Read Online Lord Sidley's Last Season by Sherry Lynn Ferguson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sherry Lynn Ferguson
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agreed, the summer promised to be unusually warm. Yes, the celebrations of Bonaparte’s abdication were very grand. Yes, Lady Katherine’s ball had
been the best attended of the season. Indeed, Katie was
destined to make a brilliant match. But what did Miss
Ware think-did not Lady Katherine look well paired
with Lord Sidley?
Marian could only smile. An attachment was Katie’s
stated goal, one that Lord Sidley seemed sadly reluctant to share.
Viscount Vaughn spoke with her briefly about
Northampton, asking after any news she had had from
the Navy. Marian wondered if Vaughn deliberately introduced the topic, as a means of reminding her of William.
But Lord Vaughn was all politeness; there was no reason to suspect he believed she required a reminder.
Her own sense of disloyalty should have been reminder
enough. Lord Benjamin joined them, with an enthusiastic compliment of the lemon comfit cakes and an unanswerable question as to how much “perseverance” one needed
in order to paint.
Lady Formsby’s west drawing room never grew too
crowded, for it had been designed for entertaining and
was suitably large. Nevertheless, courtesy required that
even in the aftermath of so stellar an event as Katherine’s ball, visitors should confine their calls to a scarce
twenty minutes or less. After the requisite period, Marian noticed Lord Sidley moving toward the doors and
his escape, though Katie had been so bold as to attempt
to stay him with a hand on his velvet sleeve. Through
whatever subtle cues the three gentlemen communicated, Lord Benjamin and Lord Vaughn seemed aware
of Sidley’s determination to depart. Within moments they
had made their bows to Lady Formsby, and Katie, though
a dozen more attentive suitors filled the room, was left to
pout.
As Marian approached her, Katie was saying: “As
he’s offering, he ought to act a bit more-a bit more-”
“Hush, child,” her mother warned. “Do not speak so
here in company. Whatever are you thinking?”
Katie tossed her bright curls as she gazed disconsolately upon the remaining callers. “Perhaps I should
make him jealous,” she said, boldly eyeing two young
gentlemen standing in a window embrasure.
“You have not learned such tricks from me, Katherine,” her mother said sharply, “nor from anyone of sense”
Katie turned to Marian. “Did Lord Sidley speak of
me, Marian?”
“He said he looked forward to our company at Aldersham,” she relayed truthfully. “He was most insistent
on it.”
As Katie smiled, her mother said, “Before you congratulate yourself too heartily, my dear, remember that
his aunt has invited some other eligible young ladies.”
Katie’s chin rose as she prepared to dismiss any threat,
but a footman clearing beverage glasses interrupted.
“Pardon, mum, but I believe Lord Sidley just left his
walking stick.” He raised Sidley’s cane. “Shall I-”
Marian promptly grabbed the cane. “I shall take it
out to Jenks at the door, Aunt,” she said, as she moved
quickly toward the hall. “We might yet catch him.” In
truth, she wished to escape Katie’s gloating and considered the errand a respite.
But Jenks was not at the door. He and two footmen
were down at the curb, assisting a vocal Lady Addlestrop
from her fashionable landau. Marian’s anxious gaze
caught Sidley with his companions farther along the
pavement walking, she noted, rather well without the
aid of his prop. Swiftly she stepped down to the street.
Handing the cane to the tallest Formsby footman, she
instructed him to hail Lord Sidley immediately and race
to return it to him.
The footman dutifully shouted and set off, but in the
crowd promenading on the sidewalk, Marian could not see whether Sidley had stopped. Lady Addlestrop’s descent was creating a noisy disturbance behind her, and
there were several excited cries that the visiting tsar’s
entourage was passing. Marian moved to the very edge
of the street to
been the best attended of the season. Indeed, Katie was
destined to make a brilliant match. But what did Miss
Ware think-did not Lady Katherine look well paired
with Lord Sidley?
Marian could only smile. An attachment was Katie’s
stated goal, one that Lord Sidley seemed sadly reluctant to share.
Viscount Vaughn spoke with her briefly about
Northampton, asking after any news she had had from
the Navy. Marian wondered if Vaughn deliberately introduced the topic, as a means of reminding her of William.
But Lord Vaughn was all politeness; there was no reason to suspect he believed she required a reminder.
Her own sense of disloyalty should have been reminder
enough. Lord Benjamin joined them, with an enthusiastic compliment of the lemon comfit cakes and an unanswerable question as to how much “perseverance” one needed
in order to paint.
Lady Formsby’s west drawing room never grew too
crowded, for it had been designed for entertaining and
was suitably large. Nevertheless, courtesy required that
even in the aftermath of so stellar an event as Katherine’s ball, visitors should confine their calls to a scarce
twenty minutes or less. After the requisite period, Marian noticed Lord Sidley moving toward the doors and
his escape, though Katie had been so bold as to attempt
to stay him with a hand on his velvet sleeve. Through
whatever subtle cues the three gentlemen communicated, Lord Benjamin and Lord Vaughn seemed aware
of Sidley’s determination to depart. Within moments they
had made their bows to Lady Formsby, and Katie, though
a dozen more attentive suitors filled the room, was left to
pout.
As Marian approached her, Katie was saying: “As
he’s offering, he ought to act a bit more-a bit more-”
“Hush, child,” her mother warned. “Do not speak so
here in company. Whatever are you thinking?”
Katie tossed her bright curls as she gazed disconsolately upon the remaining callers. “Perhaps I should
make him jealous,” she said, boldly eyeing two young
gentlemen standing in a window embrasure.
“You have not learned such tricks from me, Katherine,” her mother said sharply, “nor from anyone of sense”
Katie turned to Marian. “Did Lord Sidley speak of
me, Marian?”
“He said he looked forward to our company at Aldersham,” she relayed truthfully. “He was most insistent
on it.”
As Katie smiled, her mother said, “Before you congratulate yourself too heartily, my dear, remember that
his aunt has invited some other eligible young ladies.”
Katie’s chin rose as she prepared to dismiss any threat,
but a footman clearing beverage glasses interrupted.
“Pardon, mum, but I believe Lord Sidley just left his
walking stick.” He raised Sidley’s cane. “Shall I-”
Marian promptly grabbed the cane. “I shall take it
out to Jenks at the door, Aunt,” she said, as she moved
quickly toward the hall. “We might yet catch him.” In
truth, she wished to escape Katie’s gloating and considered the errand a respite.
But Jenks was not at the door. He and two footmen
were down at the curb, assisting a vocal Lady Addlestrop
from her fashionable landau. Marian’s anxious gaze
caught Sidley with his companions farther along the
pavement walking, she noted, rather well without the
aid of his prop. Swiftly she stepped down to the street.
Handing the cane to the tallest Formsby footman, she
instructed him to hail Lord Sidley immediately and race
to return it to him.
The footman dutifully shouted and set off, but in the
crowd promenading on the sidewalk, Marian could not see whether Sidley had stopped. Lady Addlestrop’s descent was creating a noisy disturbance behind her, and
there were several excited cries that the visiting tsar’s
entourage was passing. Marian moved to the very edge
of the street to
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