Read Online A Grand Deception by Shirley Marks - Free Book Online Page A

indeed. The evenings of
leisure reading were gone, and he wasn't sure he'd see them
again for a very long time.

    This ball, soiree, rout-whatever they called this type of
gathering-he spent dancing and "in conversation" with
various young ladies.
    "What a disaster!" Miss Torrington proclaimed for the
fifth time in the scant ten-minute interval she and Sherwin
had stood together. "Do you not think so?"
    Sherwin inhaled before making a noncommittal reply
but did not have the chance to utter an answer before Miss
Torrington continued. "I wonder who started it? I'm sure it
was some caper-witted gudgeon. Don't you think?"
    Sherwin wasn't sure how he'd-
    "Do you not know, my lord? Were you not present when
it happened? Not watching from the side but among the
dancers themselves, I daresay."
    If he had to listen to another person speak of the mishap
from the previous evening, Sherwin would ... He wasn't
quite sure what would happen, but he felt certain it would
be nothing less than scandalous.
    "Have I complimented you on your gown this evening?"
He offered up one of the standard compliments his mother
had given him to use on an occasion such as this. He could
not say why young ladies seemed to take his remarks to
heart and go on and on about the pains they had endured to
achieve their appearance.
    "Why, no, you have not." Miss Torrington lowered her
gaze. "I thank you for taking notice."
    He hadn't noticed anything. Sherwin could not make out
any details of her gown, only that it was pale in color-white,
if he had to guess. And he prayed that she would not ask if
any accessory she wore matched her eyes. He could not
distinguish their color.
    "It takes some talent to make allowable alterations to a `white gown,' because you must know that every young lady
must wear white during her first Season, but they can be so
dull, don't you think?" Miss Torrington continued. "The
changes must be very subtle: a soft flourish here, a small,
pale ruffle there, a bit of trimming to embellish one's hem
or draw attention to one's neckline."

    And men were supposed to notice these things?
    "A young lady attending her first Season must compete
with other young ladies out for their second or third Season
who wear colors that are much more expressive. Just as
gentlemen have the distinct advantage of wearing various
patterns and prints on their jackets and waistcoats."
    Sherwin's hands moved to the cloth-covered buttons of
his jacket, but the two appendages alone could not prevent
her from turning her scrutinizing eye toward him.
    "As for you . . ." Miss Torrington tilted her head in his direction. "Your lordship is a very practical man, I'd say. You
have minimal but tasteful accessories. The bold pattern of
your waistcoat and deep color of your jacket show maturity.
They are the work of a fine tailor. Your cravat was obviously
sculpted by a competent valet." She smiled, seemingly pleased
with him. "You, Lord Amhurst, are one finely dressed, very
serious gentleman."
    Miss Torrington could assess his character by what he
wore?
    Sherwin tugged his cravat, which felt as if it was constricting his neck. Then he glanced to the other gentlemen
in a halfhearted attempt to assess their appearance as Miss
Torrington had his, but he could not see them clearly.
    His mother had shopped, chosen, and purchased every
item he wore. The "maturity" of which Miss Torrington spoke
was his mother's, not his. Lady Amhurst had always taken exceptional pains with his appearance. She must have known
exactly what she was doing and what image she wanted him
to present.

    His companion's observation made him very uncomfortable. Sherwin had no notion that he had been on display
while he attended these functions.
    The idea of it did not appeal to him at all.
    Sir Samuel bid Muriel farewell after their tete-a-tete. He had
plans to attend a musical soiree that evening. Muriel then retreated into the small parlor with her aunt, where she