Read Online Escapade by Joan Smith - Free Book Online Page B

felt she had let herself down, and thought of a dozen witty and amusing replies she might have made to his question. Next time, she determined, she would give him a smart, even a sharp retort. She would see something but mockery in those eyes yet, even if it was anger.
    As they strolled along, Clare said to Sara, “Your niece is very gauche. Why do you not take her education in hand and teach her to converse like a lady?"
    “What, and set up a competitor under my own roof?” she smiled boldly, with her long-lashed eyes. Very fine eyes, he thought.
    “Be serious, Sara. That little brown mouse would be no match for you, if she conversed like de Staël. Besides, you are a married lady and ought to stop hogging all the beaux."
    “Oh, Ella is not open with strangers, and there is no point in trying to make a silk purse of a sow's ear."
    He laughed heartily at this homely truth. “What an extraordinary experience it is, to have a chaperon admit her charge is a very plain little simpleton."
    “I did not say that ! She is well-read."
    “Yes, she reads English , she tells me."
    “When she takes to someone, she is as lively as even you could wish."
    “I am no admirer of pert young ladies, but I do like a girl who has a few words to say for herself."
    “I expect she is afraid you would give her one of your infamous set-downs, if she dared to open her mouth."
    “I'm more apt to do so if she doesn't,” he admitted. The conversation turned to other topics, and the group reached the palace.
    “It wants a few hours to dark,” Clare said. “I have some business to attend to in the village. I'll have a mount saddled up and ride in."
    “And Ella and I shall take our abominable sketches in and flatten them under some books, if your Mr. Shane will permit it."
    “Miss Fairmont must use her powers of persuasion,” Clare said with a lift of his eyebrow in her direction. “I make no doubt they got on admirably."
    This was neither meant for a compliment, nor taken for one. “Yes, I find Mr. Shane more conversable than some of the gentlemen here,” Miss Prattle shot back, before Miss Fairmont had time to consider the wisdom of this jibe.
    “Indeed!” Clare said.
    There! She had jolted him out of his mockery now. But not for long. “I am happy you have found a fellow bookworm you can talk to,” he said, bowed, and turned his back on them.
    “I'll go round to the stables to see how my horses are doing,” Bippy said, unaware that a small skirmish had just taken place.
    “What came over you, Ella, to say such a thing?” Sara asked.
    “He has been giving me digs all day, Sara, and I will not bear it any longer."
    Sara's first reaction was to issue a warning, but upon consideration of Clare's recent words on the subject, she resisted. “Well, serves him right,” she said. “He told me I ought to encourage you to speak up."
    “You don't mean he actually complained about me! Oh, he is insufferable. There was no need to mention it. Everyone must know how stupidly mute I have been."
    “Yes, and I have a notion everyone will soon see a transformation,” Sara said with a pleased grin. “Come along, and see if you can wrest some heavy tomes from Mr. Shane."
    * * * *
    While one party sketched, the other rode about the estate. Sherry was not long happy, cantering through fields and parks with no one to admire her blue riding habit, and by dint of repeated coaxing and sulking, she induced the others to ride with her to the local village. She hoped for no more than an ogling by the locals; a good perusal of the shops would have to await the formal visit to Kitswell. Belle did not set her jaw against the scheme, as one expected her to do, and so the gentlemen went along. When they were stuck with the ladies, riding was no fun anyway, and a road was no worse than a field. They none of them looked forward to much of interest in the trip, and were all surprised at what they discovered, though the surprise was greeted with very different