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Authors: April Kihlstrom
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supposed to be betrothed to Jeremy Barnett, that was information she found difficult to believe.
None of this showed on Mrs. Hastings’ face, however, as she received the three young people when they arrived at her London town house, tired and a bit wet from the late afternoon rain that had caught up with them a few miles earlier. Her saloon was decorated in the latest fashion. Green and gold wallpaper was paired with Egyptian furniture, which had legs in the shape of exotic animals. The afternoon being still dark from the recent storm, the candles had already been set out, and their flickering shadows gave the room an even more fantastic look. Mrs. Hastings noted with satisfaction that Emmaline stared about her with patent awe.
Nothing could have exceeded the kindness or good nature Mrs. Hastings showed as she said, “Edward, how good to have you home again. Barnett, I do not stand upon ceremony with you. Congratulations. This is, I collect, Miss Emmaline Delwyn. How do you do, my dear? How was your journey?” Then, without waiting for an answer, she went on, “I am delighted to have you. But please, everyone, sit down. No, no, closer to the fire, Jeremy, to dry out a bit. And you as well, Edward.”
Emmaline murmured a greeting, too overwhelmed to know quite what to say. Hastings was more frank. “You’ve redone the rooms again, Mama. And in such an inconspicuous way!” he said with blatant irony. “And in scarcely a week. You must have had the workmen at it day and night.”
“So I did,” she agreed with a complacent laugh. “I meant it to be a surprise. Not only for you but for one of my bosom bows who returns to London the day after tomorrow. Do you like it? Or do you find it absurd as Arthur does?”
“Both!” he answered with a laugh of his own. “And I am delighted to see you in such excellent looks, as always, Mama. That is a new gown, I collect?”
Mrs. Hastings happily smoothed the green satin of her skirt as she answered her son. “Well, Edward, the room is quite comme il faut, and I thought I ought to be as well. That meant I had to have a few new gowns to match. You will surely admit the need of that?”
“I’ll admit nothing of the sort,” he retorted good-naturedly. “You just like to buy clothes.”
“But I shall admit the need of it, if you like,” Jeremy interjected gallantly. “Though I fancy Edward meant that you would always be comme il faut no matter what you wore.” He paused then added, “I presume that the gown came from Mademoiselle Suzette.”
Mrs. Hastings cast a shrewd eye upon her guest. “Want me to take Miss Delwyn there, do you? I’d already planned on doing so. She has superb taste, works quickly, possesses exquisite discretion, and knows how to conceal the gravest flaws in one’s figure. Not that that will be a concern with Miss Delwyn,” she added, running an expert eye over the girl. “I’d advise a lighter color than the dark blue of her pelisse, however, though the rose gown she is wearing will do well enough. For mornings at home alone, at any rate. My dear, who has had a hand in dressing you?”
“No one save myself,” Emmaline answered frankly. “My mother died some years ago and there has been no one else to do so. And, indeed, even I have been hard-pressed to spare the time to look to the matter properly.”
“Well, I mean to take you in hand,” Mrs. Hastings said kindly. “And soon we shall have you turned out in the latest style.”
“Good,” Jeremy said frankly. “I shall want my, er, fiancée to have the best of everything. You need not worry, Sir Osbert and not I will be responsible for the bills, which means they will be paid.”
Mrs. Hastings raised an eyebrow but made no protest. Instead she turned to Emmaline and said kindly, “No doubt we ought to ask what you would wish, Miss Delwyn. Both Jeremy and I are inclined to ride roughshod over anyone who does not protest. Do you mind?”
With a self-possession she did not
None of this showed on Mrs. Hastings’ face, however, as she received the three young people when they arrived at her London town house, tired and a bit wet from the late afternoon rain that had caught up with them a few miles earlier. Her saloon was decorated in the latest fashion. Green and gold wallpaper was paired with Egyptian furniture, which had legs in the shape of exotic animals. The afternoon being still dark from the recent storm, the candles had already been set out, and their flickering shadows gave the room an even more fantastic look. Mrs. Hastings noted with satisfaction that Emmaline stared about her with patent awe.
Nothing could have exceeded the kindness or good nature Mrs. Hastings showed as she said, “Edward, how good to have you home again. Barnett, I do not stand upon ceremony with you. Congratulations. This is, I collect, Miss Emmaline Delwyn. How do you do, my dear? How was your journey?” Then, without waiting for an answer, she went on, “I am delighted to have you. But please, everyone, sit down. No, no, closer to the fire, Jeremy, to dry out a bit. And you as well, Edward.”
Emmaline murmured a greeting, too overwhelmed to know quite what to say. Hastings was more frank. “You’ve redone the rooms again, Mama. And in such an inconspicuous way!” he said with blatant irony. “And in scarcely a week. You must have had the workmen at it day and night.”
“So I did,” she agreed with a complacent laugh. “I meant it to be a surprise. Not only for you but for one of my bosom bows who returns to London the day after tomorrow. Do you like it? Or do you find it absurd as Arthur does?”
“Both!” he answered with a laugh of his own. “And I am delighted to see you in such excellent looks, as always, Mama. That is a new gown, I collect?”
Mrs. Hastings happily smoothed the green satin of her skirt as she answered her son. “Well, Edward, the room is quite comme il faut, and I thought I ought to be as well. That meant I had to have a few new gowns to match. You will surely admit the need of that?”
“I’ll admit nothing of the sort,” he retorted good-naturedly. “You just like to buy clothes.”
“But I shall admit the need of it, if you like,” Jeremy interjected gallantly. “Though I fancy Edward meant that you would always be comme il faut no matter what you wore.” He paused then added, “I presume that the gown came from Mademoiselle Suzette.”
Mrs. Hastings cast a shrewd eye upon her guest. “Want me to take Miss Delwyn there, do you? I’d already planned on doing so. She has superb taste, works quickly, possesses exquisite discretion, and knows how to conceal the gravest flaws in one’s figure. Not that that will be a concern with Miss Delwyn,” she added, running an expert eye over the girl. “I’d advise a lighter color than the dark blue of her pelisse, however, though the rose gown she is wearing will do well enough. For mornings at home alone, at any rate. My dear, who has had a hand in dressing you?”
“No one save myself,” Emmaline answered frankly. “My mother died some years ago and there has been no one else to do so. And, indeed, even I have been hard-pressed to spare the time to look to the matter properly.”
“Well, I mean to take you in hand,” Mrs. Hastings said kindly. “And soon we shall have you turned out in the latest style.”
“Good,” Jeremy said frankly. “I shall want my, er, fiancée to have the best of everything. You need not worry, Sir Osbert and not I will be responsible for the bills, which means they will be paid.”
Mrs. Hastings raised an eyebrow but made no protest. Instead she turned to Emmaline and said kindly, “No doubt we ought to ask what you would wish, Miss Delwyn. Both Jeremy and I are inclined to ride roughshod over anyone who does not protest. Do you mind?”
With a self-possession she did not
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