Read Online Lord Dearborn's Destiny by Brenda Hiatt - Free Book Online
Authors: Brenda Hiatt
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to mention a better match than she had ever dared to hope for. So why in blazes couldn't she concentrate on one of them?
Without another glance at the habit, she quickly buttoned herself into the morning dress, pulled a brush through her short curls and left the room to go in search of breakfast. Not surprisingly, she was the first one downstairs, but a tempting array of ham, eggs and kippered salmon had already been laid out on the sideboard in the dining room, so she helped herself. She was nearly finished when Rosalind entered the room, yawning widely.
"Gracious, you are up early, Ellie!" she exclaimed. "I vow, I don't know when I have been so tired as I was last night."
"No doubt you will get used to it," replied Ellie sagely. "Everyone keeps such hours in London, Lord Pelton told me."
"Mama says so also, but I far prefer country hours, where breakfast is in the morning, dinner by five and bedtime well before midnight," Rosalind said decisively.
"If you become a Town hostess, you will have to change that preference, I fear," Ellie pointed out. Rosalind merely sighed and proceeded to fill a plate.
Mr. and Mrs. Winston-Fitts joined them a few minutes later, he complaining that the day was already half wasted and she full of plans for the afternoon.
"We have made an excellent start," she declared, pouring out the tea. "Peters tells me that already this morning, nearly a dozen bouquets have been delivered for Rosalind." She beamed fondly on her daughter. "Doubtless we shall be swamped with callers this afternoon, as well. It will not do, however, to rest on our laurels." She looked around the table as though daring anyone to disagree. "At five, when all the world goes to Hyde Park, you, too, must be seen there, my dear."
Rosalind's face fell. "Must I ride?" she asked plaintively. "I fear it was quite obvious to Lord Dearborn yesterday that I do not do it well."
Mrs. Winston-Fitts regarded her for a moment, then made her decision. "No, walking will do just as well," she said. "Perhaps better, for then you may take brief rides round the Park with any eligible gentlemen that offer. It is quite an accepted practice and an excellent chance to increase any fledgling attachments."
Ellie unwisely interrupted her aunt's battle plan at that point. "How many attachments ought Rosalind to be encouraging, ma'am?" she asked innocently.
Her aunt swivelled round to pierce her with a gimlet eye. "The greater the number, the more offers she will have to choose from," she snapped. "Rosalind's happiness is my first concern, as it should be yours, miss." Ellie successfully managed to keep her expression serious. "Besides," continued Mrs.Winston-Fitts, "if Dearborn sees that she is greatly sought after, it is like to bring him to the point all the more quickly, for fear of losing her to another."
Ellie half expected Rosalind to voice some protest at this presumptuous ordering of her future, but her cousin remained silent. Could it be that her feelings about Lord Dearborn were beginning to change? It seemed only too likely after the attentions he had showered on her last night. Not that it would affect Ellie herself in the least, she reminded herself quickly. If Rosalind were becoming attached to the man her mother had chosen for her, it was all to the good.
Wasn't it?
* * *
Mrs. Winston-Fitts had been quite correct: at least two dozen callers, more than half of them gentlemen, descended upon them during the course of the afternoon. Lord Dearborn was not amongst them, to Ellie's mingled disappointment and relief, though he had sent the largest bunch of flowers.
She was more than a little surprised to discover that several of the ladies, as well as two or three of the gentlemen, seemed as eager to make her own acquaintance as Rosalind's, and she spent a pleasant hour making new friends. As usual, Rosalind had little to say for herself and spent much of her time watching the parlour
Without another glance at the habit, she quickly buttoned herself into the morning dress, pulled a brush through her short curls and left the room to go in search of breakfast. Not surprisingly, she was the first one downstairs, but a tempting array of ham, eggs and kippered salmon had already been laid out on the sideboard in the dining room, so she helped herself. She was nearly finished when Rosalind entered the room, yawning widely.
"Gracious, you are up early, Ellie!" she exclaimed. "I vow, I don't know when I have been so tired as I was last night."
"No doubt you will get used to it," replied Ellie sagely. "Everyone keeps such hours in London, Lord Pelton told me."
"Mama says so also, but I far prefer country hours, where breakfast is in the morning, dinner by five and bedtime well before midnight," Rosalind said decisively.
"If you become a Town hostess, you will have to change that preference, I fear," Ellie pointed out. Rosalind merely sighed and proceeded to fill a plate.
Mr. and Mrs. Winston-Fitts joined them a few minutes later, he complaining that the day was already half wasted and she full of plans for the afternoon.
"We have made an excellent start," she declared, pouring out the tea. "Peters tells me that already this morning, nearly a dozen bouquets have been delivered for Rosalind." She beamed fondly on her daughter. "Doubtless we shall be swamped with callers this afternoon, as well. It will not do, however, to rest on our laurels." She looked around the table as though daring anyone to disagree. "At five, when all the world goes to Hyde Park, you, too, must be seen there, my dear."
Rosalind's face fell. "Must I ride?" she asked plaintively. "I fear it was quite obvious to Lord Dearborn yesterday that I do not do it well."
Mrs. Winston-Fitts regarded her for a moment, then made her decision. "No, walking will do just as well," she said. "Perhaps better, for then you may take brief rides round the Park with any eligible gentlemen that offer. It is quite an accepted practice and an excellent chance to increase any fledgling attachments."
Ellie unwisely interrupted her aunt's battle plan at that point. "How many attachments ought Rosalind to be encouraging, ma'am?" she asked innocently.
Her aunt swivelled round to pierce her with a gimlet eye. "The greater the number, the more offers she will have to choose from," she snapped. "Rosalind's happiness is my first concern, as it should be yours, miss." Ellie successfully managed to keep her expression serious. "Besides," continued Mrs.Winston-Fitts, "if Dearborn sees that she is greatly sought after, it is like to bring him to the point all the more quickly, for fear of losing her to another."
Ellie half expected Rosalind to voice some protest at this presumptuous ordering of her future, but her cousin remained silent. Could it be that her feelings about Lord Dearborn were beginning to change? It seemed only too likely after the attentions he had showered on her last night. Not that it would affect Ellie herself in the least, she reminded herself quickly. If Rosalind were becoming attached to the man her mother had chosen for her, it was all to the good.
Wasn't it?
* * *
Mrs. Winston-Fitts had been quite correct: at least two dozen callers, more than half of them gentlemen, descended upon them during the course of the afternoon. Lord Dearborn was not amongst them, to Ellie's mingled disappointment and relief, though he had sent the largest bunch of flowers.
She was more than a little surprised to discover that several of the ladies, as well as two or three of the gentlemen, seemed as eager to make her own acquaintance as Rosalind's, and she spent a pleasant hour making new friends. As usual, Rosalind had little to say for herself and spent much of her time watching the parlour
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