Read Online Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind by Heidi Ashworth - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Heidi Ashworth
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naughty, Sir Anthony” Mrs. Barrington wagged a jeweled finger at him. “It wouldn’t do for you to show too much interest in my little darling.” She affected a comely blush. “There is nothing to speak of as of yet. You can see that it wouldn’t be proper to say anything further on the matter.”
The woman certainly had a wily way about her. Sir Anthony inclined his head. “Consider the matter forgotten”
“You do have such pretty manners, Sir Anthony” Mrs. Barrington gave him a bright smile. “I must say, after clapping eyes on you last evening, I never dreamed you had turned into such a pleasant gentleman. I’m sure you have ever so many young ladies throwing their caps over the windmill after you.”
“Would that it were so, Mrs. Barrington, but I am only a baronet. Pleasant manners are a poor substitute for nobility. I would even go so far as to say that there be certain ladies who will hold out for the highest title to which they can aspire.”
Mrs. Barrington’s smile faded and she twisted her hands together in her lap. “I daresay that is the case with some ladies. Er … you must be bored to Hinders in here without any young people present to entertain you” She stood. “I shall set about rectifying the situation!”
Sir Anthony lost no time in rising to his feet and bowing Mrs. Barrington out the door. Her tone of voice when pleased with him was nearly as strident as that when she was not. He felt sympathy for the squire. It must always be the high-pitched whine or that strident falsetto for the rest of his days. Wouldn’t it be much more efficient if she simply said what she felt rather than subjecting mankind to such unpleasantness?
Sir Anthony caught himself up short. He was beginning to sound like Ginny. He muttered an oath and tossed the paper into the chair by the fire. He prowled the room, restless to be away from matchmaking, both Grandmama’s and Mrs. Barrington’s. It wasn’t as if he wanted to marry Lucinda… gad! But nor could he stomach Lord Avery’s being preferred as an eligible parti simply because he had a higher title. He had a sudden memory of Ginny’s smile when Avery had kissed her hand and felt as if he had been kicked in the gut.
A rustle of silk outside the door caught his attention. Surely this was Lucinda come at her mama’s behest to ease his boredom. He hoped he was safe in that quarter. Surely her parents preferred the lord to the baronet. It was always best to be courteous even so. He adopted his most charming smile. “Miss Bar-“
“Oh, were you expecting Miss Barrington?” Ginny quizzed as she came through the door. “The last I saw her, she was playing chess with Lord Avery in the drawing room. You sent me a message?”
Sir Anthony didn’t know what she could mean. He stood silent a moment too long, but it was a moment well spent, taking in the pleasing contrast of the dusky curls against her creamy skin and the way her long lashes swept just along the crest of her pink cheeks. “Message? I sent you a message?”
“Yes. Mrs. Barrington said you wished to see me”
Comprehension dawned. He had assumed she had gone in search of Lucinda, but it seemed he was expected to entertain Ginny while Lord Avery put the seal on his relationship with Miss Barrington. “Yes! Of course..” he said, but he could formulate no further reply.
“Sir Anthony, what is it? If you wish to discuss travel arrangements, I’m afraid it is impossible. We are all confined to the house for the better part of a fortnight.”
“Thank you, I’ve been informed.” He retrieved his paper and made himself comfortable. “In light of our situation, I thought we should make other arrangements” Of what sort, he wasn’t sure. He was hoping Ginny would take the reins from there.
“Do you refer to informing Grandaunt Regina of our whereabouts? She won’t be expecting to see me anytime soon, but I daresay she hoped I would send a note about her roses back to London
The woman certainly had a wily way about her. Sir Anthony inclined his head. “Consider the matter forgotten”
“You do have such pretty manners, Sir Anthony” Mrs. Barrington gave him a bright smile. “I must say, after clapping eyes on you last evening, I never dreamed you had turned into such a pleasant gentleman. I’m sure you have ever so many young ladies throwing their caps over the windmill after you.”
“Would that it were so, Mrs. Barrington, but I am only a baronet. Pleasant manners are a poor substitute for nobility. I would even go so far as to say that there be certain ladies who will hold out for the highest title to which they can aspire.”
Mrs. Barrington’s smile faded and she twisted her hands together in her lap. “I daresay that is the case with some ladies. Er … you must be bored to Hinders in here without any young people present to entertain you” She stood. “I shall set about rectifying the situation!”
Sir Anthony lost no time in rising to his feet and bowing Mrs. Barrington out the door. Her tone of voice when pleased with him was nearly as strident as that when she was not. He felt sympathy for the squire. It must always be the high-pitched whine or that strident falsetto for the rest of his days. Wouldn’t it be much more efficient if she simply said what she felt rather than subjecting mankind to such unpleasantness?
Sir Anthony caught himself up short. He was beginning to sound like Ginny. He muttered an oath and tossed the paper into the chair by the fire. He prowled the room, restless to be away from matchmaking, both Grandmama’s and Mrs. Barrington’s. It wasn’t as if he wanted to marry Lucinda… gad! But nor could he stomach Lord Avery’s being preferred as an eligible parti simply because he had a higher title. He had a sudden memory of Ginny’s smile when Avery had kissed her hand and felt as if he had been kicked in the gut.
A rustle of silk outside the door caught his attention. Surely this was Lucinda come at her mama’s behest to ease his boredom. He hoped he was safe in that quarter. Surely her parents preferred the lord to the baronet. It was always best to be courteous even so. He adopted his most charming smile. “Miss Bar-“
“Oh, were you expecting Miss Barrington?” Ginny quizzed as she came through the door. “The last I saw her, she was playing chess with Lord Avery in the drawing room. You sent me a message?”
Sir Anthony didn’t know what she could mean. He stood silent a moment too long, but it was a moment well spent, taking in the pleasing contrast of the dusky curls against her creamy skin and the way her long lashes swept just along the crest of her pink cheeks. “Message? I sent you a message?”
“Yes. Mrs. Barrington said you wished to see me”
Comprehension dawned. He had assumed she had gone in search of Lucinda, but it seemed he was expected to entertain Ginny while Lord Avery put the seal on his relationship with Miss Barrington. “Yes! Of course..” he said, but he could formulate no further reply.
“Sir Anthony, what is it? If you wish to discuss travel arrangements, I’m afraid it is impossible. We are all confined to the house for the better part of a fortnight.”
“Thank you, I’ve been informed.” He retrieved his paper and made himself comfortable. “In light of our situation, I thought we should make other arrangements” Of what sort, he wasn’t sure. He was hoping Ginny would take the reins from there.
“Do you refer to informing Grandaunt Regina of our whereabouts? She won’t be expecting to see me anytime soon, but I daresay she hoped I would send a note about her roses back to London
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