Read Online A Wedding Wager by Jane Feather - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jane Feather
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conversation. “So, why are you moping? ’Tis not like you.”
“Oh, I was obliged to give young Lord Peter his congé,” Margaret explained, turning a dainty diamond bracelet around on her wrist. “He was becoming rather possessive. But his ardor was always very invigorating … I shall miss him.”
Serena chuckled. Margaret was a few years older than she, a woman who made the most of her unconventional looks. Her features were sharp in an angular countenance, her nose a very prominent aquiline, her chin pointed and more than decisive. Her pallid complexion was sadly freckled, and her hair was an unmistakable carrot, but she had flair and a mesmerizing pair of green eyes that drew attention away from whatever faults there were in her appearance. Her clothes and lavish jewelry were always at the forefront of fashion; her plunging décolletage made the most of a rather insignificant bosom. Her tongue was sharp, her wit acerbic, and she was the one person with whom Serena felt she could truly be herself, the one person she could confide in.
Apart from Sebastian. But Serena quashed that reflection; it did her no good, but it brought her back to the business in hand. The maid brought in the tea tray, and she accepted a dish with a slightly distracted smile.
Margaret noticed the distraction immediately. Her green eyes narrowed as she stirred her tea with a delicate silver spoon. “So, is this purely a social call, my love, or is there an ulterior motive?”
“Both,” Serena said frankly. She sipped her tea, then set the dish back on the side table beside the sofa. “I need a quiet, private place for a rendezvous, Margaret.”
“And where better than here in my little love nest?” Margaret swept her arm in an encompassing gesture at their surroundings. “Is this some new liaison?” Her gazesharpened with curiosity. “I thought you not interested in such affaires. ”
Serena shook her head vigorously. “I’m not. This is, if anything, the opposite. I need to settle matters once and for all with Sebastian.”
Margaret’s eyes widened. “Ah,” she murmured. “Has he made an appearance, then?”
“’Tis impossible not to bump into him at every turn,” Serena said a little crossly. “First he was at Pickering Place, and then, of all things, he pops up at the Suttons’, when I was visiting there this afternoon.”
“The Suttons?” Margaret’s well-plucked eyebrows rose. “I remember them from Brussels. Decent enough people but hardly the kind of company the Blackwater family would keep.”
“He apparently did Abigail some service when she was out shopping … some unpleasantness she encountered in the street. Sebastian is, if nothing else, always chivalrous.” She heard the acidity in her voice and welcomed it. It gave her much-needed armor against something, she just wasn’t sure what.
Margaret was regarding her in thoughtful silence. After a moment, she said, “So is this meeting to be in the nature of a reconciliation?”
“No, how could it be?” Serena shook her head. “You know how things stand with my stepfather, Margaret.”
Her friend gave a sober nod of assent. “Has he been up to his tricks again?”
“Not exactly … but I think he’s cooking something up with that loathsome Lord Burford.” Serena twisted her fingers into a knot in her lap. “He won’t find it so easy this time.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, but Margaret heard every word.
“If you need sanctuary, love, you know you will find it here.” She leaned over and grasped Serena’s busy fingers, stilling them with her own long, thin hand.
“I know, and believe me, the thought of that is ineffably comforting, Margaret. But I wouldn’t want to cramp your style.” She laughed a little. “And I believe I can handle the general. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say.”
“As they say.” Margaret sat back again. “So when would you wish to meet with the Honorable Sebastian? I can be out at any
“Oh, I was obliged to give young Lord Peter his congé,” Margaret explained, turning a dainty diamond bracelet around on her wrist. “He was becoming rather possessive. But his ardor was always very invigorating … I shall miss him.”
Serena chuckled. Margaret was a few years older than she, a woman who made the most of her unconventional looks. Her features were sharp in an angular countenance, her nose a very prominent aquiline, her chin pointed and more than decisive. Her pallid complexion was sadly freckled, and her hair was an unmistakable carrot, but she had flair and a mesmerizing pair of green eyes that drew attention away from whatever faults there were in her appearance. Her clothes and lavish jewelry were always at the forefront of fashion; her plunging décolletage made the most of a rather insignificant bosom. Her tongue was sharp, her wit acerbic, and she was the one person with whom Serena felt she could truly be herself, the one person she could confide in.
Apart from Sebastian. But Serena quashed that reflection; it did her no good, but it brought her back to the business in hand. The maid brought in the tea tray, and she accepted a dish with a slightly distracted smile.
Margaret noticed the distraction immediately. Her green eyes narrowed as she stirred her tea with a delicate silver spoon. “So, is this purely a social call, my love, or is there an ulterior motive?”
“Both,” Serena said frankly. She sipped her tea, then set the dish back on the side table beside the sofa. “I need a quiet, private place for a rendezvous, Margaret.”
“And where better than here in my little love nest?” Margaret swept her arm in an encompassing gesture at their surroundings. “Is this some new liaison?” Her gazesharpened with curiosity. “I thought you not interested in such affaires. ”
Serena shook her head vigorously. “I’m not. This is, if anything, the opposite. I need to settle matters once and for all with Sebastian.”
Margaret’s eyes widened. “Ah,” she murmured. “Has he made an appearance, then?”
“’Tis impossible not to bump into him at every turn,” Serena said a little crossly. “First he was at Pickering Place, and then, of all things, he pops up at the Suttons’, when I was visiting there this afternoon.”
“The Suttons?” Margaret’s well-plucked eyebrows rose. “I remember them from Brussels. Decent enough people but hardly the kind of company the Blackwater family would keep.”
“He apparently did Abigail some service when she was out shopping … some unpleasantness she encountered in the street. Sebastian is, if nothing else, always chivalrous.” She heard the acidity in her voice and welcomed it. It gave her much-needed armor against something, she just wasn’t sure what.
Margaret was regarding her in thoughtful silence. After a moment, she said, “So is this meeting to be in the nature of a reconciliation?”
“No, how could it be?” Serena shook her head. “You know how things stand with my stepfather, Margaret.”
Her friend gave a sober nod of assent. “Has he been up to his tricks again?”
“Not exactly … but I think he’s cooking something up with that loathsome Lord Burford.” Serena twisted her fingers into a knot in her lap. “He won’t find it so easy this time.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, but Margaret heard every word.
“If you need sanctuary, love, you know you will find it here.” She leaned over and grasped Serena’s busy fingers, stilling them with her own long, thin hand.
“I know, and believe me, the thought of that is ineffably comforting, Margaret. But I wouldn’t want to cramp your style.” She laughed a little. “And I believe I can handle the general. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say.”
“As they say.” Margaret sat back again. “So when would you wish to meet with the Honorable Sebastian? I can be out at any
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