Read Online The Romance by M. C. Beaton, Marion Chesney - Free Book Online Page B

realized—that is, that the earl would disinherit his son and make Vane his heir.’
    Belinda looked at him wide-eyed, but fell silent as Jane began to play. It was a long, boring piece which sounded like a series of Czerny piano exercises, which in fact it was, Jane having not progressed very far in her piano studies.
    Belinda sat very still, suddenly acutely conscious of the tall strong figure next to her on the sofa. His thick black hair was swept back in two heavy wings from his handsome face and proud nose. She stole a sideways look at him, found him looking at her and blushed, not a delicate maidenly blush but fiery red. Her breath came quickly and she wished the music would end so that she could escape from his disturbing presence. Lord Gyre admired thequick rise and fall of Belinda’s excellent bosom and mentally chastised himself. He was not going to fall in love at this late age with a scheming minx who was proving to be a better actress than Mrs. Jordan.
    At last Jane hit a final noisy chord. It was Lord Gyre who moved away to join Mrs. Ingram, and Gurney Burke and Lord St. Clair—moving quickly, for him—who crossed the room and took Gyre’s place.
    ‘Curst boring music, if you ask me, Miss Belinda.’
    ‘Miss Chalmers plays with great verve, I think,’ commented Belinda.
    ‘If you say so. Don’t know anything about music. I say, Miss Belinda, I heard some terrifying news about you.’
    ‘You alarm me, my lord. What can it be?’
    ‘That you are a bluestocking.’
    Belinda dimpled prettily at him. ‘Oh, no, my lord, my stockings are pink.’ And she raised the hem of her gown an inch.
    ‘I say,’ said St. Clair, goggling at her. ‘You’re a bit of a goer.’
    ‘Now, my lord.’ Belinda gave him a playful rap with her fan. ‘It is your attractions that make me overbold.’
    Mirabel saw the couple on the sofa, saw the way his friend was goggling at Belinda and said hurriedly, ‘What about cards? Silver loo? Piquet?’
    Lady Beverley rang the bell and ordered thecard-tables to be brought in. Saint Clair, who was a dedicated gambler, promptly forgot about Belinda—which had been Mirabel’s intention.
    Perry played his usual cautious game while his mind worked busily. His sharp brain had picked out a possible ally in Mirabel; he suspected that Mirabel did not want his friend to marry Belinda Beverley, but would not be averse to the idea of St. Clair’s marrying Jane Chalmers.
    There must be some way, so ran his mind, of creating a disgrace at Mannerling, something so bad it would travel all the way to London and reach the ears of the earl. But he would wait and watch. He had hoped a scandal could be created through Mrs. Ingram, whose undoubted charms should have distracted his cousin. But it was being borne in on him, and not for the first time, that St. Clair was not overmuch interested in romance with the ladies. He frequented Cyprian balls, those elegant events held by the highest class of prostitute, but more because they were also frequented by such luminaries as Lord Byron rather than to partake in any of the sex which was so freely on offer.
    Belinda, playing silver loo with the Hartley twins and Mrs. Ingram, let her mind wander from the game. If only Miss Trumble were here to give her a cool assessment of her chances. She suspected an enemy in Mirabel and felt shemust move fast to secure a proposal from St. Clair. But this was only the first day of the house party. What easy company this Mrs. Ingram was. No wonder Gyre had…had…but Belinda’s knowledge of sexual affairs was very limited and she could not envisage what a man did with a woman beyond kissing.
    *      *      *
    At last the party broke up and all went to bed, apart from St. Clair and Mirabel, who sat up drinking, with Mirabel trying to persuade his friend to propose to Jane Chalmers.
    ‘Why?’ was all St. Clair would say petulantly. ‘People don’t stare when the Chalmers chit goes by.’
    ‘Belinda