Read Online Miss Cresswell's London Triumph by Evelyn Richardson - Free Book Online
Authors: Evelyn Richardson
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both. Quite the nabobs, I hear. London will be agog to learn of your exploits. Do let me be the first to hear 'em, as then I shall be lionized and shall be able to lord it over all the rest."
At that, the world, or at least the world of the ton, closed in around them. Lord Mainwaring shook their hands, wondering how they'd left everything in India. Lady Frances kissed Ned and clung to Freddie, remarking that since they were in evening attire, they must have been at Mainwaring House and wondering if Cook had given them anything to eat.
Freddie smiled fondly at his sister. "Lord, Fran, can you imagine my even bidding good day to Cook and not having some tasty morsel thrust upon me? In fact, Ned and I would have been here hours earlier if John Coachman hadn't fussed so over the horses, or if Higgins hadn't insisted on unearthing Mainwaring's best port." This last was said with an apologetic look toward his brother- in-law. "And Cook. Cook knew for certain that we'd been existing on that outlandish heathen fare' for so long that she insisted we have at least one good English meal inside us before we went gallivanting all over Town. So, you see, we have been a good deal delayed in paying our respects to you all." Freddie indicated the rest of the fashionable world, which had by now joined the crowd, with a breezy wave of his hand.
During this interchange, Lady Jersey, always alive to an attractive young man with an interesting background, had managed to wean Ned away to partner her in a waltz. And Horace, who had eschewed such useless social gatherings until he had met Cassie, suddenly noticed that the object of his attention was bereft of company and led her off into a quiet corner where they could discuss the merits of the translation of Euripides which had just appeared in Ackermann's Repository.
Cassie was naturally delighted to see Horace, but despite her consuming interest in the topic, she discovered she could not keep her mind on it. Try though she would to concentrate on Horace's eloquent and admirable defense of someone whose works he had heard Cassie criticize severely, she found her eyes wandering to the center of the room, where Ned, a teasing smile on his lips, was bending over Lady Jersey, apparently enthralled by the latest on-dits that Silence was recounting in her own inimitable fashion. Where had the shy and self-effacing Ned acquired such an assured and positively flirtatious manner? That aside, where had those broad shoulders and the confident manner come from? Struggling to analyze the transformation, Cassie could barely muster the monosyllables to answer Horace. "Very true," or "Of course," or "Without a doubt," she rejoined at appropriate moments, trying to nod sagely, while the entire time her mind was in a whirl.
Cassie was not the only one to be taken aback at the changes in the two travelers. Limpet-like, Arabella Taylor clung to Freddie Cresswell's arm as he strode over to claim his sister as a partner. "Oh, Freddie, you're so very grown up!" she cooed. "What exotic scenes you and Ned must have encountered! Why, I should never have recognized either one of you if you hadn't appeared together and sought out the Mainwarings. You're both so brown! I expect that dealing with all those heathens has made men out of both of you." She sighed audibly. "I am so tired of the same old beaux one finds in Town. All they think about is their tailors. There is not a true man to be found among them. I grant you I have been paid some very pretty compliments by leaders of the ton "—here she blushed becomingly and lowered her eyes. "But one becomes bored with such trifles and longs to meet someone who is a man of strength and a leader in society instead of a mere hanger-on."
Her eyes followed Ned as he restored a laughing Lady Jersey to her coterie. Freddie and Arabella were just close enough to hear her as she tapped his cheek with her fan, scolding him coquettishly, "Naughty boy. Your travels have taught you
At that, the world, or at least the world of the ton, closed in around them. Lord Mainwaring shook their hands, wondering how they'd left everything in India. Lady Frances kissed Ned and clung to Freddie, remarking that since they were in evening attire, they must have been at Mainwaring House and wondering if Cook had given them anything to eat.
Freddie smiled fondly at his sister. "Lord, Fran, can you imagine my even bidding good day to Cook and not having some tasty morsel thrust upon me? In fact, Ned and I would have been here hours earlier if John Coachman hadn't fussed so over the horses, or if Higgins hadn't insisted on unearthing Mainwaring's best port." This last was said with an apologetic look toward his brother- in-law. "And Cook. Cook knew for certain that we'd been existing on that outlandish heathen fare' for so long that she insisted we have at least one good English meal inside us before we went gallivanting all over Town. So, you see, we have been a good deal delayed in paying our respects to you all." Freddie indicated the rest of the fashionable world, which had by now joined the crowd, with a breezy wave of his hand.
During this interchange, Lady Jersey, always alive to an attractive young man with an interesting background, had managed to wean Ned away to partner her in a waltz. And Horace, who had eschewed such useless social gatherings until he had met Cassie, suddenly noticed that the object of his attention was bereft of company and led her off into a quiet corner where they could discuss the merits of the translation of Euripides which had just appeared in Ackermann's Repository.
Cassie was naturally delighted to see Horace, but despite her consuming interest in the topic, she discovered she could not keep her mind on it. Try though she would to concentrate on Horace's eloquent and admirable defense of someone whose works he had heard Cassie criticize severely, she found her eyes wandering to the center of the room, where Ned, a teasing smile on his lips, was bending over Lady Jersey, apparently enthralled by the latest on-dits that Silence was recounting in her own inimitable fashion. Where had the shy and self-effacing Ned acquired such an assured and positively flirtatious manner? That aside, where had those broad shoulders and the confident manner come from? Struggling to analyze the transformation, Cassie could barely muster the monosyllables to answer Horace. "Very true," or "Of course," or "Without a doubt," she rejoined at appropriate moments, trying to nod sagely, while the entire time her mind was in a whirl.
Cassie was not the only one to be taken aback at the changes in the two travelers. Limpet-like, Arabella Taylor clung to Freddie Cresswell's arm as he strode over to claim his sister as a partner. "Oh, Freddie, you're so very grown up!" she cooed. "What exotic scenes you and Ned must have encountered! Why, I should never have recognized either one of you if you hadn't appeared together and sought out the Mainwarings. You're both so brown! I expect that dealing with all those heathens has made men out of both of you." She sighed audibly. "I am so tired of the same old beaux one finds in Town. All they think about is their tailors. There is not a true man to be found among them. I grant you I have been paid some very pretty compliments by leaders of the ton "—here she blushed becomingly and lowered her eyes. "But one becomes bored with such trifles and longs to meet someone who is a man of strength and a leader in society instead of a mere hanger-on."
Her eyes followed Ned as he restored a laughing Lady Jersey to her coterie. Freddie and Arabella were just close enough to hear her as she tapped his cheek with her fan, scolding him coquettishly, "Naughty boy. Your travels have taught you
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