Read Online A Fool Again by Eloisa James - Free Book Online Page A

the opera. Felton and I are seeing The White Elephant, the Earl Godwin’s latest composition.”
    â€œThe composer is an earl, or is Earl his first name?” To-bias inquired.
    Genevieve allowed the footman to hand her into the carriage as if she were a fragile piece of china. She was not the sort of woman who clambered in by herself. “He is titled,” she said languidly, taking out her fan. “The earl is quite famous for his operas.”
    â€œThings must have changed in England since I left the country,” he said, folding himself into the opposite seat. “I don’t recall any peers dabbling in music.”
    Why did he have to be so large? “Where are we going?” she asked, ladling a generous dollop of boredom into her voice.
    â€œBartholomew Fair,” he said.
    Genevieve dropped her air of fashionable boredom. “Bartholomew Fair? But—why on earth? People of our sort don’t attend Bartholomew Fair!”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œBecause it’s not—it’s not for us, that’s why!”
    â€œDon’t be a widgeon. It’s Bartholomew day, and anyone with an unscrambled brain in their head is going to the fair.”
    â€œGoodness sakes,” Genevieve said faintly. “I never heard of such a thing. And what shall we do there, pray?” She fanned herself to hide her agitation. At least no one would recognize them at the fair.
    â€œEat Bartholomew pig,” he said lazily, stretching his legs so that Genevieve had to move over on her seat to avoid touching his ankle. “And gingerbread shaped like people. I, Genevieve, only eat lady gingerbread. And you?”
    She narrowed her eyes at him. She had the feeling there was some sort of joke behind his comment. “I have never eaten such a thing in my life!” she told him roundly. “Gingerbread comes in squares.”
    He laughed. “There are lamentable gaps in your education, love.”
    â€œDon’t you dare call me love! ” she cried, incensed.
    When Genevieve descended from the carriage she was met by a literal roar of noise: hucksters selling everything from china vases to geese, trumpets and hurdy-gurdies shrilling in the distance, the giddy-go-round squeaking its way in a circle to the music of a breathless man playing a loud pipe. And everywhere she looked there were people: red-coated soldiers escorting comely lasses, apprentices with snub noses and naughty looks, city wives in white aprons carrying baskets of jam, country folk wandering about with their mouths open. She was as dumbstruck as any country provincial herself.
    Tobias grinned at her. “Magnificent, isn’t it?” he said.
    â€œOh, it is!” she breathed. “It is! What’s that?” she asked, pointing her parasol at a row of sheds, all hung about with brightly colored curtains and decorated with streamers that swirled in the breeze.
    â€œThose are sideshows,” Tobias told her, slipping his hand under her arm. “Wire-walkers, acrobats, puppet shows—”
    â€œLet’s go see!” Genevieve cried. They made their way through the crowd. “Oh, look! A Mermaid! We must see her! And a Wise Pig: what could be wise about a pig? Flying Boats: we must see those. And a Golden Goose!”
    â€œMermaid first?”
    Genevieve nodded. Tobias gave threepence to a very grimy man at the door, and they entered.
    â€œThat was a very shabby mermaid!” Genevieve said indignantly when they exited the back of the shed. “Even I could see that her fins were made of paper! And all that hair. I suspect she was wearing a wig! ”
    â€œHer breasts were her own,” Tobias reassured her.
    Genevieve frowned at him. The mermaid’s breasts were only partially obscured by her hair, which probably explained why the line in front of her stand was primarily made up of grinning men.
    â€œI should like to see the Living Skeleton now!” she said,