Read Online Master Of Paradise by Virginia Henley - Free Book Online
Authors: Virginia Henley
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members took their places.
An elderly lady entered and Bernard Jackson introduced her. "This is my half-sister Billie, who makes her home with us now."
Nick's eyes were drawn to her, and it was all he could do to keep from staring. At kindest she could be described as suffering from excedent de poids, or cruelly as a gross mass of quivering flesh. He held his breath as she lowered herself onto a Chippendale dining chair. He released the breath when it was not smashed into smithereens.
Jennifer Joy made her curtsy next. If a young woman could be described as having perfect features, it would be Jennifer Joy. She was a vision of loveliness with blonde curls arranged exquisitely to frame her angelic face, and set off her eyes, which were the blue of a summer sky. She wore a frilly confection of a dress, embroidered with forget-me-nots. It had puffed sleeves and allowed her creamy arms to be displayed in all their pale loveliness.
Nicholas found it difficult to guess her age. She was perhaps sixteen or seventeen, just flowering into womanhood.
Mammy Lou had allowed her to wear her hair up because a gentleman was dining with them. Jennifer Joy was just beginning to feel the heady power a beautiful young belle held over the opposite sex. She had learned all the nuances of flirtation and practiced them relentlessly on Nicholas.
Amanda Virginia was seated last. Nicholas gallantly held her chair and she sank to the floor in a graceful curtsy. The change was so startling, he could scarce believe what he saw. She had been scrubbed thoroughly. A strong pair of hands had tamed her wild masses of hair into neat braids, coiled primly over each ear, and her starched lace collar and cuffs were immaculate.
"This is our baby, Amanda Virginia."
Nicholas leaned forward and looked down the table at her. She leaned forward and gave him a solemn, conspiratorial wink.
The damask napery, the Georgian silver, the brilliant candles and the livery-clad slaves anticipating their every move pointed up the opulent way of life that was completely taken for granted. I will never take things for granted again, Nicholas thought. Life is tenuous and with one stroke of Fate, all can be snatched away.
Aunt Billie never spoke. She nodded, almost as if she had been trained to do so. Miz Caroline graciously encouraged Nicholas to tell them about himself and about his home in England. He obliged, but kept in mind that females were treated differently her in the South. Many things were not discussed in front of ladies. No business, no matter that was the least unpleasant, no politics, and nothing that even remotely hinted at uprisings or trouble with the slaves.
Jennifer Joy smiled at him, but when he smiled back, she turned all distant with lowered lashes. She alternated with the warm-cool treatment until he couldn't even taste what he was eating, but he could imagine his mouth on hers, especially when it pouted, just so. Then he chastised himself for having lustful thoughts about a young lady of her tender years.
After dinner Nicholas excused himself on the pretext of going outside to smoke, but actually he wanted to see the outbuildings and slave cabins to get an idea of what to build to house his own men when he got them.
When he entered the stables, they were so clean that only the smell of hay and leather and horses could be detected. He turned at a noise behind him and discovered Amanda. Her hair had obviously been confined long enough, and had started to unravel from the braids so that all semblance of neatness had totally vanished.
She regarded him solemnly with a long, golden gaze, then asked frankly, "What did you think of them?"
Nicholas hid a smile. "I think your father a very fine man, and your mother a real lady. They have been most hospitable to me."
"Don't patronize me! I don't mean my parents; you know that very well sir. What about the others?"
He teased, "Well, I didn't get to meet your brother yet."
She flung her head back to
An elderly lady entered and Bernard Jackson introduced her. "This is my half-sister Billie, who makes her home with us now."
Nick's eyes were drawn to her, and it was all he could do to keep from staring. At kindest she could be described as suffering from excedent de poids, or cruelly as a gross mass of quivering flesh. He held his breath as she lowered herself onto a Chippendale dining chair. He released the breath when it was not smashed into smithereens.
Jennifer Joy made her curtsy next. If a young woman could be described as having perfect features, it would be Jennifer Joy. She was a vision of loveliness with blonde curls arranged exquisitely to frame her angelic face, and set off her eyes, which were the blue of a summer sky. She wore a frilly confection of a dress, embroidered with forget-me-nots. It had puffed sleeves and allowed her creamy arms to be displayed in all their pale loveliness.
Nicholas found it difficult to guess her age. She was perhaps sixteen or seventeen, just flowering into womanhood.
Mammy Lou had allowed her to wear her hair up because a gentleman was dining with them. Jennifer Joy was just beginning to feel the heady power a beautiful young belle held over the opposite sex. She had learned all the nuances of flirtation and practiced them relentlessly on Nicholas.
Amanda Virginia was seated last. Nicholas gallantly held her chair and she sank to the floor in a graceful curtsy. The change was so startling, he could scarce believe what he saw. She had been scrubbed thoroughly. A strong pair of hands had tamed her wild masses of hair into neat braids, coiled primly over each ear, and her starched lace collar and cuffs were immaculate.
"This is our baby, Amanda Virginia."
Nicholas leaned forward and looked down the table at her. She leaned forward and gave him a solemn, conspiratorial wink.
The damask napery, the Georgian silver, the brilliant candles and the livery-clad slaves anticipating their every move pointed up the opulent way of life that was completely taken for granted. I will never take things for granted again, Nicholas thought. Life is tenuous and with one stroke of Fate, all can be snatched away.
Aunt Billie never spoke. She nodded, almost as if she had been trained to do so. Miz Caroline graciously encouraged Nicholas to tell them about himself and about his home in England. He obliged, but kept in mind that females were treated differently her in the South. Many things were not discussed in front of ladies. No business, no matter that was the least unpleasant, no politics, and nothing that even remotely hinted at uprisings or trouble with the slaves.
Jennifer Joy smiled at him, but when he smiled back, she turned all distant with lowered lashes. She alternated with the warm-cool treatment until he couldn't even taste what he was eating, but he could imagine his mouth on hers, especially when it pouted, just so. Then he chastised himself for having lustful thoughts about a young lady of her tender years.
After dinner Nicholas excused himself on the pretext of going outside to smoke, but actually he wanted to see the outbuildings and slave cabins to get an idea of what to build to house his own men when he got them.
When he entered the stables, they were so clean that only the smell of hay and leather and horses could be detected. He turned at a noise behind him and discovered Amanda. Her hair had obviously been confined long enough, and had started to unravel from the braids so that all semblance of neatness had totally vanished.
She regarded him solemnly with a long, golden gaze, then asked frankly, "What did you think of them?"
Nicholas hid a smile. "I think your father a very fine man, and your mother a real lady. They have been most hospitable to me."
"Don't patronize me! I don't mean my parents; you know that very well sir. What about the others?"
He teased, "Well, I didn't get to meet your brother yet."
She flung her head back to
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