Read Online Lord Runthorne's Dilemma: A Regency Romance by Sarah-Jane Steele - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sarah-Jane Steele
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can only damage her reputation and she has suffered so much.” She dabbed at her eyes, removing all trace of her tears. “Surely she deserves the chance of happiness?”
Despite the hot sun, he felt a chill. “I do not follow you.”
“ But how is it that you do not?” Aurelia tilted her head to one side. “You must see how…” she hesitated, “ drawn Miss Hampton is to your friend. And Captain Fitzalan certainly seems fond of her.”
He laughed. “Charles? That is ridiculous, they are merely friends.”
“ Can you be so certain of that?” she said. “They deal very well together.” She blushed delicately and lowered her eyes. “Perhaps it is just that, as a lady in love, I can see that which is not so evident to a gentleman.”
He frowned. “Do not flatter me, Aurelia. You do not love me.”
Aurelia bit her lip, but continued as though he had not spoken. “However, Captain Fitzalan is your friend and I do not think he will push his suit if he thinks you still harbour a kindness for Miss Hampton.”
“ You are wrong. Miss Hampton and Charles are friends, nothing more.”
Aurelia fluttered her fingers. “You know them better than I, of course, but it seems to me that you are doing Miss Hampton no kindness by paying so much attention to her. After all, you are not free to honour any expectations you might raise.”
She smiled. “Captain Fitzalan is.”
CHAPTER FOUR
“ Well, Miss Hampton,” Mr Compton said. “As I appear to be here, I shall pay my respects to Mrs Maybourne.”
Elizabeth dragged her eyes away from Lord Runthorne and Miss Lacey making their way across the Park. They seemed to be in deep conversation and Elizabeth could not suppress the small pang she felt at their obvious accord.
“ Of course,” she said and led Mr Compton into the house. Charles had already disappeared.
The hall was dark, cool after the bright sunshine outside and Elizabeth paused, blinking to accustom her eyes. A clock chimed in the distance. It was eleven o’ clock which meant Aunt Edina would be found in the large parlour.
“ Please follow me,” she said to Mr Compton, “I shall take you to her myself, before I change.” She brushed at a dust spot on her riding skirt before settling the heavy folds more comfortably over her arm.
Their boot heels rang against the marble floor as they strode through the hall, dulling to a deeper echo when they passed onto the wooden floors leading to the formal rooms.
They quickly came to the large parlour where Aunt Edina entertained in the mornings. Just before Elizabeth reached the door it swung open and a little maid appeared, dwarfed by the huge tray she carried. Plates, empty but for a few crumbs, were piled high, along with cups and a huge silver teapot.
Startled, the little maid bobbed a curtsey and the over laden tray began to slide towards the floor.
“ Oh, Miss.” The little maid’s eyes were round with horror.
Elizabeth reached out to save the china. Before she could prevent the impending catastrophe, Mr Compton’s long, rather gangly, arm snaked past her and balanced the tray.
“ Gosh,” he chuckled, “do not want to lose that, do we? It would be a crashing bore.” He laughed at his own wit and the little maid smiled, her gratitude shining out of her eyes.
“ Oh, no, sir,” she gasped. “Thank you, sir.”
“ Did you hear that, Miss Hampton,” Mr Compton continued. “A crashing bore. Ha.”
Mr Compton ’s good humour was infectious and Elizabeth chuckled. “Thank you, Mr Compton,” she said.
He brushed aside her thanks. “Well, no harm done, and a good laugh had by all.”
Still smiling, Elizabeth turned back to the little maid. “Is Mrs Maybourne here?”
“ Yes, Miss,” she said, curtseying a little more cautiously. “And Lady Delphine and all,” she added.
“ Very good. Please would you ask Cook for more of her delicious refreshments? I am sure Mr Compton will wish for something to eat. If she has any of her
Despite the hot sun, he felt a chill. “I do not follow you.”
“ But how is it that you do not?” Aurelia tilted her head to one side. “You must see how…” she hesitated, “ drawn Miss Hampton is to your friend. And Captain Fitzalan certainly seems fond of her.”
He laughed. “Charles? That is ridiculous, they are merely friends.”
“ Can you be so certain of that?” she said. “They deal very well together.” She blushed delicately and lowered her eyes. “Perhaps it is just that, as a lady in love, I can see that which is not so evident to a gentleman.”
He frowned. “Do not flatter me, Aurelia. You do not love me.”
Aurelia bit her lip, but continued as though he had not spoken. “However, Captain Fitzalan is your friend and I do not think he will push his suit if he thinks you still harbour a kindness for Miss Hampton.”
“ You are wrong. Miss Hampton and Charles are friends, nothing more.”
Aurelia fluttered her fingers. “You know them better than I, of course, but it seems to me that you are doing Miss Hampton no kindness by paying so much attention to her. After all, you are not free to honour any expectations you might raise.”
She smiled. “Captain Fitzalan is.”
CHAPTER FOUR
“ Well, Miss Hampton,” Mr Compton said. “As I appear to be here, I shall pay my respects to Mrs Maybourne.”
Elizabeth dragged her eyes away from Lord Runthorne and Miss Lacey making their way across the Park. They seemed to be in deep conversation and Elizabeth could not suppress the small pang she felt at their obvious accord.
“ Of course,” she said and led Mr Compton into the house. Charles had already disappeared.
The hall was dark, cool after the bright sunshine outside and Elizabeth paused, blinking to accustom her eyes. A clock chimed in the distance. It was eleven o’ clock which meant Aunt Edina would be found in the large parlour.
“ Please follow me,” she said to Mr Compton, “I shall take you to her myself, before I change.” She brushed at a dust spot on her riding skirt before settling the heavy folds more comfortably over her arm.
Their boot heels rang against the marble floor as they strode through the hall, dulling to a deeper echo when they passed onto the wooden floors leading to the formal rooms.
They quickly came to the large parlour where Aunt Edina entertained in the mornings. Just before Elizabeth reached the door it swung open and a little maid appeared, dwarfed by the huge tray she carried. Plates, empty but for a few crumbs, were piled high, along with cups and a huge silver teapot.
Startled, the little maid bobbed a curtsey and the over laden tray began to slide towards the floor.
“ Oh, Miss.” The little maid’s eyes were round with horror.
Elizabeth reached out to save the china. Before she could prevent the impending catastrophe, Mr Compton’s long, rather gangly, arm snaked past her and balanced the tray.
“ Gosh,” he chuckled, “do not want to lose that, do we? It would be a crashing bore.” He laughed at his own wit and the little maid smiled, her gratitude shining out of her eyes.
“ Oh, no, sir,” she gasped. “Thank you, sir.”
“ Did you hear that, Miss Hampton,” Mr Compton continued. “A crashing bore. Ha.”
Mr Compton ’s good humour was infectious and Elizabeth chuckled. “Thank you, Mr Compton,” she said.
He brushed aside her thanks. “Well, no harm done, and a good laugh had by all.”
Still smiling, Elizabeth turned back to the little maid. “Is Mrs Maybourne here?”
“ Yes, Miss,” she said, curtseying a little more cautiously. “And Lady Delphine and all,” she added.
“ Very good. Please would you ask Cook for more of her delicious refreshments? I am sure Mr Compton will wish for something to eat. If she has any of her
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