Read Online Lady Incognita by Nina Coombs Pykare - Free Book Online Page A

is much too much for me to presume on such a short acquaintance.” She shot a quick glance at his lordship, but that gentleman appeared to be engrossed in studying his fingernails.
    “Oh, but my dear. Your Mama and I, we were such good friends.”
      For some reason Louisa could not quite believe this, but she could hardly tell the kindhearted lady so to her face. And so she was forced to mumble something like, “You are very kind.”
    “Good,” said her ladyship with a happy smile. “Now we can get down to business. I have a friendship with Lady Sefton - amiable soul, that woman, the kindest heart. And I shall prevail upon her to get you on the list for Almack’s”
    “Lady Palmerton! I have no desire to go to Almack’s.”
    “That doesn’t signify,” said his lordship with a smile. “Admittance to Almack’s makes you one of the elite and will help admirably in your placing Betsy.”
    With a sigh Louisa was forced to recognize the truth of this statement. “You will accompany us to the Opera and the theater,” continued Lady Constance, happily engrossed in her plans.
    Louisa, overwhelmed by visions of costly gowns that would send her accounts ever skyward, sought vainly to stem the lady’s flow of plans.
    “You might as well give over the reins,” observed his lordship. And if he noticed her distress, he did not remark further on it. “When Constance has determined to launch someone, they will be launch-ed.”
      The dark eyes that regarded her so intently were quite inscrutable. Louisa found herself wishing that she knew what was going on behind them.
    The late Viscount Atherton’s debt of honor to Colonel Pickering and Lady Palmerton’s friendship with her Mama seemed alike improbable, something out a novel, Louisa thought. But one could hardly fly in the face of such friendliness. It was not good manners.
    Lady Constance was still deep in thought and Louisa endeavoring not to color up under the close scrutiny of his lordship’s eyes, when Aunt Caroline and Harry entered the room, followed by Drimble, carrying tea and macaroons.
    “This is my Aunt, Mrs. Pickering,” said Louisa. “Aunt, this is Lord Atherton’s sister, Lady Palmerton.”
    Aunt Caroline seemed to take the lady in her stride. “I am most pleased to meet you,” she said, drawing up a chair beside her ladyship and the tea and proceeding to serve it. “Have you an interest in cats?”
    Before Louisa could hear Lady Palmer-ton’s reply, Harry spoke. “Betsy’s gone to get Apricot, sir. Like you said. I suppose she’s still too young - Apricot, I mean. But Betsy wants you to see how she’s grown.”
    “Thank you. Harry,” said his lordship, bringing a smile to the child’s face. “Is Aunt Julia about?”
    Louisa shook her head. “I’m afraid not. She has gone to hear a lecture on phrenology and compare notes with her friends.”
    Atherton sighed. “What a shame. I had thought to have her study my sister’s skull. Though perhaps she would have difficulty finding it under all those curls.
    Lady Palmerton, deeply engrossed in a conversation on the merits of Persians against those of Manchester cats, did not reply.
    “Sir,” asked Harry, the expression on his round face clearly copying that of his idol, “Have you Restrained?”
    Atherton chuckled. “I am working on it, Harry, my boy. I am working on it. My destructiveness is well under control. My combativeness? Well, I have engaged in no mills since I saw you last. And my secretiveness - perhaps Aunt made a mistake there.”
    “And your amativeness?” asked Betsy, entering the room with a squirming Apricot in her arms.
    “That,” said his lordship, with an unfathomable glance at Louisa, “remains to be worked on. Such a quality, you know, bodes well for a man who desires to marry.”
      “Oh.” Betsy’s face fell. “I had hoped you would wait for me,” said she. “For you are so like a hero out of a romance that I think you would make an admirable