Read Online Amberley Chronicles Boxset I: The Impostor Debutante My Last Marchioness the Sister Quest (Amberley Chronicles Boxsets Book 1) by May Burnett - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: May Burnett
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remarked, “Maybe we had better go back.”
“Yes, I dare say you are right.” James deftly turned the greys around. The horses did not seem to mind the drops of rain, so far. With this cool weather, at least there was little chance of a thunderstorm; that could make them panic, and he did not want to risk Charlotte’s safety. For a minute both looked at the animals in silence.
“Keeping a pair of beautiful horses here in the city must be quite expensive,” Charlotte remarked.
“My dear girl, it is gauche to talk about money. And I might point out that ugly horses eat and cost just as much, except when you first purchase them. These two darlings were the result of a bet I won with Lord Dorlingham, so I only have to pay for their upkeep.
“Still – “
“Don’t worry about my finances, Charlotte, you have more serious concerns.” It irritated James that she seemed to consider him unable to afford his lifestyle.
“I was just trying to make conversation,” Charlotte retorted, stung. “You sound like a schoolmaster. Remember that we are the same age.”
“In terms of town bronze you are still a baby. But you are right; if I sounded churlish, please forgive me. You have presented me with quite a challenge, you know.”
“More than one, it would seem.”
“Indeed. I will send to you if I find out anything useful – first of all we must get rid of Conway, then we can turn back to your inheritance.”
“Weren’t we going to visit the solicitors’ offices tomorrow? I would like to go ahead with that, now more than ever.”
“Mother is not going to like it if we drive out together two days in a row.”
“I don’t really care what your mother likes, James. Are you afraid of her, by any chance?”
“Of course not! But as you yourself are living in her household as her guest, you can only defy her up to a point. You haven’t seen yet of what she is capable when her will is crossed. I do not fear my mother, but I have a healthy respect of her. So does George.”
“I see,” Charlotte said neutrally. James was conscious of a desire to shake her. Fortunately the horses made it impossible to act on this impulse.
“I think I am falling in love with you,” he told Charlotte conversationally as they rounded a corner.
She was silenced for a full minute.
“That is unfortunate,” she said at last. “You know my position; nothing can come of your attraction, or even your love. But I think it is mere infatuation. We have not known each other very long.”
“I disagree – time will show if it is infatuation or more; but something very delightful could indeed come of my feelings for you. If they are not one-sided, of course.”
“That is neither here nor there-”
“Are they? One-sided, I mean?”
“I am not going to answer that question.” Charlotte folded her arms.
James was content for the moment; if the answer had been negative, surely she would have said so, if only to put him in his place.
“We can continue this discussion when we have sorted out Conway.” He refused to refer to the scoundrel as “your husband”. Any husband or lover other than himself was clearly wrong for Charlotte; this conviction was growing on James all the time. He’d yet bring her around to his point of view. Hadn’t he always got what he really, truly wanted?
Chapter 12
Upon her return to Mount Street, Charlotte was reproached by Lady Amberley, yet again, for being “too much in James’s pocket”. Still fuming over her hostess’s words, she went to change quickly, as callers were expected. According to Lady Amberley, those gentlemen who had sent flowers were likely to come and pay their respects, in some cases accompanied by mothers or sisters, eager to vet the possible new prospect.
These courtship rituals were a monumental waste of time from Charlotte’s perspective; she was glad for Belinda’s sake that her sister was not exposed to this ordeal.
In their early teens, when they had been
“Yes, I dare say you are right.” James deftly turned the greys around. The horses did not seem to mind the drops of rain, so far. With this cool weather, at least there was little chance of a thunderstorm; that could make them panic, and he did not want to risk Charlotte’s safety. For a minute both looked at the animals in silence.
“Keeping a pair of beautiful horses here in the city must be quite expensive,” Charlotte remarked.
“My dear girl, it is gauche to talk about money. And I might point out that ugly horses eat and cost just as much, except when you first purchase them. These two darlings were the result of a bet I won with Lord Dorlingham, so I only have to pay for their upkeep.
“Still – “
“Don’t worry about my finances, Charlotte, you have more serious concerns.” It irritated James that she seemed to consider him unable to afford his lifestyle.
“I was just trying to make conversation,” Charlotte retorted, stung. “You sound like a schoolmaster. Remember that we are the same age.”
“In terms of town bronze you are still a baby. But you are right; if I sounded churlish, please forgive me. You have presented me with quite a challenge, you know.”
“More than one, it would seem.”
“Indeed. I will send to you if I find out anything useful – first of all we must get rid of Conway, then we can turn back to your inheritance.”
“Weren’t we going to visit the solicitors’ offices tomorrow? I would like to go ahead with that, now more than ever.”
“Mother is not going to like it if we drive out together two days in a row.”
“I don’t really care what your mother likes, James. Are you afraid of her, by any chance?”
“Of course not! But as you yourself are living in her household as her guest, you can only defy her up to a point. You haven’t seen yet of what she is capable when her will is crossed. I do not fear my mother, but I have a healthy respect of her. So does George.”
“I see,” Charlotte said neutrally. James was conscious of a desire to shake her. Fortunately the horses made it impossible to act on this impulse.
“I think I am falling in love with you,” he told Charlotte conversationally as they rounded a corner.
She was silenced for a full minute.
“That is unfortunate,” she said at last. “You know my position; nothing can come of your attraction, or even your love. But I think it is mere infatuation. We have not known each other very long.”
“I disagree – time will show if it is infatuation or more; but something very delightful could indeed come of my feelings for you. If they are not one-sided, of course.”
“That is neither here nor there-”
“Are they? One-sided, I mean?”
“I am not going to answer that question.” Charlotte folded her arms.
James was content for the moment; if the answer had been negative, surely she would have said so, if only to put him in his place.
“We can continue this discussion when we have sorted out Conway.” He refused to refer to the scoundrel as “your husband”. Any husband or lover other than himself was clearly wrong for Charlotte; this conviction was growing on James all the time. He’d yet bring her around to his point of view. Hadn’t he always got what he really, truly wanted?
Chapter 12
Upon her return to Mount Street, Charlotte was reproached by Lady Amberley, yet again, for being “too much in James’s pocket”. Still fuming over her hostess’s words, she went to change quickly, as callers were expected. According to Lady Amberley, those gentlemen who had sent flowers were likely to come and pay their respects, in some cases accompanied by mothers or sisters, eager to vet the possible new prospect.
These courtship rituals were a monumental waste of time from Charlotte’s perspective; she was glad for Belinda’s sake that her sister was not exposed to this ordeal.
In their early teens, when they had been
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