Read Online A Terrible Beauty (Season of the Furies Book 1) by Stephanie Patterson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Stephanie Patterson
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gentle hand on the young girl’s shoulder. Next, she reached into her reticule and drew out a note. It looked to be a five-pound note at that. Araby pressed it into the girl’s hand and then leaned in to speak earnestly with her. The girl’s mouth hung open in disbelief, her eyes wide as she stared at the money. She nodded rapidly at Araby’s words and dropped a curtsey to her unknown benefactress. Araby nodded and set off across the street with her maid.
Michael lost no time in approaching the girl, using his most charming smile so as not to alarm her. “Good morning, my dear. Would you mind telling me what the lady said to you?”
She looked up at him nervously as though she feared she were in trouble and that her windfall was about to be snatched away from her. She tucked her fist behind her back. “Nuffing, me lord, nuffing at all.”
“You needn’t worry. Here,” he said reaching for his billfold. He pulled out a ten-pound note and offered it to her.
She eyed him suspiciously. “I’m a good girl, sir. I don’t go wif gentlemen.”
“Nor should you,” Michael returned gently. “I’m only offering to pay you for information about the young lady.”
The girl still hesitated and Michael found himself surprised and quite impressed with her sense of loyalty to a stranger. “I don’t want to cause ‘er no trouble, sir.”
“You won’t,” he assured her, pressing the money towards her other hand. “I just want to know what you told her and what she said to you. That’s all.”
The girl swallowed. “I told the lady that a couple of toffs kicked around me basket for sport and ‘ow I didn’t have no money to buy more flowers. She gimme five pounds, sir! Five pounds! Told me I needed to get meself a barrow. She said how her money would be a start.”
“And this will add to it,” he said kindly, offering the money again. This time the girl accepted it, her eyes again filling with tears.
“You going to the theater tonight too, sir?”
“Why do you ask?”
“The young lady, sir. She told me to buy bouquets – proper ones – and to be outside of the Royal tonight after the play’s over. She said she’d buy one from me and then everyone else would too. She said everyone likes to do what she does.” The girl studied the money Michael had given her. “Looks like she’s bloody well right.”
Michael chuckled. “I’ll be there and if you’ve any flowers left, I’ll buy the lot from you. I promise.” The girl gazed up at him with nothing short of hero worship in her eyes. He tipped his hat to her and set off for home. He smiled the entire way, anticipating an evening at the theater as he hadn’t done in ages.
Later that night he watched in amazement as the Incomparable batted her lashes at Lord Iredale and pointed to a bouquet that had caught her attention. Lady Katherine and Miss Melbourne each expressed a similar interest and by the time their carriages arrived, the girl had sold all her bouquets. Only Araby though, turned back and looked at the little flower girl beaming happily at her. She gave the girl a breathtaking smile in return, and waved the tips of her fingers before taking a footman’s hand to step into her carriage. In that moment Michael knew there was more to Araby Winston than he’d ever supposed. Impossible as it seemed, the girl had somehow managed to burrow past his defenses and he feared he might actually come to like her.
***
“I don’t wish to discuss Lady Arabella with you, Michael,” Drew ground out between his clenched teeth. “You’ve already made your opinion of her clear enough, thank you. I don’t need you badgering me.”
Michael let his exasperation get the better of him. “Perhaps if you’d stop acting like a love-starved fool I’d let the matter rest, but you refused to come to the Armitage Ball last week and now you’re crying off from the Deering's picnic. What the deuce has your tailcoat in such a twist if not Araby
Michael lost no time in approaching the girl, using his most charming smile so as not to alarm her. “Good morning, my dear. Would you mind telling me what the lady said to you?”
She looked up at him nervously as though she feared she were in trouble and that her windfall was about to be snatched away from her. She tucked her fist behind her back. “Nuffing, me lord, nuffing at all.”
“You needn’t worry. Here,” he said reaching for his billfold. He pulled out a ten-pound note and offered it to her.
She eyed him suspiciously. “I’m a good girl, sir. I don’t go wif gentlemen.”
“Nor should you,” Michael returned gently. “I’m only offering to pay you for information about the young lady.”
The girl still hesitated and Michael found himself surprised and quite impressed with her sense of loyalty to a stranger. “I don’t want to cause ‘er no trouble, sir.”
“You won’t,” he assured her, pressing the money towards her other hand. “I just want to know what you told her and what she said to you. That’s all.”
The girl swallowed. “I told the lady that a couple of toffs kicked around me basket for sport and ‘ow I didn’t have no money to buy more flowers. She gimme five pounds, sir! Five pounds! Told me I needed to get meself a barrow. She said how her money would be a start.”
“And this will add to it,” he said kindly, offering the money again. This time the girl accepted it, her eyes again filling with tears.
“You going to the theater tonight too, sir?”
“Why do you ask?”
“The young lady, sir. She told me to buy bouquets – proper ones – and to be outside of the Royal tonight after the play’s over. She said she’d buy one from me and then everyone else would too. She said everyone likes to do what she does.” The girl studied the money Michael had given her. “Looks like she’s bloody well right.”
Michael chuckled. “I’ll be there and if you’ve any flowers left, I’ll buy the lot from you. I promise.” The girl gazed up at him with nothing short of hero worship in her eyes. He tipped his hat to her and set off for home. He smiled the entire way, anticipating an evening at the theater as he hadn’t done in ages.
Later that night he watched in amazement as the Incomparable batted her lashes at Lord Iredale and pointed to a bouquet that had caught her attention. Lady Katherine and Miss Melbourne each expressed a similar interest and by the time their carriages arrived, the girl had sold all her bouquets. Only Araby though, turned back and looked at the little flower girl beaming happily at her. She gave the girl a breathtaking smile in return, and waved the tips of her fingers before taking a footman’s hand to step into her carriage. In that moment Michael knew there was more to Araby Winston than he’d ever supposed. Impossible as it seemed, the girl had somehow managed to burrow past his defenses and he feared he might actually come to like her.
***
“I don’t wish to discuss Lady Arabella with you, Michael,” Drew ground out between his clenched teeth. “You’ve already made your opinion of her clear enough, thank you. I don’t need you badgering me.”
Michael let his exasperation get the better of him. “Perhaps if you’d stop acting like a love-starved fool I’d let the matter rest, but you refused to come to the Armitage Ball last week and now you’re crying off from the Deering's picnic. What the deuce has your tailcoat in such a twist if not Araby
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