Read Online Martha Schroeder by Lady Megs Gamble - Free Book Online
Authors: Lady Megs Gamble
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well-intentioned, her implacable curiosity was almost impossible to withstand.
Meg gave him a grateful smile. “Indeed I am, Gerald. I will go and get Annis, if you will summon Walter with the coach.” She rose and hurried off to find her companion.
“Nicely done, Gerald,” his mother said without the slightest hint of sarcasm. “No wonder Castlereagh found you indispensable.”
“Thank you, Mama.” Gerald inclined his head. “But I am going to be very undiplomatic to you.”
Lady Mattingly sighed. “I know, Gerald, I know. I simply must learn—”
“Not to accost your friends like a terrier scenting a rat whenever they fail to tell you what you want to know.”
“A most disagreeable image, Gerald, as I am sure you know. Meg is hardly a rat, and I am much too large and sedentary to be a terrier.”
“That is neither here nor there, Mama.” Gerald spoke sternly. The long-suffering look on his mother’s face told him that he might as well save his breath to cool his porridge, as his Scots nanny used to say. But he persisted. “If Meg has something to tell us, she will do so in her own time.”
His mother looked at him as if he were a well-loved but dull-witted little boy. “Of course Meg has something to tell us—or rather, to tell me. Something you already know. If it will make you happy, I will not ask her about it.” Her gaze flitted around the room.
“Nor are you going to try to worm information out of Miss Fairchild.”
“Yes, dear. I do hope you never spoke to the czar or any of the other allies in that tone. The Congress of Vienna would have come to a vastly different end if you had. Fortunately,” she said with a saintly smile, “a mother knows how to endure these slights.”
Her undutiful son burst into laughter. “Wonderful, Mama. You are better than a play. Unsubtle, perhaps, but very affecting.”
With complete disregard for her son’s unseemly amusement, Lady Mattingly rose as majestically as a short, plump, good-natured woman could and left him without a word.
Chapter Seven
His mouth set in a grim line, James set forth for Hedgemere. He was determined that this very morning he would reveal his past to Meg. Suddenly he was hailed by a cheerful voice. Turning, he saw it was Mrs. Headley, with two plump young ladies in sprigged muslin sitting beside her in a landau. He remembered her from last night’s dinner. The one who had asked Gerald all sorts of questions about him. Now he knew why. The two young ladies were very shy and very plain. Even a retired sea captain of no discernible distinction, he thought sardonically, would do for one of them.
“Oh, Captain Sheridan, how lucky to have run into you!” Mrs. Headley said, her face wreathed in a smile. “These are my daughters, Susan and Mellicent. We are planning a little dance—nothing formal, mind, since Sukie and Mellie are not out yet—this Saturday evening. I have only just come from Mattingly Place. Lady Mattingly assured me that I might expect all three of you. The girls were so disappointed that they were not included in last night’s festivities, I could not deny them a treat.” She looked at him hopefully.
James could only be grateful mat he had headed for the stable before the Headley ladies had arrived at the Mattinglys’. He bowed while his heart quailed within him at the mere idea of being considered an eligible parti. The sooner he could become publicly affianced to Lady Meg, the better. She, at least, had no romantic notions about sea captains and their fortunes.
At last he said, “I shall be delighted to attend, of course.”
Mrs. Headley smiled yet again and told the coachman to proceed. Her daughters had turned alternately white and red and had said not a word after mumbling a polite greeting. James had no choice but to continue to jog along at the side of their carriage. Mrs. Headley turned to speak to him once again. This time he thought her smile was a little sly.
“So, Captain, you
Meg gave him a grateful smile. “Indeed I am, Gerald. I will go and get Annis, if you will summon Walter with the coach.” She rose and hurried off to find her companion.
“Nicely done, Gerald,” his mother said without the slightest hint of sarcasm. “No wonder Castlereagh found you indispensable.”
“Thank you, Mama.” Gerald inclined his head. “But I am going to be very undiplomatic to you.”
Lady Mattingly sighed. “I know, Gerald, I know. I simply must learn—”
“Not to accost your friends like a terrier scenting a rat whenever they fail to tell you what you want to know.”
“A most disagreeable image, Gerald, as I am sure you know. Meg is hardly a rat, and I am much too large and sedentary to be a terrier.”
“That is neither here nor there, Mama.” Gerald spoke sternly. The long-suffering look on his mother’s face told him that he might as well save his breath to cool his porridge, as his Scots nanny used to say. But he persisted. “If Meg has something to tell us, she will do so in her own time.”
His mother looked at him as if he were a well-loved but dull-witted little boy. “Of course Meg has something to tell us—or rather, to tell me. Something you already know. If it will make you happy, I will not ask her about it.” Her gaze flitted around the room.
“Nor are you going to try to worm information out of Miss Fairchild.”
“Yes, dear. I do hope you never spoke to the czar or any of the other allies in that tone. The Congress of Vienna would have come to a vastly different end if you had. Fortunately,” she said with a saintly smile, “a mother knows how to endure these slights.”
Her undutiful son burst into laughter. “Wonderful, Mama. You are better than a play. Unsubtle, perhaps, but very affecting.”
With complete disregard for her son’s unseemly amusement, Lady Mattingly rose as majestically as a short, plump, good-natured woman could and left him without a word.
Chapter Seven
His mouth set in a grim line, James set forth for Hedgemere. He was determined that this very morning he would reveal his past to Meg. Suddenly he was hailed by a cheerful voice. Turning, he saw it was Mrs. Headley, with two plump young ladies in sprigged muslin sitting beside her in a landau. He remembered her from last night’s dinner. The one who had asked Gerald all sorts of questions about him. Now he knew why. The two young ladies were very shy and very plain. Even a retired sea captain of no discernible distinction, he thought sardonically, would do for one of them.
“Oh, Captain Sheridan, how lucky to have run into you!” Mrs. Headley said, her face wreathed in a smile. “These are my daughters, Susan and Mellicent. We are planning a little dance—nothing formal, mind, since Sukie and Mellie are not out yet—this Saturday evening. I have only just come from Mattingly Place. Lady Mattingly assured me that I might expect all three of you. The girls were so disappointed that they were not included in last night’s festivities, I could not deny them a treat.” She looked at him hopefully.
James could only be grateful mat he had headed for the stable before the Headley ladies had arrived at the Mattinglys’. He bowed while his heart quailed within him at the mere idea of being considered an eligible parti. The sooner he could become publicly affianced to Lady Meg, the better. She, at least, had no romantic notions about sea captains and their fortunes.
At last he said, “I shall be delighted to attend, of course.”
Mrs. Headley smiled yet again and told the coachman to proceed. Her daughters had turned alternately white and red and had said not a word after mumbling a polite greeting. James had no choice but to continue to jog along at the side of their carriage. Mrs. Headley turned to speak to him once again. This time he thought her smile was a little sly.
“So, Captain, you
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