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Authors: The Dazzled Heart
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would now be no chance of seeing a certain viscount. It was just that she needed the fresh air and she wanted to get away from the strangely unnerving Monsieur Dupin.
But, of course, Madame’s word was law and Jennifer resigned herself to some hours of boredom. Lady Carolyn Kingston was the first to arrive. Jennifer, Mrs. Parthemer, and Monsieur Dupin heard her horses and went to the door to meet her. The coach was heavily gilded and carried her Papa’s coat of arms on the panels. Lady Carolyn herself was dressed rather conservatively in a gown of pale pink jaconet which set off her dark beauty admirably.
Jennifer saw the young lady’s eyes widen at the sight of Mrs. Parthemer’s purple gown and she sympathized with her. Mrs. Parthemer’s gown was a real shock. But Lady Carolyn recovered nicely and made her greeting.
“Oh Lady Carolyn, my dear,” gushed Mrs. Parthemer. “I am so pleased to see you. And here is Monsieur Dupin.”
Lady Carolyn’s dark eyes met those of the Frenchman and faltered. As though on command she extended her hand and Monsieur Dupin kissed it.
“I am most pleased to meet the lady. I have heard much of her beauty, but none has been sufficient to describe it fully.”
Lady Carolyn’s cheeks colored. How accomplished he was, Jennifer thought. It was fortunate for Lady Carolyn’s Papa that Gretna Green was a considerable distance from Dover. For it was obvious that Lady Carolyn was much impressed by the Frenchman.
Poor Ingleton, thought Jennifer. He certainly had more here than he could deal with. And the celebrated Lord Proctor had not yet arrived.
There was a bustle at the coach and a little woman, almost as wide as she was high, was helped out. “Lady Carolyn,” she cried as she hurried up to them. “Why didn’t you wake me? Oh dear!”
In her hurry the speaker had knocked her bonnet quite askew and now, just as she reached them, it slid forward to cover her face. She pushed it back with a pudgy pink hand and revealed a face the color of a ripe apple. “Oh dear, I’m all a fluster. But travel does fatigue one so. And I do sleep soundly.”
Her eyes lit on Monsieur Dupin and her chatter ended abruptly, almost as though that gentleman had willed it so.
“This is Mrs. Parsons,” said Lady Carolyn. “Papa has engaged her to travel with me.”
Mrs. Parthemer bestowed a small smile on Mrs. Parsons, one equal to her social status. “We are very pleased to have you visit us. This is Monsieur Dupin.”
Then she turned her attention back to Lady Carolyn. “I have given you the Blue Room,” she said. “And Mrs. Parsons has the adjoining Green Room. I hope the journey was not too tiring.”
Lady Carolyn shrugged her dainty shoulders. “Papa’s carriage is quite comfortable.” Her eyes glinted suddenly with mischief. “The worst part of the journey,” she whispered, “was hearing Mrs. Parsons snore!”
Fortunately that little woman was at the moment engaged in directing the footmen who were gathering up the sundry bags and boxes that Lady Carolyn’s coachman and groom were unloading. Lady Carolyn, thought Jennifer, did not travel light. Not at all.
“Is no one else arrived?” Lady Carolyn was asking petulantly as Jennifer swung her attention back to her employer.
Mrs. Parthemer shook her head. “No, my dear. But don’t fear. I have his answer brought by his own footman. He will arrive before dinner.”
Lady Carolyn colored up at Mrs. Par-themer’s reference to the unknown him, but she did not trouble to deny her interest in the man. Undoubtedly the celebrated Lord Proctor, thought Jennifer. Lady Carolyn was far too transparent about her partialities.
It was a shame that such a lovely girl should be without a Mama. It was cer-tainly a disadvantage to Lady Carolyn, whose Papa evidently had little sense where choosing chaperones was concern-ed. Mrs. Parsons could not be depended on to recognize a fortune hunter, let alone to keep him off.
On the other hand,
But, of course, Madame’s word was law and Jennifer resigned herself to some hours of boredom. Lady Carolyn Kingston was the first to arrive. Jennifer, Mrs. Parthemer, and Monsieur Dupin heard her horses and went to the door to meet her. The coach was heavily gilded and carried her Papa’s coat of arms on the panels. Lady Carolyn herself was dressed rather conservatively in a gown of pale pink jaconet which set off her dark beauty admirably.
Jennifer saw the young lady’s eyes widen at the sight of Mrs. Parthemer’s purple gown and she sympathized with her. Mrs. Parthemer’s gown was a real shock. But Lady Carolyn recovered nicely and made her greeting.
“Oh Lady Carolyn, my dear,” gushed Mrs. Parthemer. “I am so pleased to see you. And here is Monsieur Dupin.”
Lady Carolyn’s dark eyes met those of the Frenchman and faltered. As though on command she extended her hand and Monsieur Dupin kissed it.
“I am most pleased to meet the lady. I have heard much of her beauty, but none has been sufficient to describe it fully.”
Lady Carolyn’s cheeks colored. How accomplished he was, Jennifer thought. It was fortunate for Lady Carolyn’s Papa that Gretna Green was a considerable distance from Dover. For it was obvious that Lady Carolyn was much impressed by the Frenchman.
Poor Ingleton, thought Jennifer. He certainly had more here than he could deal with. And the celebrated Lord Proctor had not yet arrived.
There was a bustle at the coach and a little woman, almost as wide as she was high, was helped out. “Lady Carolyn,” she cried as she hurried up to them. “Why didn’t you wake me? Oh dear!”
In her hurry the speaker had knocked her bonnet quite askew and now, just as she reached them, it slid forward to cover her face. She pushed it back with a pudgy pink hand and revealed a face the color of a ripe apple. “Oh dear, I’m all a fluster. But travel does fatigue one so. And I do sleep soundly.”
Her eyes lit on Monsieur Dupin and her chatter ended abruptly, almost as though that gentleman had willed it so.
“This is Mrs. Parsons,” said Lady Carolyn. “Papa has engaged her to travel with me.”
Mrs. Parthemer bestowed a small smile on Mrs. Parsons, one equal to her social status. “We are very pleased to have you visit us. This is Monsieur Dupin.”
Then she turned her attention back to Lady Carolyn. “I have given you the Blue Room,” she said. “And Mrs. Parsons has the adjoining Green Room. I hope the journey was not too tiring.”
Lady Carolyn shrugged her dainty shoulders. “Papa’s carriage is quite comfortable.” Her eyes glinted suddenly with mischief. “The worst part of the journey,” she whispered, “was hearing Mrs. Parsons snore!”
Fortunately that little woman was at the moment engaged in directing the footmen who were gathering up the sundry bags and boxes that Lady Carolyn’s coachman and groom were unloading. Lady Carolyn, thought Jennifer, did not travel light. Not at all.
“Is no one else arrived?” Lady Carolyn was asking petulantly as Jennifer swung her attention back to her employer.
Mrs. Parthemer shook her head. “No, my dear. But don’t fear. I have his answer brought by his own footman. He will arrive before dinner.”
Lady Carolyn colored up at Mrs. Par-themer’s reference to the unknown him, but she did not trouble to deny her interest in the man. Undoubtedly the celebrated Lord Proctor, thought Jennifer. Lady Carolyn was far too transparent about her partialities.
It was a shame that such a lovely girl should be without a Mama. It was cer-tainly a disadvantage to Lady Carolyn, whose Papa evidently had little sense where choosing chaperones was concern-ed. Mrs. Parsons could not be depended on to recognize a fortune hunter, let alone to keep him off.
On the other hand,
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