Read Online All Through the Night by Connie Brockway - Free Book Online

soldiers, dear?” Her tone suggested that such petitions had resulted in Anne’s solitary condition.
    Even Anne’s finely crafted repose was no match for such calculated cruelty. Rosy flags stained her cheeks.
    “How fascinating,” Jack said.
    “Sir?” Lady Dibbs fell eagerly on his murmur.
    “Well,” Jack mused, “I have been wont to think of a certain number of those soldiers as my men. I know for a fact that Wellington thinks of quite a few as his and, well, the prince regent has proclaimed them all his men so I find it interesting you should choose to gift Mrs. Wilder with them.”
    A smile quirked Lady Dibbs’s thin lips.
    “Well, of course, they are, all of them, England’s men and, as such, England’s responsibility. Indeed, you remind me of my obligations, Colonel, and I thank you. I pledge you a thousand pounds, Mrs. Wilder. For our soldiers.”
    A little gasp of appreciation arose from the group.
    “Another thousand pounds, that is,” Lady Dibbs declared, her eyes glittering like the jewels around her throat.
    Jack looked to see Anne Wilder’s reaction to such munificence. She did not look particularly impressed.
    “Then another thousand it shall be,” she replied softly. And with barely a glance in Jack’s direction, Anne excused herself to go look for her charge.
    Chapter Six
    The cold wind sifted through the hansom’s floorboards, soaking through the thin kid leather of Anne’s shoes. She ignored the discomfort, turning up the collar of her wool mantle and peering out at the wintry streets. Across the river the sun slowly sank toward the horizon. A few more streets and she’d arrive at the Charitable Society for Soldiers’ Relief and Aid—or the Home, as the local denizens called it.
    Anne settled back. She had much work to do there and she looked forward to it. For two weeks, ever since she and Sophia had been introduced to Colonel Seward—and he’d made his interest in them clear— she’d been plagued with anxiety. Each knock on the door brought her heart thundering to her throat. Each time the footman brought her his card—and there had been three such times—she’d gone to receive him certain he’d come to arrest her.
    She wasn’t sure she wouldn’t have preferred that because she could not for the life of her determine if he came to call on the Norths because he suspected her or because he was as drawn to her as she was to him. And she was drawn to him. She found herself taking pleasure from his visits and looking forward to his company. Which was insane!
    The carriage came to a halt and the driver opened the door. She hastened from the enclosed carriage and up the shallow stone stairs to a set of tarnished brass doors.
    One swung open. A boy of twelve or so doffed his cloth cap and stepped back for her to enter. She halted inside the foyer.
    “Hello, Will,” she said, blowing into her hands.
    The boy eyed her critically. She liked Will. Without his pragmatism and worldly advice she wouldn’t have accomplished what little she had achieved here.
    “You didn’t show up none too soon, Mrs. Wilder,” he finally said. “The weather turnin‘ nasty and we gots twice as many people in here as normal. We ain’t gonna make any good impression on them lords and ladies lookin’ like we do. You know religious types likes their poor folks in nice straight lines.”
    On some other day Will’s jaded perceptiveness might have made Anne smile. Not today. Come early this evening, a group of sober and extremely wealthy patrons would arrive to tour the Home. If she could impress them with the good being accomplished there, they might donate more money. More important, they might donate their expertise. The people she’d invited had long experience with running charitable institutes, something she sadly lacked.
    “We’ll do what we can, Will. Where’s Mr. Fry?” she asked, looking around for the administrator.
    “In the kitchen,” Will said. She pushed open one of the myriad doors