Read Online Tea and Scandal by Joan Smith - Free Book Online

than five was a pauper.
    “ See if you can find out the next time you call, Horace, ” she said. “ But do it discreetly. You did very well, by the by. I knew someone of your cut would just suit the housekeeper. ”
    * * * *
    At Wildercliffe, the visit was also being discussed.
    “ Lady Sykes plans to palm that disreputable brother of hers off on me, ” Lady Pargeter said, and laughed merrily. “ She must think I ’ m easy to please, if I would marry that sponge. What had Fenwick to say, Jane? ”
    “ He mentioned the same possibility, ” she said.
    “ I begin to see why they came. There is one good thing in it at least. It seems Lady Sykes has decided not to go to court. I would dislike the bother. Shall we have a snack before lunch? I am feeling peckish. ”
    “ You go ahead. I ’ m not hungry, after sitting all morning. You ’ ll be putting on weight if you keep up at this rate, Aunt Fay. ”
    Lady Pargeter called for bread and butter and some cold mutton, promising she would go out and walk as soon as the rain let up. Jane sat on, mentally reviewing her first flirtation, and wondering if it had been a flirtation, or merely a diversion to cover an interrogation. Lord Fenwick had asked a dozen seemingly pointless questions. Why did he think Pargeter had taken an interest in her? He had something in mind, but for the life of her, she couldn ’ t fathom what it was.
     

Chapter Seven
     
    The next morning dawned fair. From his study window, Lord Malton saw the sun glinting on newly leafed trees, fresh from the spring rain. A light breeze stirred their branches. On an impulse he rose and threw open the mullioned window, a thing he seldom did. As a warm zephyr blew over him, he felt some long-forgotten stirrings of life. It was Fenwick’s recent visit that called to mind his late friend Pargeter, and his widow. A fine-looking woman, Rampling. He had always thought so. Many a time he and Pargeter had regretted her being a lady. On an impulse, Lord Malton decided to call for his carriage and pay a call on Lady Pargeter.
    He took a glance at himself in the gilt-framed mirror in the entrance hallway as he left, and gave a shudder of distaste. Where had this old man come from? His nice tawny mane of hair had faded to gray decades ago, and had nearly left his head entirely over the past ten years. The tawny hair would have looked like the devil with his ruddy nose and cheeks, but he wished he had more than a fringe of white to cover his pate. His stomach preceded him by half a foot, but by God, he still looked like a gentleman. He had not begun drooling on his waistcoat, and he could walk with the brisk step of a fifty-year-old.
    Lady Pargeter was quite simply amazed to receive a call from him half an hour later. He had always treated her with a certain avuncular jollity that was half flirtation and half genuine friendship. She soon saw that his manner had not changed in the least.
    “ Lady Pargeter! I trust this old ghost from the past does not frighten you, ” he said, walking forward and raising her hand to his lips.
    “ Lord Malton! I couldn ’ t be more surprised if you were a ghost. ” His smile told Fay that the call was a friendly one. “ Why have you been ignoring me? ” she demanded.
    “ Because I ’ m a lazy hound, and could not drag myself out of the house in winter. It was Lord Fenwick ’ s call t ’ other day that brought you to mind. Not that I had forgotten you entirely! At my age, you must know, I ’ d forget to eat my dinner if the servants didn ’ t call me. Oh, I am a sad wreck of humanity. A sad creature. May I have a glass of wine? ”
    “ You were not used to be so formal, Lord Malton. Help yourself. ”
    “ Don ’ t you think you might dispense with the ‘ Lord ’ after all these years, Ramp — Lady Pargeter? ” He stopped and shook his head. “ No, I cannot call you by that name. Lizzie will always be Lady Pargeter to me. You are Rampling, but as it wouldn ’ t do to call