Read Online An Impossible Confession by Sandra Heath - Free Book Online

at pains to avoid speaking of now? Surely it had to be. Adam and Gregory had once been friends, but now loathed each other, and now it seemed that something of considerable importance, something disagreeable , had happened in the lives of both men the previous summer. That event had led to Adam’s withdrawing from further participation in horse racing except as a spectator, and whatever it was that had happened to Gregory had also been very much connected with horse racing.
    Margaret linked her arm. ‘Shall we go inside and see Gregory? He doesn’t even know you’re here; he’s far too absorbed in watching his horses through his telescope. It will do him good to take his eyes away from the wretched thing for a while, for I truly believe he’ll wake up one morning with one huge eye in the middle of his forehead.’
    Laughing, the sisters went into the house, and Helen immediately halted in surprise, gazing around the circular entrance hall. The cream walls were hung with the many racing certificates presented to Gregory’s winners, and with paintings of thosewinners. Three chandeliers were suspended from the ceiling, and a curving staircase followed the line of the wall, rising between fine Doric columns to a balustraded landing on the floor above. Daylight shafted in from high windows, falling on a floor of mosaic swirls of arcadian greenery. A number of fine double doors opened off the hall, and on either side of each were tables where vases of flowers and ferns had been exquisitely arranged. A basket stood next to one of these tables, and with it some more flowers, a pair of scissors, and a pair of dainty little gloves, from which Helen knew immediately that Margaret had been arranging the flowers when she’d heard the chaise arrive.
    Margaret smiled at her. ‘What do you think?’
    ‘I think you’ve arranged them beautifully.’
    ‘Not the flowers, silly, I mean the house.’
    ‘Oh, it’s perfect, Margaret, truly perfect.’
    ‘I’m afraid it’s already been trumped.’
    ‘It has? Surely not.’
    ‘I fear so, the Prince Regent has out-picturesqed us with the Royal Lodge, his new cottage orné in Windsor Great Park. Well, it’s hardly a cottage, it’s a veritable thatched palace, and when it was completed last month it was universally declared to be the most modern and superior dwelling in the land. I was quite of a mind to be miffed, but it’s impossible to remain miffed with him for long, he’s too charming.’
    Helen gave a slight laugh. ‘You know, I can still hardly believe my sister is friendly with the Prince Regent. It’s a world away from our life in Worcestershire, isn’t it?’
    ‘It certainly is, and you are shortly going to meet the prince yourself. We’re holding a dinner party here in a few days’ time, and he’s going to be the guest of honor. I trust your fortitude is up to not only the prince but also twenty-five other guests, including a number of dukes, duchesses, earls, countesses, and sundry other persons of consequence, including the Russian ambassador and at least three lady patronesses from Almack’s.’
    Helen felt quite pale at the prospect. ‘The Prince Regent and three of Almack’s dragons?’ She murmured faintly.
    ‘Yes, but don’t fret, for I’m sure you’ll carry it off with impeccable Fairmead flair. It’s all a considerable coup for you, you know,for there aren’t many young ladies who embark on their first Season with the Prince Regent under their belt – in a manner of speaking, of course.’ Margaret grinned.
    The footmen carried the first trunk in, still watched over by Mary, and as they vanished up the staircase, a butler appeared from one of the doors at the far end of the hall.
    ‘Ah, Morris,’ said Margaret, ‘as you can see, Miss Fairmead has arrived a little earlier than expected. Will you send some housemaids up to see that her room is in perfect order?’
    ‘Yes, madam.’ His voice was deep and rather lugubrious, and Helen was