Read Online Sally James by At the Earls Command - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: At the Earls Command
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into pairs with Luke and Chloe strolling along behind the others, while Kate encouraged Martin to talk about his home.
'You and Luke were both in the army until recently weren't you? Isn't it frightfully dull just managing an estate after that?' she asked curiously.
'The army was very tedious when there wasn't a battle,' he replied, laughing. 'I'd rather be in Lincolnshire hunting foxes and shooting pheasants than galloping over muddy battlefields trying to hack down other men, deafened by the noise and unable to see more than a yard in front because of all the smoke from the guns. I'll be thankful to get back there next month.'
'Aren't you enjoying London?' Kate asked, astonished.
Martin laughed ruefully. 'There I am, putting my great clodhopping boots straight into it. You'll think I'm just a rustic, Miss Byford, saying such things instead of complimenting you.'
'I wasn't asking for compliments!' Kate retorted, annoyed. 'You don't have to behave like these conceited London dandies,' she added, looking around her scornfully at the fashionably, and occasionally extremely oddly dressed crowd of revellers.
Martin laughed again. 'I'm enjoying your company enormously, Miss Byford, but I do prefer the country.' He frowned, his expression suddenly grim, and Kate decided he was far more formidable than he'd at first appeared. 'London seems to me to be full of rogues who'd cheat you or stab you in the back moments after vowing eternal friendship. But that, I imagine, belongs to the sort of establishments where ladies never go. Will you be doing the Season with Chloe next year?'
Kate sighed. 'I don't know where I will be,' she confessed. Probably back in a small cottage, keeping chickens, and having no excitement at all, she thought, then ruthlessly dismissed the dismal picture conjured up and set herself to enjoy the evening.
The four young people had strolled up to join the crowd listening to a famous soprano when Kate, turning to Chloe with a laughing comment, felt her face stiffen and the smile freeze on her lips.
Less than ten yards away Adam Rhydd was bending solicitously over the beautiful girl she'd met him with in the Park, and seen him with on several occasions since. She clung to his arm possessively and laughed up into his face.
'Kate, what is it?' Chloe asked in sudden alarm.
'Adam, he's over there!' Kate hissed out of the side of her mouth, and Chloe, startled, swung round to stare across the small space separating them.
'Adam Rhydd? Where?' she demanded, and Kate anxiously tugged at her arm.
'Do take care, or he'll see you!' she exclaimed, and dragged her friend back through a small crowd of people until they were hidden from possible detection.
‘Chloe, what's the matter?' Luke asked, following them to the back of the crowd.
'Hush! Oh, do please hush!' Kate whispered to him. 'It's - it's just someone I don't want to see,' she explained hurriedly, desperately searching her brain for a reasonable explanation which would not be the true one.
'Let's go back to the supper booth,' Chloe suggested, and taking Kate's arm in hers turned decisively away, leaving the two men to follow, puzzled but accepting.
'I’m sorry,' Kate muttered when her momentary terror had left her. She was feeling angry with herself for reacting so impetuously at the mere sight of Adam. After all, he'd known she'd be here, even though he'd initially frowned at the idea. He'd offered to bring her himself, but seemed to have forgotten his promise. And it was none of his business. And even if he did see her what did it matter?
They turned the corner of the path and Luke came up beside the girls. Their attention was distracted as they caught sight of Mr Shore, his back towards the booth opening. He was bending over Mrs Shore, who was lying back in one of the chairs and being revived with burning feathers plied by a large lady sporting a vividly hued purple silk gown, with a no less striking shawl around her shoulders.
'Mama!' Chloe
'You and Luke were both in the army until recently weren't you? Isn't it frightfully dull just managing an estate after that?' she asked curiously.
'The army was very tedious when there wasn't a battle,' he replied, laughing. 'I'd rather be in Lincolnshire hunting foxes and shooting pheasants than galloping over muddy battlefields trying to hack down other men, deafened by the noise and unable to see more than a yard in front because of all the smoke from the guns. I'll be thankful to get back there next month.'
'Aren't you enjoying London?' Kate asked, astonished.
Martin laughed ruefully. 'There I am, putting my great clodhopping boots straight into it. You'll think I'm just a rustic, Miss Byford, saying such things instead of complimenting you.'
'I wasn't asking for compliments!' Kate retorted, annoyed. 'You don't have to behave like these conceited London dandies,' she added, looking around her scornfully at the fashionably, and occasionally extremely oddly dressed crowd of revellers.
Martin laughed again. 'I'm enjoying your company enormously, Miss Byford, but I do prefer the country.' He frowned, his expression suddenly grim, and Kate decided he was far more formidable than he'd at first appeared. 'London seems to me to be full of rogues who'd cheat you or stab you in the back moments after vowing eternal friendship. But that, I imagine, belongs to the sort of establishments where ladies never go. Will you be doing the Season with Chloe next year?'
Kate sighed. 'I don't know where I will be,' she confessed. Probably back in a small cottage, keeping chickens, and having no excitement at all, she thought, then ruthlessly dismissed the dismal picture conjured up and set herself to enjoy the evening.
The four young people had strolled up to join the crowd listening to a famous soprano when Kate, turning to Chloe with a laughing comment, felt her face stiffen and the smile freeze on her lips.
Less than ten yards away Adam Rhydd was bending solicitously over the beautiful girl she'd met him with in the Park, and seen him with on several occasions since. She clung to his arm possessively and laughed up into his face.
'Kate, what is it?' Chloe asked in sudden alarm.
'Adam, he's over there!' Kate hissed out of the side of her mouth, and Chloe, startled, swung round to stare across the small space separating them.
'Adam Rhydd? Where?' she demanded, and Kate anxiously tugged at her arm.
'Do take care, or he'll see you!' she exclaimed, and dragged her friend back through a small crowd of people until they were hidden from possible detection.
‘Chloe, what's the matter?' Luke asked, following them to the back of the crowd.
'Hush! Oh, do please hush!' Kate whispered to him. 'It's - it's just someone I don't want to see,' she explained hurriedly, desperately searching her brain for a reasonable explanation which would not be the true one.
'Let's go back to the supper booth,' Chloe suggested, and taking Kate's arm in hers turned decisively away, leaving the two men to follow, puzzled but accepting.
'I’m sorry,' Kate muttered when her momentary terror had left her. She was feeling angry with herself for reacting so impetuously at the mere sight of Adam. After all, he'd known she'd be here, even though he'd initially frowned at the idea. He'd offered to bring her himself, but seemed to have forgotten his promise. And it was none of his business. And even if he did see her what did it matter?
They turned the corner of the path and Luke came up beside the girls. Their attention was distracted as they caught sight of Mr Shore, his back towards the booth opening. He was bending over Mrs Shore, who was lying back in one of the chairs and being revived with burning feathers plied by a large lady sporting a vividly hued purple silk gown, with a no less striking shawl around her shoulders.
'Mama!' Chloe
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