Read Online The Dashing Miss Fairchild by Emily Hendrickson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Emily Hendrickson
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Mr. Talbot rose from his chair, motioning to Clare. She followed him to the window where he pointed out a carriage being walked below. In a soft voice that did not carry beyond them, he said, “I feared something like this might happen, so I came prepared.” In a louder voice he added, “Will you do the the honor of a drive into the country, Miss Fairchild?"
Before Venetia could voice an objection, Clare beamed up a relieved smile at her rescuer. “Yes. I should like it above all things. Let the send for my pelisse and bonnet, and we shall discuss the contents of the letters while trotting past the rural landscape."
"Or perhaps a slow walk in the Sydney Gardens?” he murmured as she floated past him to ring for Priddy.
"Admirable, to be sure,” she said in reply, her eyes lighting up with her pleasure in such a simple thing.
Venetia objected quite as Clare had expected she would. Clare slipped into her favorite blue silk pelisse, then tied the ribands of her neat Victoria hat of straw turned up around the front, lined with pale blue satin with dainty ostrich feathers on the side. All the while Venetia rambled on about proprieties and how she thought Clare to be far more circumspect than to behave thus. Her glare at Mr. Talbot would have frosted a lesser man.
Picking at the triple fall of lace that cascaded over her full bosom, Venetia concluded, “I think it vastly unfair of you two to go off and leave the in suspense."
"But, if we told you everything, you could not in all honesty claim that you knew utterly nothing about it,” Clare replied. “You see, dear girl, we are protecting your reputation."
Clare bestowed a quick hug on her companion, then joined Mr. Talbot downstairs where he had hastily taken refuge on the pretext of ordering the carriage brought to the door.
Venetia paused a moment in the middle of the drawing room, then hurried to the window to stare down at the open phaeton with a puzzled expression on her face.
"It is a lovely day out,” Clare said with satisfaction. “The air yet has a hint of moisture in it, but it is not quite so sultry as yesterday. A drive will be most welcome."
Clare thought she heard Mr. Talbot murmur something about that not being the only reason, but couldn't be certain, as he was walking around to get in on the other side. The groom jumped up behind as the carriage pulled away from the house at a sharp clip. Clare didn't look up, but she was sure she felt Venetia's gaze upon her back as the carriage left the house.
Once the horse settled into a steady pace, Mr. Talbot turned to study his companion. She ostensibly took in the pretty countryside. But her properly gloved hands twisting about in her lap revealed a concern for more than the sight of a few daisies and a rather prosaic view of ripening fields.
"What conclusions have you reached, if any?"
Clare turned to face him, glad she had worn a bonnet with a short brim so her vision was unobstructed. “Would you think the utterly mad if I said I feel something is not right with this young Jane? Why should she completely disappear? I would like very much to visit Millsham Hall to see if the new earl can tell us anything."
Richard nodded, slowing the horse to a walk, then finally pulling off to a side lane where they might turn around if so desired. “I, too, have the sense that there is something havey-cavey here. My letters tell the the same thing as yours. My mother relates details of the wedding, and how happy the couple appeared. My brother wrote that Jane's husband was a splendid rider to the hounds, and that it seemed tragic that so excellent a man should make such a dim-witted fall."
Clare's eyes had been fastened on a small bird that was hopping about on the verge. At the conclusion of his words, she turned her gaze upon Mr. Talbot once again. “That settles it. I shall take my coach to Millsham Hall."
"I believe I shall go with you, Miss Fairchild. While I have no doubt you could do admirably on your
Before Venetia could voice an objection, Clare beamed up a relieved smile at her rescuer. “Yes. I should like it above all things. Let the send for my pelisse and bonnet, and we shall discuss the contents of the letters while trotting past the rural landscape."
"Or perhaps a slow walk in the Sydney Gardens?” he murmured as she floated past him to ring for Priddy.
"Admirable, to be sure,” she said in reply, her eyes lighting up with her pleasure in such a simple thing.
Venetia objected quite as Clare had expected she would. Clare slipped into her favorite blue silk pelisse, then tied the ribands of her neat Victoria hat of straw turned up around the front, lined with pale blue satin with dainty ostrich feathers on the side. All the while Venetia rambled on about proprieties and how she thought Clare to be far more circumspect than to behave thus. Her glare at Mr. Talbot would have frosted a lesser man.
Picking at the triple fall of lace that cascaded over her full bosom, Venetia concluded, “I think it vastly unfair of you two to go off and leave the in suspense."
"But, if we told you everything, you could not in all honesty claim that you knew utterly nothing about it,” Clare replied. “You see, dear girl, we are protecting your reputation."
Clare bestowed a quick hug on her companion, then joined Mr. Talbot downstairs where he had hastily taken refuge on the pretext of ordering the carriage brought to the door.
Venetia paused a moment in the middle of the drawing room, then hurried to the window to stare down at the open phaeton with a puzzled expression on her face.
"It is a lovely day out,” Clare said with satisfaction. “The air yet has a hint of moisture in it, but it is not quite so sultry as yesterday. A drive will be most welcome."
Clare thought she heard Mr. Talbot murmur something about that not being the only reason, but couldn't be certain, as he was walking around to get in on the other side. The groom jumped up behind as the carriage pulled away from the house at a sharp clip. Clare didn't look up, but she was sure she felt Venetia's gaze upon her back as the carriage left the house.
Once the horse settled into a steady pace, Mr. Talbot turned to study his companion. She ostensibly took in the pretty countryside. But her properly gloved hands twisting about in her lap revealed a concern for more than the sight of a few daisies and a rather prosaic view of ripening fields.
"What conclusions have you reached, if any?"
Clare turned to face him, glad she had worn a bonnet with a short brim so her vision was unobstructed. “Would you think the utterly mad if I said I feel something is not right with this young Jane? Why should she completely disappear? I would like very much to visit Millsham Hall to see if the new earl can tell us anything."
Richard nodded, slowing the horse to a walk, then finally pulling off to a side lane where they might turn around if so desired. “I, too, have the sense that there is something havey-cavey here. My letters tell the the same thing as yours. My mother relates details of the wedding, and how happy the couple appeared. My brother wrote that Jane's husband was a splendid rider to the hounds, and that it seemed tragic that so excellent a man should make such a dim-witted fall."
Clare's eyes had been fastened on a small bird that was hopping about on the verge. At the conclusion of his words, she turned her gaze upon Mr. Talbot once again. “That settles it. I shall take my coach to Millsham Hall."
"I believe I shall go with you, Miss Fairchild. While I have no doubt you could do admirably on your
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