Read Online A Sense of Sin by Elizabeth Essex - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Elizabeth Essex
Ads: Link
marched back to the ballroom.
“Why look at you, Celia, you’re all alight!” Melissa’s smile was mischievous. “Where have you been and with whom? Are those roses of love in your cheeks?”
“Not at all. I rather fancy it must be anger. How does it look on me?”
“Rather glittering.” Melissa retreated an uncertain step. “But tell me you are not angry with me, surely?”
“No, not at all. It is nothing. We must have you back at dancing so you can continue to take Dartmouth by storm. We must keep up the introductions so the young men won’t take me to task for neglecting them.” So she could leave Melissa to her ambitions and go on and pursue her own. She was about to take Melissa across the room into a group of young bucks when Melissa put a hand on her arm to halt her.
“Miss Burke? Celia?” Melissa’s face had taken on a rather pinched, green look, as if she might suddenly cast up her accounts. “I am not intimate with Dartmouth society, but is that by any chance the Vile Viscount? What is he doing here ?”
Celia turned. It was indeed Viscount Darling. And he was coming straight for her.
Del had not been invited, but that had never stopped him before and it had not stopped him this evening. The Viscount Darling came from a long line of men who knew their way around a hostess.
“My dear, Lady Harriet,” he had confessed as soon as he crossed the lady’s marble threshold, “I throw myself on your mercy for my mother’s sake. She particularly recommended you to me as a most sympathetic friend.” Lady Harriet Renning was an old friend of his mother’s and he would take every advantage of the connection.
“Viscount Darling.” She looked him up and down critically with the frankness only an older woman who had enjoyed her youth and been happy ever since could carry off. “I had heard you were about the town, though I have not had a letter from your mother in some time. I have written to her, of course. Such a dreadful loss for a mother. But she might have warned me of your arrival among us here in Dartmouth.”
“You are too kind, my lady. But you must not be too severe upon my mother. The Countess does not yet know I am come to Dartmouth. I have only just written her of my residence here. And you are very right—she has suffered a great loss. And so, it is for her sake I am attempting to reform my character in polite society.”
“Are you now? Reforming? How charming.” Her dry tone conveyed her doubt, but still, she smiled. “Then of course, you must come in and begin your reformation at my ball, though I daresay the ladies would prefer your form just as it is. You have your father’s look about you.”
“Dear lady, you must promise not to hold that against me!”
“Ha ha! Yes, I have known him these many, many years, but I will tell you the comparison flatters you, my boy and not him. He used to attempt that sleepy-eyed look you’ve perfected. By all means use it, but use it wisely, upon the widows. Steer well clear of the young virgins or I shall find the country outside my ballroom doors all in an uproar. Can you behave yourself?”
“By all means, your ladyship. By all means.”
Lady Harriet was generous, but not so generous as to introduce him where it might have done the most good, to her beautiful niece. Instead, she introduced him to some gentlemen of her generation, who were fond of their drink, their cards, and their horses in that order, and could laugh off the mention of his scandalous reputation.
Del stayed with the older gentlemen in the card room, where he was good-natured enough to lose some money, but he positioned himself as near the door as possible so he might observe Miss Burke.
He had badly misjudged their last encounter by putting a warning shot across her bow, but he had since fortified himself against her. He meant to win this war and defeat this enemy, so he must re-engage.
From the distance of the card room, she again seemed serene and remote.
“Why look at you, Celia, you’re all alight!” Melissa’s smile was mischievous. “Where have you been and with whom? Are those roses of love in your cheeks?”
“Not at all. I rather fancy it must be anger. How does it look on me?”
“Rather glittering.” Melissa retreated an uncertain step. “But tell me you are not angry with me, surely?”
“No, not at all. It is nothing. We must have you back at dancing so you can continue to take Dartmouth by storm. We must keep up the introductions so the young men won’t take me to task for neglecting them.” So she could leave Melissa to her ambitions and go on and pursue her own. She was about to take Melissa across the room into a group of young bucks when Melissa put a hand on her arm to halt her.
“Miss Burke? Celia?” Melissa’s face had taken on a rather pinched, green look, as if she might suddenly cast up her accounts. “I am not intimate with Dartmouth society, but is that by any chance the Vile Viscount? What is he doing here ?”
Celia turned. It was indeed Viscount Darling. And he was coming straight for her.
Del had not been invited, but that had never stopped him before and it had not stopped him this evening. The Viscount Darling came from a long line of men who knew their way around a hostess.
“My dear, Lady Harriet,” he had confessed as soon as he crossed the lady’s marble threshold, “I throw myself on your mercy for my mother’s sake. She particularly recommended you to me as a most sympathetic friend.” Lady Harriet Renning was an old friend of his mother’s and he would take every advantage of the connection.
“Viscount Darling.” She looked him up and down critically with the frankness only an older woman who had enjoyed her youth and been happy ever since could carry off. “I had heard you were about the town, though I have not had a letter from your mother in some time. I have written to her, of course. Such a dreadful loss for a mother. But she might have warned me of your arrival among us here in Dartmouth.”
“You are too kind, my lady. But you must not be too severe upon my mother. The Countess does not yet know I am come to Dartmouth. I have only just written her of my residence here. And you are very right—she has suffered a great loss. And so, it is for her sake I am attempting to reform my character in polite society.”
“Are you now? Reforming? How charming.” Her dry tone conveyed her doubt, but still, she smiled. “Then of course, you must come in and begin your reformation at my ball, though I daresay the ladies would prefer your form just as it is. You have your father’s look about you.”
“Dear lady, you must promise not to hold that against me!”
“Ha ha! Yes, I have known him these many, many years, but I will tell you the comparison flatters you, my boy and not him. He used to attempt that sleepy-eyed look you’ve perfected. By all means use it, but use it wisely, upon the widows. Steer well clear of the young virgins or I shall find the country outside my ballroom doors all in an uproar. Can you behave yourself?”
“By all means, your ladyship. By all means.”
Lady Harriet was generous, but not so generous as to introduce him where it might have done the most good, to her beautiful niece. Instead, she introduced him to some gentlemen of her generation, who were fond of their drink, their cards, and their horses in that order, and could laugh off the mention of his scandalous reputation.
Del stayed with the older gentlemen in the card room, where he was good-natured enough to lose some money, but he positioned himself as near the door as possible so he might observe Miss Burke.
He had badly misjudged their last encounter by putting a warning shot across her bow, but he had since fortified himself against her. He meant to win this war and defeat this enemy, so he must re-engage.
From the distance of the card room, she again seemed serene and remote.
Similar Books
