Read Online Last Night's Scandal by Loretta Chase - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Loretta Chase
Tags: Fiction, Historical fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Contemporary, Man-Woman Relationships, Love Stories, Scotland, England - Social Life and Customs - 19th Century, London (England), Upper Class
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said, “I apologize for disturbing your lordship, but a message has come.” Lisle looked around. The servant placed a silver tray on the table at his elbow.
The folded and sealed notepaper bore his name. Although, thanks to a bottle or two, he was not as clearheaded as he’d been when he arrived, he had no trouble identifying the penmanship.
Moreover, it wanted no special mental gifts to ascertain that a message from Olivia after midnight could not contain news he’d enjoy.
He tore open the note.
Ormont House
Friday 7 October
My Lord,
Having waited In Vain all day for an APOLOGY, I can wait no longer . I shall leave it to you to Explain to Lord and Lady Atherton your Absurd Refusal to do what will make EVERYBODY happy . My Arrangements are made . My Bags are packed . The servants are ready for the Great Expedition. The Dear Ladies who have so kindly agreed to leave the Comforts of their Domiciles in order to accompany us me on this Noble Quest are Ready and impatient to set out.
If you deem yourself Abandoned, you have onlyyourself and your base ingratitude to thank for it. My Conscience is Clear . You have left me NO CHOICE.
By the time you read this, I shall be Gone.
Page 37
ABC Amber ePub Converter Trial vers ion, http://www.processtext.com/abcepub.html
Yours sincerely,
Olivia Carsington
“No,” he said. “Not again.”
On the Old North Road
An hour later
“I vow, it’s been an age since I was in a traveling carriage,” said Lady Withcote as the carriage stopped to pay the Kingsland Turnpike toll. “I’d altogether forgotten what a hard ride it is, especially over the paving stones.”
“A hard ride, indeed,” said Lady Cooper. “Put me in mind of my wedding night. What a jarring exercise that turned out to be. Almost put me off the business permanent.”
“Always the way with the first husband,” said Lady Withcote. “It’s due to a girl being young and knowing no more than what goes where.”
“And maybe she doesn’t know even that,” said Lady Cooper.
“As a consequence, she doesn’t know how to train him,” said Lady Withcote.
“And by the time she does know, he’s past learning.” Lady Cooper sighed.
Lady Withcote leaned toward Olivia, who shared the opposite seat with Bailey. “Still, it wasn’t as bad as you’d think. Our parents chose the first one, and he’d be twice our age or more. But then it was good odds we’d be young widows. Being older and wiser, we knew better how to get what we liked the second time.”
“Some of us did try the second husband first, before consenting to marry,” said Lady Cooper.
“And there were those who never troubled with marrying a second time,” said Lady Withcote.
Olivia knew they referred to Great-Grandmama. She’d been scrupulously faithful to her spouse. After he died, she wasn’t faithful to anybody.
“Well, we’re done with the paving stones for the present,” she said cheerfully as the carriage jolted into motion again.
Even a luxurious, well-sprung traveling carriage like this was built for enduring rough roads and long journeys. It was not, as the town carriages were, built strictly for comfort. The wheels rattling over the stones made for a noisy as well as jarring ride.
For the last hour, the ladies had shouted over the noise of the carriage wheels on paving stones, and bounced in their seats. Olivia had shouted and bounced along with them. Her bottom was sore and her back was aching, though Shoreditch Church, from which the distance from London was measured, was only a mile and a quarter behind them.
But now the houses had thinned, and the road was smoother. The coach moved a degree faster, and the next mile passed more swiftly than the last. They passed through the Stamford Tollgate and climbed Stamford Hill. From the top, one was supposed to be able to see St. Paul’s.
Page 38
ABC Amber ePub Converter Trial vers ion, http://www.processtext.com/abcepub.html
Olivia stood to put down the window
The folded and sealed notepaper bore his name. Although, thanks to a bottle or two, he was not as clearheaded as he’d been when he arrived, he had no trouble identifying the penmanship.
Moreover, it wanted no special mental gifts to ascertain that a message from Olivia after midnight could not contain news he’d enjoy.
He tore open the note.
Ormont House
Friday 7 October
My Lord,
Having waited In Vain all day for an APOLOGY, I can wait no longer . I shall leave it to you to Explain to Lord and Lady Atherton your Absurd Refusal to do what will make EVERYBODY happy . My Arrangements are made . My Bags are packed . The servants are ready for the Great Expedition. The Dear Ladies who have so kindly agreed to leave the Comforts of their Domiciles in order to accompany us me on this Noble Quest are Ready and impatient to set out.
If you deem yourself Abandoned, you have onlyyourself and your base ingratitude to thank for it. My Conscience is Clear . You have left me NO CHOICE.
By the time you read this, I shall be Gone.
Page 37
ABC Amber ePub Converter Trial vers ion, http://www.processtext.com/abcepub.html
Yours sincerely,
Olivia Carsington
“No,” he said. “Not again.”
On the Old North Road
An hour later
“I vow, it’s been an age since I was in a traveling carriage,” said Lady Withcote as the carriage stopped to pay the Kingsland Turnpike toll. “I’d altogether forgotten what a hard ride it is, especially over the paving stones.”
“A hard ride, indeed,” said Lady Cooper. “Put me in mind of my wedding night. What a jarring exercise that turned out to be. Almost put me off the business permanent.”
“Always the way with the first husband,” said Lady Withcote. “It’s due to a girl being young and knowing no more than what goes where.”
“And maybe she doesn’t know even that,” said Lady Cooper.
“As a consequence, she doesn’t know how to train him,” said Lady Withcote.
“And by the time she does know, he’s past learning.” Lady Cooper sighed.
Lady Withcote leaned toward Olivia, who shared the opposite seat with Bailey. “Still, it wasn’t as bad as you’d think. Our parents chose the first one, and he’d be twice our age or more. But then it was good odds we’d be young widows. Being older and wiser, we knew better how to get what we liked the second time.”
“Some of us did try the second husband first, before consenting to marry,” said Lady Cooper.
“And there were those who never troubled with marrying a second time,” said Lady Withcote.
Olivia knew they referred to Great-Grandmama. She’d been scrupulously faithful to her spouse. After he died, she wasn’t faithful to anybody.
“Well, we’re done with the paving stones for the present,” she said cheerfully as the carriage jolted into motion again.
Even a luxurious, well-sprung traveling carriage like this was built for enduring rough roads and long journeys. It was not, as the town carriages were, built strictly for comfort. The wheels rattling over the stones made for a noisy as well as jarring ride.
For the last hour, the ladies had shouted over the noise of the carriage wheels on paving stones, and bounced in their seats. Olivia had shouted and bounced along with them. Her bottom was sore and her back was aching, though Shoreditch Church, from which the distance from London was measured, was only a mile and a quarter behind them.
But now the houses had thinned, and the road was smoother. The coach moved a degree faster, and the next mile passed more swiftly than the last. They passed through the Stamford Tollgate and climbed Stamford Hill. From the top, one was supposed to be able to see St. Paul’s.
Page 38
ABC Amber ePub Converter Trial vers ion, http://www.processtext.com/abcepub.html
Olivia stood to put down the window
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