Read Online Sally James by At the Earls Command - Free Book Online
Authors: At the Earls Command
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remember, that Kate forgot her annoyance with Adam.
It all surged back when one matron promised to send her an invitation to a ball.
'You can't go, of course,' Adam said as the carriages drew apart.
Kate was aghast. 'Why not? I've been longing to go to a ball. Why, I’ve never even been to one of the Assemblies. All I've ever done is dance with Thomas when the Squire had a Christmas party.'
'That's all you think about, having a good time,' Adam snapped, and urged his horses into a trot. 'I said no, and that is sufficient.'
She was furious. 'You say no, and that's enough, is it? Because the great Adam Rhydd speaks, all have to obey? Well, you're not yet Earl, and even when you are you'll have no control over what I do!'
'That is where you are mistaken. I'll be - ' Adam said coldly, but Kate was so angry she rushed straight on.
'If I'm invited to a ball and choose to go you can't prevent it. Grandfather said he wished me to enjoy myself while I can. There won't be the same opportunities once he dies, and he knows that. He is trying to be kind, to make up for how he treated us.'
'Are you so desperate for gaiety you cannot even contemplate a year of mourning with some sense of what is correct?' he demanded.
Kate flushed. 'He isn't dead yet,' she muttered. 'He did tell me to enjoy myself. He told you to take me about. Besides, once he does die we won't be staying in London, and I'll have no more opportunity, mourning or not, to learn how people go on.'
'You have a desire for learning, do you? For what purpose?'
'I mean to write novels,' Kate explained reluctantly. 'I have almost finished one, and even Aunt Sophie thinks it is good. When it is published the money will buy us things we need.'
'No, Kate. A Rhydd cannot be seen to descend to that level - a common scribbler.'
'I am a Byford,' Kate said haughtily.
Adam was silent and she glanced at him. She didn't like having to explain about her writing. Thomas had scoffed at the notion, and since then she'd confided only in Aunt Sophie.
Then he took a deep breath and began to speak, slowly and patiently as if to a child. 'I don't imagine it's good enough to publish, so do not let us quarrel about improbabilities. Everyone knows your grandfather is dying. If you went to a ball such as Lady Fernleigh's it would be deemed thoughtless, lacking in compassion. And however badly he's treated your mother you need not be hard and cold.'
Reluctantly Kate sighed. She recognized the propriety of this, despite her intense disappointment. 'Very well,' she said quietly.
Adam briefly put his hand over hers. 'Perhaps a small party where there is dancing would be permissible,' he said gently.
'It might be possible to go to Vauxhall one evening,' he said a little while later. 'That is not the same as a private occasion where all our friends would see you. I will see what can be arranged.'
Chapter Six
No more was said, and Kate thought he had forgotten. The next few days passed swiftly, with Kate sitting with her grandfather during the mornings, telling him over and over again all she could recall about her mother. The ladies drove out in the afternoons, her friendship with Chloe flourished, and when Kate confided her disappointment that she was forbidden to go to balls Chloe immediately invited her to accompany her to Vauxhall.
'My parents are planning to take me in a few days. I've never seen it, and Luke is going to be in London for a while.'
Miss Byford willingly gave her permission, and Adam said nothing to forbid it. Kate did not see much of him apart from when he dined with them. With all the new experiences to be had in London she had almost forgotten their first encounter, until some reminder caused her to flush with mortification and force the thoughts of him out of her mind.
Soon the visit to Vauxhall absorbed her attention. They were to dine at Chloe's house first and Kate was driven to Upper Brook Street by the Earl's coachman. Mr Shore had promised to bring
It all surged back when one matron promised to send her an invitation to a ball.
'You can't go, of course,' Adam said as the carriages drew apart.
Kate was aghast. 'Why not? I've been longing to go to a ball. Why, I’ve never even been to one of the Assemblies. All I've ever done is dance with Thomas when the Squire had a Christmas party.'
'That's all you think about, having a good time,' Adam snapped, and urged his horses into a trot. 'I said no, and that is sufficient.'
She was furious. 'You say no, and that's enough, is it? Because the great Adam Rhydd speaks, all have to obey? Well, you're not yet Earl, and even when you are you'll have no control over what I do!'
'That is where you are mistaken. I'll be - ' Adam said coldly, but Kate was so angry she rushed straight on.
'If I'm invited to a ball and choose to go you can't prevent it. Grandfather said he wished me to enjoy myself while I can. There won't be the same opportunities once he dies, and he knows that. He is trying to be kind, to make up for how he treated us.'
'Are you so desperate for gaiety you cannot even contemplate a year of mourning with some sense of what is correct?' he demanded.
Kate flushed. 'He isn't dead yet,' she muttered. 'He did tell me to enjoy myself. He told you to take me about. Besides, once he does die we won't be staying in London, and I'll have no more opportunity, mourning or not, to learn how people go on.'
'You have a desire for learning, do you? For what purpose?'
'I mean to write novels,' Kate explained reluctantly. 'I have almost finished one, and even Aunt Sophie thinks it is good. When it is published the money will buy us things we need.'
'No, Kate. A Rhydd cannot be seen to descend to that level - a common scribbler.'
'I am a Byford,' Kate said haughtily.
Adam was silent and she glanced at him. She didn't like having to explain about her writing. Thomas had scoffed at the notion, and since then she'd confided only in Aunt Sophie.
Then he took a deep breath and began to speak, slowly and patiently as if to a child. 'I don't imagine it's good enough to publish, so do not let us quarrel about improbabilities. Everyone knows your grandfather is dying. If you went to a ball such as Lady Fernleigh's it would be deemed thoughtless, lacking in compassion. And however badly he's treated your mother you need not be hard and cold.'
Reluctantly Kate sighed. She recognized the propriety of this, despite her intense disappointment. 'Very well,' she said quietly.
Adam briefly put his hand over hers. 'Perhaps a small party where there is dancing would be permissible,' he said gently.
'It might be possible to go to Vauxhall one evening,' he said a little while later. 'That is not the same as a private occasion where all our friends would see you. I will see what can be arranged.'
Chapter Six
No more was said, and Kate thought he had forgotten. The next few days passed swiftly, with Kate sitting with her grandfather during the mornings, telling him over and over again all she could recall about her mother. The ladies drove out in the afternoons, her friendship with Chloe flourished, and when Kate confided her disappointment that she was forbidden to go to balls Chloe immediately invited her to accompany her to Vauxhall.
'My parents are planning to take me in a few days. I've never seen it, and Luke is going to be in London for a while.'
Miss Byford willingly gave her permission, and Adam said nothing to forbid it. Kate did not see much of him apart from when he dined with them. With all the new experiences to be had in London she had almost forgotten their first encounter, until some reminder caused her to flush with mortification and force the thoughts of him out of her mind.
Soon the visit to Vauxhall absorbed her attention. They were to dine at Chloe's house first and Kate was driven to Upper Brook Street by the Earl's coachman. Mr Shore had promised to bring
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