Read Online Love for Lucinda by Gayle Buck - Free Book Online

cheek.                                      
    “Oh, indeed,” said Lucinda, almost fascinated to hear next what her cousin might utter.
    Ferdie leaned forward with an earnest expression, his hands resting lightly upon his elegantly attired knees. “Dear, dear Lucinda, allow me to protect you from such beings. You can have no notion how others will attempt to take advantage of your largesse. Believe me, I have been long enough in society to know just how to steer you clear of such personages. I would be most happy to establish myself as your gallant.”
    “I am not some young untried miss that you may pull the wool so easily over my eyes, Ferdie,” said Lucinda dryly.
    “Why, I do not know what you mean,” said Mr. Stassart, straightening, and a slightly wary expression coming into his eyes.
    Lucinda smiled and shook her head. “Oh, Ferdie, how many years have I heard you pitch your gammon? Why, your own father refused long since to have anything to do with your excesses, while mine handed over huge sums into your hands only because you were his heir. You would have had to enter the army or flee to the colonies long since to escape your creditors if that had not been so.”
    “You were a child, Lucinda. You do not know of what you speak,” said Ferdie loftily.
    “Don’t I just?” retorted Lucinda. “My unfortunate marriage was made in part to fish you out of the deep waters that you had leaped into.”
    He waved his hand dismissively. “While it is true that I benefited from your marriage, Lucinda, I utterly deny that you were made a sacrifice for any troubles of mine. Lord Mays was incredibly generous in the settlements. It quite moves me to recall how his lordship provided for us all. And you did not precisely go begging, Lucinda! Why, I’ve heard that Carbarry is a tidy little estate. Indeed, you may count yourself fortunate that you did so well for yourself.”
    “Ferdie, you may make all the denials you will, but you and I both know every word I’ve spoken is true. I am astonished that you come to me protesting an affection that you have never felt,” said Lucinda. “Why, if there were an ounce of truth in it, you would have made some push to see me at Carbarry.”
    “I could not very well stare down Lord Mays and make unsanctioned visits to his wife. Pray be reasonable, Lucinda,” said Ferdie, his mouth curling in tolerant amusement.
    “You did not visit me at Carbarry not out of respect for Lord Mays, but because you assumed that I was kept on a pittance and that you would gain nothing out of the connection,” said Lucinda roundly. She shook her head. “Cousin, you are precisely one of those people you have just been warning me against! Why, I would not trust you within an inch of my purse.”
    “These are hard words, indeed, Lucinda!” said Mr. Stassart. He showed a wounded countenance to her. “I have come today out of the purest motives of affection and this is how I am repaid. You have wounded me deeply, cousin, very deeply.” He flung out a hand as though to stop her from speaking. “However, I am a resilient fellow. I hope that I am also a forgiving sort, so I shall not hold any of it against you.”
    “Thank heaven for that,” murmured Miss Blythe sotto voce.
    Ferdie pretended not to hear the sarcastic aside. He rose to his feet and struck a dramatic pose, pressing his manicured hand to his breast. “I shall take my leave of you now, dear cousin. I hope that you will reflect how basely you have used me and when next I see you, I trust that your manner will have softened toward me.”
    Lucinda laughed. She rose, too, and held out her hand. “For all that you are a worthless fellow, Ferdie, you are strangely amusing as well. I suppose that peculiar brand of charm is essential when one is such a desperate cardplayer. One must have something to fall back upon when one loses so consistently as you have always seemed to do.”
    Stung at last, Ferdie