Read Online The Governor's Daughter (Winds of Change Book 1) by Jerri Hines - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jerri Hines
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tell a soul, I’ll make sure you never give your mother grandchildren. Do you understand?”
“Oh, you don’t have to threaten me, Tacy.” Reggie chuckled. “I like Jake, but I’m not sure if it would ever work out, dear cousin.”
“Why not? Not to say I’m interested, but if I was,” Cathryn asked, feeling like slapping both of them now. She felt she was surrounded by imbeciles.
“Honestly, Cathryn,” Reggie said. His voice changed to a more serious tone. “Grandfather would never agree to such. I’m afraid your family is a bunch of snobs, my dear girl. Total full-fledged English nobility snobs. You have to take pride in your lineage. Jake is in line on becoming a simple squire. With your lineage, Grandmamma is aiming for a duke or at the very least an earl. In which, I fear that Lyttleton has a step over Jake.”
“My father doesn’t care who I marry. He only wants me happy, Reggie,” Cathryn protested. “He would have let me marry in Charles Town if I wanted.”
Reggie clutched his heart. “Pray be he didn’t, because it would have killed Grandmamma.”
“Besides, I have never even heard of this Lord Lyttleton. Father never mentioned him,” Cathryn argued.
“Ah, family feuds, my dear, but your father must have chosen to leave it in the past or he wouldn’t have sent you across the pond. You must know money begets money. It’s better to keep it all in the family so to speak. Makes everything so tidy.”
“I can assure you I will never marry this…this Lord Lyttleton. Father doesn’t care if I marry or not. I told him before I came I wasn’t marrying anyone. He told me to give it a year. That is all. I won’t be forced into anything, Reggie. I will simply go home.”
Reggie’s eyebrow rose slightly as if he didn’t believe her, but he nodded. “I wish you only the best, Cousin, but I can assure you it won’t be tediously dull this night. And I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“Why don’t you just get on, Mr. Reginald? Now, Miss Cathryn needs to get ready and won’t be if you keep aggravating her.”
Cathryn pushed aside Reggie’s conversation. She would not let him torment her this night. She knew her father far better than he. No, this was going to be a glorious night. Jake would come.
A sound interrupted her thoughts. She turned from the window. She heard it again. Her name. It was time.
* * * *
Cathryn’s fear that her ball would be an utter failure dissipated. From where she stood at the top of the staircase, she was almost overwhelmed. She had seen carriages lining the street outside the townhouse. Now she saw the occupants. Women dressed magnificently; handsomely groomed men arrived for an evening of music, dancing and wine. She drew in a deep breath. It was going to be wondrous night.
The moon shone down on the festivities, giving it a romantic glow. Melodies of the orchestra cascaded through the open windows. The hall was beautifully decorated with every blooming plant imaginable. Countless candles lit the whole of the house with a radiance.
Cathryn placed her hand on her grandfather’s arm and descended the stairs. The night before, she had made her official entry into London society with her presentation at Court. Tonight…tonight was hers.
She stepped lightly, holding her head up with a small smile on her lips. Her only frustration lay with the inability to look into the crowd for Jake. Patience. Before the night was over, she would once more see his face.
Her heart fluttered with anticipation. It was her last thought before she was swept onto the dance floor. When the music ended, her grandfather led her to Grandmamma’s side. Only then did Cathryn discover how much the English insistence on etiquette perplexed her.
She was given no freedom to roam the ballroom. She had to stay by Grandmamma’s side until she was introduced to someone her Grandmamma felt acceptable. Cathryn ascertained quickly few were held suitable. Oh, how was she ever to find
“Oh, you don’t have to threaten me, Tacy.” Reggie chuckled. “I like Jake, but I’m not sure if it would ever work out, dear cousin.”
“Why not? Not to say I’m interested, but if I was,” Cathryn asked, feeling like slapping both of them now. She felt she was surrounded by imbeciles.
“Honestly, Cathryn,” Reggie said. His voice changed to a more serious tone. “Grandfather would never agree to such. I’m afraid your family is a bunch of snobs, my dear girl. Total full-fledged English nobility snobs. You have to take pride in your lineage. Jake is in line on becoming a simple squire. With your lineage, Grandmamma is aiming for a duke or at the very least an earl. In which, I fear that Lyttleton has a step over Jake.”
“My father doesn’t care who I marry. He only wants me happy, Reggie,” Cathryn protested. “He would have let me marry in Charles Town if I wanted.”
Reggie clutched his heart. “Pray be he didn’t, because it would have killed Grandmamma.”
“Besides, I have never even heard of this Lord Lyttleton. Father never mentioned him,” Cathryn argued.
“Ah, family feuds, my dear, but your father must have chosen to leave it in the past or he wouldn’t have sent you across the pond. You must know money begets money. It’s better to keep it all in the family so to speak. Makes everything so tidy.”
“I can assure you I will never marry this…this Lord Lyttleton. Father doesn’t care if I marry or not. I told him before I came I wasn’t marrying anyone. He told me to give it a year. That is all. I won’t be forced into anything, Reggie. I will simply go home.”
Reggie’s eyebrow rose slightly as if he didn’t believe her, but he nodded. “I wish you only the best, Cousin, but I can assure you it won’t be tediously dull this night. And I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“Why don’t you just get on, Mr. Reginald? Now, Miss Cathryn needs to get ready and won’t be if you keep aggravating her.”
Cathryn pushed aside Reggie’s conversation. She would not let him torment her this night. She knew her father far better than he. No, this was going to be a glorious night. Jake would come.
A sound interrupted her thoughts. She turned from the window. She heard it again. Her name. It was time.
* * * *
Cathryn’s fear that her ball would be an utter failure dissipated. From where she stood at the top of the staircase, she was almost overwhelmed. She had seen carriages lining the street outside the townhouse. Now she saw the occupants. Women dressed magnificently; handsomely groomed men arrived for an evening of music, dancing and wine. She drew in a deep breath. It was going to be wondrous night.
The moon shone down on the festivities, giving it a romantic glow. Melodies of the orchestra cascaded through the open windows. The hall was beautifully decorated with every blooming plant imaginable. Countless candles lit the whole of the house with a radiance.
Cathryn placed her hand on her grandfather’s arm and descended the stairs. The night before, she had made her official entry into London society with her presentation at Court. Tonight…tonight was hers.
She stepped lightly, holding her head up with a small smile on her lips. Her only frustration lay with the inability to look into the crowd for Jake. Patience. Before the night was over, she would once more see his face.
Her heart fluttered with anticipation. It was her last thought before she was swept onto the dance floor. When the music ended, her grandfather led her to Grandmamma’s side. Only then did Cathryn discover how much the English insistence on etiquette perplexed her.
She was given no freedom to roam the ballroom. She had to stay by Grandmamma’s side until she was introduced to someone her Grandmamma felt acceptable. Cathryn ascertained quickly few were held suitable. Oh, how was she ever to find
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