Read Online The Bridal Season by Connie Brockway - Free Book Online Page A

went through a rather rough period of adjustment.
    “Anton was an excellent surrogate uncle and Eglantyne was
always motherly without ever presuming to take the place of my mother. Their
efforts were much appreciated,” he finished softly.
    “And is your brother also appreciative?” Letty asked
curiously.
    “While he lived,” Elliot said. “Terry died in Africa, during a
military campaign.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “Thank you,” he replied, robbing her of the uneasiness of
having stumbled unwittingly into private matters. “And you, Lady Agatha, your
family is quite large.”
    His comment ambushed her. Was he speaking from certain
knowledge that Lady Agatha’s family was large or from an assumption?
    “A large extended family,” she said carefully.
    “I recall.”
    Drat! Why did he have to know anything about
Lady Agatha’s family? Because every muck-a-muck in Society knew every other
muck-a-muck, that’s why. They probably spent free evenings poring over Burke’s
Peerage. She should have realized it.
    She smiled without replying.
    “And I also recall that personal experience must give you sympathy
for uneven matrimonial matches,” he said earnestly.
    What sort of personal experience? He must be speaking of some
particular incident. Had Lady Agatha nearly made a disastrous match? Is that
why she was still a spinster? Was there something unsavory in her past that
she’d had to overcome?
    “Your grandmother’s own story was most illustrative.”
    Lady Agatha’s grandmother! Letty thought in relief, but it was
short-lived. She didn’t know anything more about the old lady’s peccadillo than
she did Lady Agatha’s. He waited. Drat it all. She’d have to say something.
    “I didn’t know anyone still talked about... that.”
    She imbued her voice with frost. “It was a long time ago.”
    He was immediately contrite. “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to
discomfort you. I do not like to think of myself as a snob, nor would I like
you to think me one.”
    Snob? Than Granny Whyte had done something scandalous.
Something that had caused her to lose her social standing. What had it been?
Child out of wedlock? Cheating at cards? Caught with a lover?
    “Oh, not discomfort. I am just surprised that something so,”
she took a leap of faith based on his wording, “lurid should interest you.”
    He shot her a quick glance. “I am afraid I have overstepped
myself and caused you unease. I am sorry.”
    “Think nothing of it.” She breathed an inner sigh of relief.
However, just to circumvent any future problem, she should pry what Granny
Whyte’s sin had been out of the Bigglesworths.
    What was she thinking of? She wouldn’t be around long enough
for it to matter. A day. Perhaps two.
    But having successfully wriggled out of one difficulty filled
Letty with a feeling of omnipotence. She reminded herself of the warning she’d
given herself this very evening and promptly dismissed her earlier caution as a
case of the jitters.
    The night was lovely, she was free of Nick Sparkle, Sir Elliot
was completely taken in by her, and she had a whole day in which to pretend to
be the witty, sophisticated, admired Lady Agatha. Perhaps, she thought,
glancing at Sir Elliot’s clean profile, two days.
    He led her silently to the entrance by which she’d left the
house. At the door she turned to face him. She smiled. “Thank you for the walk,
Sir Elliot. I enjoyed it.”
    “No more than I.”
    “Will we see you tomorrow, then?”
    “Most definitely,” he said, his low, intense voice sending a
delicious ripple up her spine.
    He lifted her hand to his mouth and dipped down, brushing a
kiss against her hand. His lips were warm and soft, so warm and soft that she
failed to note the chill in his smile when he took his leave.
Chapter 7
    Give me a strong back
    over a soft heart.
     
    WHO WAS SHE, if she wasn't Lady Agatha Whyte? Why would
anyone want to impersonate her? He must be wrong. . ..
    Elliot raked his fingers through his hair.
    It had been such a long, long time since he’d been