Read Online The Importance of Being Wicked (Millworth Manor) by Victoria Alexander - Free Book Online
Authors: Victoria Alexander
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as if they both belonged to some sort of secret, female club, then turned to her son and straightened her shoulders. “I, for one, quite like the idea of being at the forefront of progress. Therefore, I vote for electricity.”
“I did not call for a vote!” It was hard to believe the woman who had given him birth had now turned against him. “This is my decision. There is no voting about it.”
“I vote for electricity as well,” Gray added.
“ Et tu, Brute? ” Win glared at his cousin.
“I just think she’s right.” Gray shrugged. “I think it’s the way of the future.”
Win snorted. “Or it could be a passing fad.”
“Parts of London as well as New York are already lit with electricity,” Gray said mildly.
“Father?” Win turned to the earl. “Do you intend to vote against me as well? Not that we are voting,” he added.
His father shook his head. “I have no intention of voting. I said this was your decision and I meant it.”
“Well, that’s something, at any rate.” Win looked from his father to Gray to his mother and finally to Lady Garret. “As much as I think it’s wiser to bide our time and see where electricity may lead us . . .” His jaw clenched. “I will consider this and make my decision by tomorrow.”
“Good.” His father glanced at Lady Garret. “I, for one, quite approve of what your Mr. Tempest has done here. I look forward to seeing these plans come to fruition. Now, I have other matters to attend to. Good day.” He turned and strode from the room. In the back of his mind, Win noted with more than a little relief how much more vigorous his father now appeared than he had in the days after the fire.
“Uncle Roland.” Gray started after him. “Might I have a word?” He paused and smiled at Lady Garret. “It was my pleasure, Lady Garret. I daresay we will meet again before the last nail is driven.”
“No doubt, Mr. Elliott. It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” She smiled what appeared to be a genuine smile. Good God, he was beginning to recognize the termagant’s smiles.
“Lady Garret.” Gray nodded, cast Win a chastising look, then hurried after his uncle.
“Electricity, how very exciting.” Mother beamed. “I must say, I can’t wait.” She inclined her head toward the younger woman in a confidential manner. “I know my son claims to be a progressive sort, but in truth he does have a tendency to be something of a stick-in-the-mud.”
“Mother!”
“Don’t take that tone with me. You know full well it’s true.” Mother sniffed. “Not that I’m not pleased that you value our heritage, but, Winfield, dear, you do need to move with the times.”
Win’s jaw tightened. “I do move with the times.”
It was obviously all Lady Garret could do to keep from laughing.
“Well, we shall see.” Mother cast him an affectionate smile that did little to take the sting out of her assessment of his character. One could certainly value tradition without being a stick-in-the-mud. “Lady Garret, I know you and Winfield have matters to discuss, but would you join me for tea before you take the train back to London? I know your mother, but it’s been a very long time since I’ve seen her.”
The younger woman hesitated, then nodded in a gracious manner. “I should like nothing better.”
“Excellent. When you are finished here then.” She glanced at her son. “Do try to be pleasant.”
“I am being pleasant!”
“My mistake then. I thought you were being rather stiff and stodgy and annoyed and just the tiniest bit outraged. I’m sure no one else noticed.” His mother traded amused glances with the younger woman and took her leave.
He turned his attention to Lady Garret. “Wasn’t I being pleasant?”
“I am sorry, my lord,” she said at precisely the same time.
“What?” He stared at her.
“I was offering you my apology.”
He narrowed his gaze. “For what?”
“I put you in an untenable position with your family
“I did not call for a vote!” It was hard to believe the woman who had given him birth had now turned against him. “This is my decision. There is no voting about it.”
“I vote for electricity as well,” Gray added.
“ Et tu, Brute? ” Win glared at his cousin.
“I just think she’s right.” Gray shrugged. “I think it’s the way of the future.”
Win snorted. “Or it could be a passing fad.”
“Parts of London as well as New York are already lit with electricity,” Gray said mildly.
“Father?” Win turned to the earl. “Do you intend to vote against me as well? Not that we are voting,” he added.
His father shook his head. “I have no intention of voting. I said this was your decision and I meant it.”
“Well, that’s something, at any rate.” Win looked from his father to Gray to his mother and finally to Lady Garret. “As much as I think it’s wiser to bide our time and see where electricity may lead us . . .” His jaw clenched. “I will consider this and make my decision by tomorrow.”
“Good.” His father glanced at Lady Garret. “I, for one, quite approve of what your Mr. Tempest has done here. I look forward to seeing these plans come to fruition. Now, I have other matters to attend to. Good day.” He turned and strode from the room. In the back of his mind, Win noted with more than a little relief how much more vigorous his father now appeared than he had in the days after the fire.
“Uncle Roland.” Gray started after him. “Might I have a word?” He paused and smiled at Lady Garret. “It was my pleasure, Lady Garret. I daresay we will meet again before the last nail is driven.”
“No doubt, Mr. Elliott. It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” She smiled what appeared to be a genuine smile. Good God, he was beginning to recognize the termagant’s smiles.
“Lady Garret.” Gray nodded, cast Win a chastising look, then hurried after his uncle.
“Electricity, how very exciting.” Mother beamed. “I must say, I can’t wait.” She inclined her head toward the younger woman in a confidential manner. “I know my son claims to be a progressive sort, but in truth he does have a tendency to be something of a stick-in-the-mud.”
“Mother!”
“Don’t take that tone with me. You know full well it’s true.” Mother sniffed. “Not that I’m not pleased that you value our heritage, but, Winfield, dear, you do need to move with the times.”
Win’s jaw tightened. “I do move with the times.”
It was obviously all Lady Garret could do to keep from laughing.
“Well, we shall see.” Mother cast him an affectionate smile that did little to take the sting out of her assessment of his character. One could certainly value tradition without being a stick-in-the-mud. “Lady Garret, I know you and Winfield have matters to discuss, but would you join me for tea before you take the train back to London? I know your mother, but it’s been a very long time since I’ve seen her.”
The younger woman hesitated, then nodded in a gracious manner. “I should like nothing better.”
“Excellent. When you are finished here then.” She glanced at her son. “Do try to be pleasant.”
“I am being pleasant!”
“My mistake then. I thought you were being rather stiff and stodgy and annoyed and just the tiniest bit outraged. I’m sure no one else noticed.” His mother traded amused glances with the younger woman and took her leave.
He turned his attention to Lady Garret. “Wasn’t I being pleasant?”
“I am sorry, my lord,” she said at precisely the same time.
“What?” He stared at her.
“I was offering you my apology.”
He narrowed his gaze. “For what?”
“I put you in an untenable position with your family
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