Read Online Love Letters From a Duke by Elizabeth Boyle - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Boyle
Ads: Link
about this pair? Obviously quite a bit.
Miss Browne had let the insult float past her like a snowflake. “There’s to be an assembly of sorts down there in a few nights, perhaps you heard? That is, if the ice holds. How unfortunate it is on the same night as the Setchfield ball.” She paused. “You were invited, weren’t you? The duke and duchess always include us on their guest list.” She held out her hand to admire her gloves, and smiled slightly at the pretty embroidery decorating the rich, supple leather while she waited for their reply.
“But of course we were invited,” Miss Langley told her. “His Grace is a very close friend of our family.”
“Of course he is,” Miss Browne returned, as she smoothed her hand over the thick mantle of fur that ringed her cloak. Then she leaned over the edge of her carriage and said, “I am surprised you are going out today. I would have thought you’d be too distracted.”
“And why would we be distracted?” Miss Langley asked.
“Well, because of Hollindrake. He’s arrived.” Those coldeyes narrowed further as she scanned the girls to gauge how her latest sally had landed.
As cold as it already was, Thatcher’s blood turned to ice. So his aunt had been right. The gossips were already at his doors.
“He has?” Miss Thalia blurted out, then covered her open mouth with her red mitten. Her twin turned and cast a glare in her direction that looked capable of striking down a French column.
“You didn’t know?” Miss Browne exclaimed, quite possibly loud enough for it to be heard around the corner in Grosvenor Square. “Oh, heavens, and here I thought the three of you were being such sly creatures! And now to find out that you didn’t know. Yes, the duke came to London yesterday, but I would have thought that you, Miss Langley, given your special relationship with the man, would have been the first to learn of his arrival.” The girl let her words unfurl like a noose. Slippery little chit that she obviously was, she knew she was on to something and was as determined as the hangman to collect his shilling. Rolling back in her seat, she tipped her head. “How very interesting, indeed. As it is, Mother and I were off to leave our cards with Lady Geneva, his aunt. But I still don’t understand how it is you didn’t know. Perhaps you two have had a falling out, which would mean His Grace is quite available for—”
“Miss Langley,” Thatcher blurted. “I do apologize. But you will be late to call on the marchioness if we don’t continue on. Her man said she expected you promptly this morning.”
Miss Browne turned her sharp gaze on him. “And who might you be?”
“This is Thatcher,” Felicity said. “Our footman.” She slanted him a quick glance and smile, as if to say, Thank you .
There was no thanks necessary, he would have told her. He’d stopped Miss Browne’s dissertation lest she give away enough information to have the agile and astute MissLangley adding up his timely and coincidental arrival into her life.
“Oh, you have a footman!” Miss Browne replied, taking another glance at him. “A cheeky sort of fellow, I think.”
“Yes, but he came highly recommended,” Miss Langley replied. “We quite stole him away from his previous employer.”
Thatcher listened to the girl lie without a qualm or a bit of conscience and decided it was time to send Miss Browne packing before he found himself with an entirely new history. “The marchioness, Miss Langley?”
She turned and stared up at him, as did the others. “Yes, the marchioness ,” she finally managed to reply. “How could we have forgotten? It would be dreadful to be late to see Her Ladyship when she’s done so much for us.” She pressed her lips shut and shot a triumphant look at Miss Browne.
The ill-mannered Yankee heiress looked them over, as if gauging where to send her next sally, but happily for all, other quarry caught her eye. “Oh my, look,” she said, pointing
Miss Browne had let the insult float past her like a snowflake. “There’s to be an assembly of sorts down there in a few nights, perhaps you heard? That is, if the ice holds. How unfortunate it is on the same night as the Setchfield ball.” She paused. “You were invited, weren’t you? The duke and duchess always include us on their guest list.” She held out her hand to admire her gloves, and smiled slightly at the pretty embroidery decorating the rich, supple leather while she waited for their reply.
“But of course we were invited,” Miss Langley told her. “His Grace is a very close friend of our family.”
“Of course he is,” Miss Browne returned, as she smoothed her hand over the thick mantle of fur that ringed her cloak. Then she leaned over the edge of her carriage and said, “I am surprised you are going out today. I would have thought you’d be too distracted.”
“And why would we be distracted?” Miss Langley asked.
“Well, because of Hollindrake. He’s arrived.” Those coldeyes narrowed further as she scanned the girls to gauge how her latest sally had landed.
As cold as it already was, Thatcher’s blood turned to ice. So his aunt had been right. The gossips were already at his doors.
“He has?” Miss Thalia blurted out, then covered her open mouth with her red mitten. Her twin turned and cast a glare in her direction that looked capable of striking down a French column.
“You didn’t know?” Miss Browne exclaimed, quite possibly loud enough for it to be heard around the corner in Grosvenor Square. “Oh, heavens, and here I thought the three of you were being such sly creatures! And now to find out that you didn’t know. Yes, the duke came to London yesterday, but I would have thought that you, Miss Langley, given your special relationship with the man, would have been the first to learn of his arrival.” The girl let her words unfurl like a noose. Slippery little chit that she obviously was, she knew she was on to something and was as determined as the hangman to collect his shilling. Rolling back in her seat, she tipped her head. “How very interesting, indeed. As it is, Mother and I were off to leave our cards with Lady Geneva, his aunt. But I still don’t understand how it is you didn’t know. Perhaps you two have had a falling out, which would mean His Grace is quite available for—”
“Miss Langley,” Thatcher blurted. “I do apologize. But you will be late to call on the marchioness if we don’t continue on. Her man said she expected you promptly this morning.”
Miss Browne turned her sharp gaze on him. “And who might you be?”
“This is Thatcher,” Felicity said. “Our footman.” She slanted him a quick glance and smile, as if to say, Thank you .
There was no thanks necessary, he would have told her. He’d stopped Miss Browne’s dissertation lest she give away enough information to have the agile and astute MissLangley adding up his timely and coincidental arrival into her life.
“Oh, you have a footman!” Miss Browne replied, taking another glance at him. “A cheeky sort of fellow, I think.”
“Yes, but he came highly recommended,” Miss Langley replied. “We quite stole him away from his previous employer.”
Thatcher listened to the girl lie without a qualm or a bit of conscience and decided it was time to send Miss Browne packing before he found himself with an entirely new history. “The marchioness, Miss Langley?”
She turned and stared up at him, as did the others. “Yes, the marchioness ,” she finally managed to reply. “How could we have forgotten? It would be dreadful to be late to see Her Ladyship when she’s done so much for us.” She pressed her lips shut and shot a triumphant look at Miss Browne.
The ill-mannered Yankee heiress looked them over, as if gauging where to send her next sally, but happily for all, other quarry caught her eye. “Oh my, look,” she said, pointing
Similar Books
