Read Online Already His (The Caversham Chronicles - Book Two) by Sandy Raven - Free Book Online
Authors: Sandy Raven
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approached their group the other women turned their backs to her, shutting her out from their discussion. This reinforced her determination to remain composed and unperturbed in the face of the derisive comments she was sure to hear from the women of le bon ton. She went past her sister-in-law, to stand next to her grandmother. Elise smiled as the two women left the dais, their conversation with the duchess over.
Curiosity filled her as she leaned over and asked why the two so suddenly decided to leave their company.
“I find I am having to defend your choice in gowns,” her sister-in-law said, her voice tinged with anger.
Regret filled Elise and she was about to apologize to her sister-in-law, when Her Grace added, “I merely stated that, as I observe the others of your set here in this very room, your gown is more modest in decolletage than most. The fact that yours is absent a three inch strip of material at the shoulders is inconsequential, the fitted bodice accentuates your slender shape, and if the curve of an ankle is going to incite a man to lustful thought and deed, then he isn’t a man we would have aligned with our family. I also reminded them that you are an extremely beautiful young lady with the good fortune as not to require trinkets, frills and such to impress and attract any suitor your heart desires.”
Her sister-in-law had defended her! Elise felt a tight knot rise in her throat, and she fought the urge to cry. She hugged Lia fiercely and thanked her. “I wanted to appear separate from the crowd, because I’m not like the others. I’m me and wanted to present and reiterate that fact to all.”
Her sister-in-law hugged her back with equal enthusiasm. “If anyone so much as dares to taint you with gossip pertaining to your gown or decision to not to wear gaudy jewels to weigh your slender beauty down, they will have to answer to me, I promise.”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself,” her grandmother said, raising her champagne flute to her rouged lips. She winked at Elise. “Notice the old heifers didn’t dare say a word to me about your marvelous dress. I would have said the same as Her Grace, except perhaps not quite so politely.”
“Grandmother,” Elise said softly, her veneer of false composure close to cracking, “Mrs. Pritchard once said that I should endeavor to say nothing if I had nothing nice to say.”
“Balderdash. Go around criticizing the debutant honoree, and you might find yourself uninvited from other events of the season,” her grandmother said with just enough force in her voice to be heard by the two matrons who stood nearby.
Lia saved the moment when she said, “It seems the young bucks want a turn about the floor with you. Go, have your fun, and don’t worry about gossip. Your grandmother and I shall protect your reputation. Besides, no one would go against me or risk my wrath. For some reason I have garnered a reputation as having a terrible temper, when really they should be more concerned with Grandmother’s tongue and not my temper!”
Elise turned and as she did so, bumped into the first of her dance partners for the night. The Honorable David Sinclair caught her by the waist to keep her from falling, his hand lingered slightly longer than was appropriate.
“Lady Elise,” he said, then bowed low. “I came to ask if I may have this dance.”
“I had promised it to someone, sir. I am very sorry,” she said.
“Since the unfortunate gentleman is not on hand to have the pleasure of dancing with you, I offer myself up.” Mr. Sinclair smiled, but the effort never made it to his eyes.
Elise looked around for the dark-haired gentleman with the eggplant colored coat she’d originally promised the dance to, and when he failed to appear, she acknowledged he likely was in the card room and had forgot his promise to her. It happened to her all the time. She looked up into Mr. Sinclair’s Nordic good looks, and nodded her head and smiled.
For the
Curiosity filled her as she leaned over and asked why the two so suddenly decided to leave their company.
“I find I am having to defend your choice in gowns,” her sister-in-law said, her voice tinged with anger.
Regret filled Elise and she was about to apologize to her sister-in-law, when Her Grace added, “I merely stated that, as I observe the others of your set here in this very room, your gown is more modest in decolletage than most. The fact that yours is absent a three inch strip of material at the shoulders is inconsequential, the fitted bodice accentuates your slender shape, and if the curve of an ankle is going to incite a man to lustful thought and deed, then he isn’t a man we would have aligned with our family. I also reminded them that you are an extremely beautiful young lady with the good fortune as not to require trinkets, frills and such to impress and attract any suitor your heart desires.”
Her sister-in-law had defended her! Elise felt a tight knot rise in her throat, and she fought the urge to cry. She hugged Lia fiercely and thanked her. “I wanted to appear separate from the crowd, because I’m not like the others. I’m me and wanted to present and reiterate that fact to all.”
Her sister-in-law hugged her back with equal enthusiasm. “If anyone so much as dares to taint you with gossip pertaining to your gown or decision to not to wear gaudy jewels to weigh your slender beauty down, they will have to answer to me, I promise.”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself,” her grandmother said, raising her champagne flute to her rouged lips. She winked at Elise. “Notice the old heifers didn’t dare say a word to me about your marvelous dress. I would have said the same as Her Grace, except perhaps not quite so politely.”
“Grandmother,” Elise said softly, her veneer of false composure close to cracking, “Mrs. Pritchard once said that I should endeavor to say nothing if I had nothing nice to say.”
“Balderdash. Go around criticizing the debutant honoree, and you might find yourself uninvited from other events of the season,” her grandmother said with just enough force in her voice to be heard by the two matrons who stood nearby.
Lia saved the moment when she said, “It seems the young bucks want a turn about the floor with you. Go, have your fun, and don’t worry about gossip. Your grandmother and I shall protect your reputation. Besides, no one would go against me or risk my wrath. For some reason I have garnered a reputation as having a terrible temper, when really they should be more concerned with Grandmother’s tongue and not my temper!”
Elise turned and as she did so, bumped into the first of her dance partners for the night. The Honorable David Sinclair caught her by the waist to keep her from falling, his hand lingered slightly longer than was appropriate.
“Lady Elise,” he said, then bowed low. “I came to ask if I may have this dance.”
“I had promised it to someone, sir. I am very sorry,” she said.
“Since the unfortunate gentleman is not on hand to have the pleasure of dancing with you, I offer myself up.” Mr. Sinclair smiled, but the effort never made it to his eyes.
Elise looked around for the dark-haired gentleman with the eggplant colored coat she’d originally promised the dance to, and when he failed to appear, she acknowledged he likely was in the card room and had forgot his promise to her. It happened to her all the time. She looked up into Mr. Sinclair’s Nordic good looks, and nodded her head and smiled.
For the
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