Read Online Bluestocking Bride by Elizabeth Thornton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Thornton
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clothes, I must warn you that I am become a lady of great propriety and decorum."
He feigned dismay. "Do not say so, Catherine! I will not believe that the irrepressible Miss Harland has been persuaded to adopt the ways of the ton!"
"Charles, you must be careful not to tease me in your usual fashion when others are present, for if you do, my character will be ruined!"
"Then you must return to Ardo House before all is discovered!"
This easy address and playful manner were exactly suited to Catherine's mood. She realized with a pang how much she missed the raillery and teasing that were so much a part of a brother's converse with a . sister and that had drawn in his friend.
"I must inform my aunt and Lucy that you are here for I know that they will both wish to see you. But do strive for a little propriety!"
She returned in a moment with Lucy in tow and rang for refreshments, since Norton seemed in no hurry to take his leave of them.
"Do you plan to stay long in town?"
"Oh, I think for most of the Season. My cousin has some unfinished business that needs his attention before we drive down to Fotherville House." Catherine looked at him keenly, but his gaze was so bland that her mind was soon put to rest.
"Are you always so obliging, Charles?"
"Obliging?" He looked baffled.
"I was merely observing that your cousin is uncommonly fortunate in having a friend who is so willing to subordinate his own wishes to fall in with whatever he desires!"
"Oh, it's nothing like that, Catherine. Rutherston is a good fellow—and capital company. He'd as soon fall in with my wishes, if it came to the push." She looked doubtful, and he protested, "He would!"
"I'm sure that you are right, Mr. Norton," said Lucy, giving her sister a forbidding look. "Lord Rutherston has always shown himself most obliging to all his acquaintances." She looked at her sister for confirmation.
"Oh, quite." But the disbelieving tone in Catherine's voice did not deceive Norton.
"He will be glad to hear you say so, Miss Lucy." Then, with a gleam of mischief in his eyes, "Not all his, er , acquaintances would agree with you, but he can be devilish agreeable to anyone he wants to charm."
Catherine was stunned. She wondered if Mr. Norton were giving her a warning.
"Shall we see anything of Lord Rutherston ? Perhaps his business will occupy most of his attention when he's in town?" Lucy's question was uttered out of politeness, but Catherine's ears pricked to hear the answer, and she despised herself for it.
"Not see the Misses Harland? Miss Lucy, what a poor opinion you have of my cousin! However pressing his business, I'm sure that he will always find time to renew the acquaintance of those who made his stay in Breckenridge so agreeable." He was looking at Lucy, but Catherine was sure that the message was for her and she felt puzzled and confused.
The door opened and Lady Margaret entered. She noted with approval that her nieces were both in attendance to receive a gentleman caller, for country- bred girls sometimes forgot the stricter etiquette of the ton. That austere lady was soon won over by Mr. Norton's engaging manners and in a little time had discovered that he was residing at his cousin's house in Berkeley Square. Her astonishment on learning that Lord Rutherston was also acquainted with her nieces knew no bounds, and she visibly warmed toward Mr. Norton.
"I had hoped, ma'am," he said, "that I might take the Misses Harland in my cousin's curricle for a spin in the park this afternoon, if you have no objections."
What her ladyship's answer might have been if Mr. Norton had not disclosed his relationship to the Marquis of Rutherston , Catherine was not to know. Lady Margaret answered graciously that she had neither objections nor fears, since she was sure that if the marquis trusted his horses to him then she was certain he knew how to handle so unsteady a means of transportation as a curricle, and Catherine and Lucy were engaged to go riding in the
He feigned dismay. "Do not say so, Catherine! I will not believe that the irrepressible Miss Harland has been persuaded to adopt the ways of the ton!"
"Charles, you must be careful not to tease me in your usual fashion when others are present, for if you do, my character will be ruined!"
"Then you must return to Ardo House before all is discovered!"
This easy address and playful manner were exactly suited to Catherine's mood. She realized with a pang how much she missed the raillery and teasing that were so much a part of a brother's converse with a . sister and that had drawn in his friend.
"I must inform my aunt and Lucy that you are here for I know that they will both wish to see you. But do strive for a little propriety!"
She returned in a moment with Lucy in tow and rang for refreshments, since Norton seemed in no hurry to take his leave of them.
"Do you plan to stay long in town?"
"Oh, I think for most of the Season. My cousin has some unfinished business that needs his attention before we drive down to Fotherville House." Catherine looked at him keenly, but his gaze was so bland that her mind was soon put to rest.
"Are you always so obliging, Charles?"
"Obliging?" He looked baffled.
"I was merely observing that your cousin is uncommonly fortunate in having a friend who is so willing to subordinate his own wishes to fall in with whatever he desires!"
"Oh, it's nothing like that, Catherine. Rutherston is a good fellow—and capital company. He'd as soon fall in with my wishes, if it came to the push." She looked doubtful, and he protested, "He would!"
"I'm sure that you are right, Mr. Norton," said Lucy, giving her sister a forbidding look. "Lord Rutherston has always shown himself most obliging to all his acquaintances." She looked at her sister for confirmation.
"Oh, quite." But the disbelieving tone in Catherine's voice did not deceive Norton.
"He will be glad to hear you say so, Miss Lucy." Then, with a gleam of mischief in his eyes, "Not all his, er , acquaintances would agree with you, but he can be devilish agreeable to anyone he wants to charm."
Catherine was stunned. She wondered if Mr. Norton were giving her a warning.
"Shall we see anything of Lord Rutherston ? Perhaps his business will occupy most of his attention when he's in town?" Lucy's question was uttered out of politeness, but Catherine's ears pricked to hear the answer, and she despised herself for it.
"Not see the Misses Harland? Miss Lucy, what a poor opinion you have of my cousin! However pressing his business, I'm sure that he will always find time to renew the acquaintance of those who made his stay in Breckenridge so agreeable." He was looking at Lucy, but Catherine was sure that the message was for her and she felt puzzled and confused.
The door opened and Lady Margaret entered. She noted with approval that her nieces were both in attendance to receive a gentleman caller, for country- bred girls sometimes forgot the stricter etiquette of the ton. That austere lady was soon won over by Mr. Norton's engaging manners and in a little time had discovered that he was residing at his cousin's house in Berkeley Square. Her astonishment on learning that Lord Rutherston was also acquainted with her nieces knew no bounds, and she visibly warmed toward Mr. Norton.
"I had hoped, ma'am," he said, "that I might take the Misses Harland in my cousin's curricle for a spin in the park this afternoon, if you have no objections."
What her ladyship's answer might have been if Mr. Norton had not disclosed his relationship to the Marquis of Rutherston , Catherine was not to know. Lady Margaret answered graciously that she had neither objections nor fears, since she was sure that if the marquis trusted his horses to him then she was certain he knew how to handle so unsteady a means of transportation as a curricle, and Catherine and Lucy were engaged to go riding in the
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