his days in India.
He shook his head and muttered to himself as he made his way back to his study.
Adella stepped out into the street and caught her breath as she saw what waited for her under the shade of the plane trees that grew all around Dorset Square.
An open landau, just the right vehicle that any lady would wish to be seen in as she drove around Hyde Park, had pulled up in front of the house.
But instead of Uncle Edgar’s bay carriage horses,
Similar Books
