Read Online Compromising Miss Tisdale by Jessica Jefferson - Free Book Online
Authors: Jessica Jefferson
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with their companions chatting eagerly behind them.
“You really should make more of an effort to be seen,” Amelia scolded. “I haven’t seen you out and about for nearly two weeks. You don’t want to be forgotten, do you? You’ll have tongues wagging that you’ve given up on a husband and reconciled with the notion of living out your life as a spinster.”
“Is that why you wanted to speak with me then? To reprimand me for not being social enough?” Ambrosia goaded. “I’ve been quite busy with my charitable endeavors.”
Amelia snorted. “You and those orphans! Or was it lepers this week?”
“Neither. It was simply some poor souls that found themselves in hospital. How dare they have the nerve to become ill whilst there are parties to attend!”
Amelia rolled her eyes. “Enough about you, let’s talk about me,” Amelia primped her hair. “You are aware that James and his wife are in town for the Season? Well, there is a rumor that she is finally with child. Though James frequents the club so often I haven’t the faintest idea how she came about being enceinte in the first place.”
“Still playing cards then?” Ambrosia asked. James came from a long line of card players, none of whom had been very talented and were a bit of disservice to the game, really.
Amelia folded her arms in front of her chest. “Playing would imply that he’s actually winning some of the time. More correctly, James is still losing at cards.”
Ambrosia nodded, not surprised in the least. “Ah, I see. Well, it’s a good thing he has the ducal inheritance to squander then, isn’t it?”
Amelia didn’t answer straight away and the two girls walked in silence for a bit.
Ambrosia looked up toward the bright sky. The clouds were moving quickly, threatening to clear off the perpetual overcast that plagued London. “My mother received correspondence from your old friend, the Earl, this morning. She extended him an invitation to our ball, though I abhor the idea it becoming an exhibition like that of Lord and Lady Montgomery’s.”
“Lord Bristol,” Amelia exclaimed, clasping her hands to her chest.
“Yes, of course. Whomever else would I be referring to? There’s only one man that I’m aware of whom possesses the power to make any event revolve around him and his exploits.”
Amelia stopped walking. “Whatever are you going on about? Look, it’s Lord Bristol sitting right over there on that bench.”
Ambrosia followed the direction of Amelia’s gaze and saw the Earl a mere few feet away. He was indeed sitting on a bench and it appeared he was reading a book. At that very moment, the sun poked holes through the cloud cover to shine its light upon the park and all its inhabitants. The Earl closed his book and turned his face up, searching for sunlight, then allowing himself to bask in its warmth once he had found it. The scene was breathtaking, and for a brief moment Ambrosia was overcome.
“How beautiful,” she whispered. She had never used such a term to describe a man before. And even then, her description fell short. His particular beauty was surely the reason there were painters on earth. She was certain the clouds parted directly over his precise location just so the heavens could get a peak.
She quickly turned her face away. Ambrosia knew better than to stare directly at the sun for its dizzying and blinding affect. Presumably, the same rules applied to male splendor.
She looked uneasily at Amelia, convinced her inner dialogue was transcribed all over her face.
“Yes, beautiful day,” Amelia replied cheerfully, dim as ever. “I’m so glad I opted to come out today. Unseasonably warm and it looks as if the sun’s appearance might actually last the afternoon. What a lovely day this is starting to become!”
Duncan’s moment of solitude, enjoying the sun’s warmth, was interrupted by an intuitive feeling that he was no longer alone.
“Good day, Lord Bristol,” a voice called from the
“You really should make more of an effort to be seen,” Amelia scolded. “I haven’t seen you out and about for nearly two weeks. You don’t want to be forgotten, do you? You’ll have tongues wagging that you’ve given up on a husband and reconciled with the notion of living out your life as a spinster.”
“Is that why you wanted to speak with me then? To reprimand me for not being social enough?” Ambrosia goaded. “I’ve been quite busy with my charitable endeavors.”
Amelia snorted. “You and those orphans! Or was it lepers this week?”
“Neither. It was simply some poor souls that found themselves in hospital. How dare they have the nerve to become ill whilst there are parties to attend!”
Amelia rolled her eyes. “Enough about you, let’s talk about me,” Amelia primped her hair. “You are aware that James and his wife are in town for the Season? Well, there is a rumor that she is finally with child. Though James frequents the club so often I haven’t the faintest idea how she came about being enceinte in the first place.”
“Still playing cards then?” Ambrosia asked. James came from a long line of card players, none of whom had been very talented and were a bit of disservice to the game, really.
Amelia folded her arms in front of her chest. “Playing would imply that he’s actually winning some of the time. More correctly, James is still losing at cards.”
Ambrosia nodded, not surprised in the least. “Ah, I see. Well, it’s a good thing he has the ducal inheritance to squander then, isn’t it?”
Amelia didn’t answer straight away and the two girls walked in silence for a bit.
Ambrosia looked up toward the bright sky. The clouds were moving quickly, threatening to clear off the perpetual overcast that plagued London. “My mother received correspondence from your old friend, the Earl, this morning. She extended him an invitation to our ball, though I abhor the idea it becoming an exhibition like that of Lord and Lady Montgomery’s.”
“Lord Bristol,” Amelia exclaimed, clasping her hands to her chest.
“Yes, of course. Whomever else would I be referring to? There’s only one man that I’m aware of whom possesses the power to make any event revolve around him and his exploits.”
Amelia stopped walking. “Whatever are you going on about? Look, it’s Lord Bristol sitting right over there on that bench.”
Ambrosia followed the direction of Amelia’s gaze and saw the Earl a mere few feet away. He was indeed sitting on a bench and it appeared he was reading a book. At that very moment, the sun poked holes through the cloud cover to shine its light upon the park and all its inhabitants. The Earl closed his book and turned his face up, searching for sunlight, then allowing himself to bask in its warmth once he had found it. The scene was breathtaking, and for a brief moment Ambrosia was overcome.
“How beautiful,” she whispered. She had never used such a term to describe a man before. And even then, her description fell short. His particular beauty was surely the reason there were painters on earth. She was certain the clouds parted directly over his precise location just so the heavens could get a peak.
She quickly turned her face away. Ambrosia knew better than to stare directly at the sun for its dizzying and blinding affect. Presumably, the same rules applied to male splendor.
She looked uneasily at Amelia, convinced her inner dialogue was transcribed all over her face.
“Yes, beautiful day,” Amelia replied cheerfully, dim as ever. “I’m so glad I opted to come out today. Unseasonably warm and it looks as if the sun’s appearance might actually last the afternoon. What a lovely day this is starting to become!”
Duncan’s moment of solitude, enjoying the sun’s warmth, was interrupted by an intuitive feeling that he was no longer alone.
“Good day, Lord Bristol,” a voice called from the
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