Read Online Lady Westbrook's Discovery by Etta Stark - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Etta Stark
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allowed to think about it? That seems scarcely fair. I shall behave impeccably, I promise you, but you can’t very well control the erotic images that might be playing in my mind as I do so. ”
There were twenty guests at the Duke and Duchess of Waverley’s including Lady Catherine Hockering and the local member of Parliament, Lord Elmbridge.
“Good evening, Mr Oliver, Mrs Oliver,” said the Duchess, greeting them each in turn. Margaret wondered if she was imagining it but she was sure she heard a slight emphasis on the word ‘Mrs’ as though the Duchess felt the need to remind Margaret that she no longer carried the prestige of her late husband’s title.
The party broke into groups as they circulated prior to the announcement of dinner. The Duchess approached Margaret straightaway. “ Mrs Oliver, it’s so lovely to see you. I feel I have seen so little of you since your marriage to your scientist.”
“Thank you, Duchess. Perhaps I haven’t been quite as involved in the Waverley Ladies Society lately. Organising our new home has kept me busy.”
“Of course. Your new home,” the Duchess affected a maddening look of pity. “How are you finding Colonel Huffington’s old place ? I imagine it must be quite a shock to you - having to adjust to such a small house when you have been used to Westbrook Manor.”
Oh , for pity’s sake, thought Margaret. Anyone would think that Felix and I have moved into a one-room hovel from the way she’s carrying on. Out loud she merely said “It’s lovely. The house suits us very well.”
“Ah well, I suppose you will have less need to entertain now that you are, strictly speaking, no longer part of the village nobility. Although I assure you, you will always seem like a Lady to me with or without your title.” She whispered the last part conspiratorially as though bestowing a great honour.
Margaret was saved from having to formulate a response by the announcement of dinner. Felix appeared by her side to take her arm and escort her into the dining room.
As newlyweds, Margaret and Felix were placed next to one another at the table, exception being given to the usual rules of placement for anyone married less than a year.
When they sat down, Felix gave her hand a reassuring squeeze beneath the table. As she had suspected, as one of the few couples without titles in the guest list, they had been placed a long way from either the Duke or Duchess of Waverley.
The conversation round the table centred on its usual topics of local news and gossip. Margaret wondered whether she and Felix had provided conversational fuel for a number of dinner parties since their marriage.
“Have you heard about Lady Spelthorne?” asked Lord Elmbridge. “She gave birth to her baby last night. Another girl.”
There were murmurs of dismay amongst the guest. “Poor Lord Spelthorne,” said Lady Catherine. Is that three daughters now?”
“Four,” replied Lord Elmbridge.
“How horribly disappointing for him” said Lady Catherine.
“Is it really so terrible?” Margaret could not help asking. “Surely daughters can bring as much joy to their parents as sons.”
“Yes, well, you would say that,” said Lady Catherine. “ You were lucky enough to have two sons.”
“I was lucky enough to have two healthy children,” replied Margaret. “I should have been just as happy had they been girls .”
“Really?” asked Lady Catherine, her eyebrows arched. “Did Lord Westbrook feel the same way?”
It was a low blow. Her late husband had certainly wanted boys. Producing the required ‘heir and a spare’ for the Westbrook family line had been the most important thing in the world to him. To pretend otherwise would be to betray his memory. Margaret saw a slight smirk on the lips of Lady Catherine as she failed to answer the question.
“And what do you think, Mr Oliver?” Catherine turned her attentions to Felix. “Would you prefer to have sons or daughters?”
“To be
There were twenty guests at the Duke and Duchess of Waverley’s including Lady Catherine Hockering and the local member of Parliament, Lord Elmbridge.
“Good evening, Mr Oliver, Mrs Oliver,” said the Duchess, greeting them each in turn. Margaret wondered if she was imagining it but she was sure she heard a slight emphasis on the word ‘Mrs’ as though the Duchess felt the need to remind Margaret that she no longer carried the prestige of her late husband’s title.
The party broke into groups as they circulated prior to the announcement of dinner. The Duchess approached Margaret straightaway. “ Mrs Oliver, it’s so lovely to see you. I feel I have seen so little of you since your marriage to your scientist.”
“Thank you, Duchess. Perhaps I haven’t been quite as involved in the Waverley Ladies Society lately. Organising our new home has kept me busy.”
“Of course. Your new home,” the Duchess affected a maddening look of pity. “How are you finding Colonel Huffington’s old place ? I imagine it must be quite a shock to you - having to adjust to such a small house when you have been used to Westbrook Manor.”
Oh , for pity’s sake, thought Margaret. Anyone would think that Felix and I have moved into a one-room hovel from the way she’s carrying on. Out loud she merely said “It’s lovely. The house suits us very well.”
“Ah well, I suppose you will have less need to entertain now that you are, strictly speaking, no longer part of the village nobility. Although I assure you, you will always seem like a Lady to me with or without your title.” She whispered the last part conspiratorially as though bestowing a great honour.
Margaret was saved from having to formulate a response by the announcement of dinner. Felix appeared by her side to take her arm and escort her into the dining room.
As newlyweds, Margaret and Felix were placed next to one another at the table, exception being given to the usual rules of placement for anyone married less than a year.
When they sat down, Felix gave her hand a reassuring squeeze beneath the table. As she had suspected, as one of the few couples without titles in the guest list, they had been placed a long way from either the Duke or Duchess of Waverley.
The conversation round the table centred on its usual topics of local news and gossip. Margaret wondered whether she and Felix had provided conversational fuel for a number of dinner parties since their marriage.
“Have you heard about Lady Spelthorne?” asked Lord Elmbridge. “She gave birth to her baby last night. Another girl.”
There were murmurs of dismay amongst the guest. “Poor Lord Spelthorne,” said Lady Catherine. Is that three daughters now?”
“Four,” replied Lord Elmbridge.
“How horribly disappointing for him” said Lady Catherine.
“Is it really so terrible?” Margaret could not help asking. “Surely daughters can bring as much joy to their parents as sons.”
“Yes, well, you would say that,” said Lady Catherine. “ You were lucky enough to have two sons.”
“I was lucky enough to have two healthy children,” replied Margaret. “I should have been just as happy had they been girls .”
“Really?” asked Lady Catherine, her eyebrows arched. “Did Lord Westbrook feel the same way?”
It was a low blow. Her late husband had certainly wanted boys. Producing the required ‘heir and a spare’ for the Westbrook family line had been the most important thing in the world to him. To pretend otherwise would be to betray his memory. Margaret saw a slight smirk on the lips of Lady Catherine as she failed to answer the question.
“And what do you think, Mr Oliver?” Catherine turned her attentions to Felix. “Would you prefer to have sons or daughters?”
“To be
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