Read Online The Tudor Signet by Carola Dunn - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carola Dunn
Tags: Regency Romance
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have often admired a pretty face, but never to the point of wishing to see it over breakfast every morning for the rest of my life!”
“You don’t believe you have compromised her, do you, Malcolm? Because of the unfortunate way you met?”
“No! Padgett will not talk. Jessup saw nothing. Dr. Barley is bound by professional discretion and you told me Jenny Pennick and Miss Thorne will keep their mouths closed.”
“Whatever her faults, Cousin Tabitha is no tattlemonger. Surely Miss Bertrand is unlikely to broadcast her misfortune. Yes, I daresay you are safe. You are not obliged to marry her.”
“It’s not a matter of obligation. I wish to marry her.”
“Indeed, Malcolm, she is not at all a suitable bride for an Eden.”
“Her birth is good enough,” he argued. “You said yourself her father was a count or viscount. Etiquette can be learned. As for lack of fortune, that is no one’s business but my own. My income may be modest but I can afford to support a wife who considers a library subscription to be an extravagance!”
“No, does she? Poor child! All the same, Mama and Father will be appalled when they hear--”
“Don’t tell the family. They will only brush it off as my latest diverting start,” he said bitterly.
As a child ten years younger than his nearest brother, he had grown accustomed perforce to seeing his every attempt at emulation greeted with indulgent amusement. He had done well at Harrow, but not quite as well as Reggie academically or Peter at sports. Reggie was now a Dean at Canterbury, Peter a Brigadier, James Ambassador to some obscure Balkan kingdom: in the Church, the Army, or the Diplomatic Service, Malcolm would always be a poor second. And Radford, of course, was heir to a marquisate, to their father’s title and lands--admittedly an honour to which Malcolm did not aspire.
His present occupation was not one about which he was able to boast to the family, which was one of its attractions. Whatever he did they would not take seriously. He could marry a royal princess and he’d still be the runt of the litter, so why should he not please himself?
Miss Bertrand was the wife for him. Miss Bertrand? “Dash it, I don’t know her christian name! Blount said Miss...Marie?”
“Mariette,” Lilian corrected him distractedly.
“Mariette.” He savoured the word, then looked up at the ceiling. “Mariette,” he said softly, “you must get well quickly, for I mean to woo and win you!”
Chapter 5
“Captain Aldrich, my lady.” Blount stood aside and the captain stepped into the drawing room. He wore unobtrusive riding clothes, not his uniform, Malcolm noted with approval. His visit to Corycombe was not exactly a secret but there was no sense drawing attention to it.
Malcolm went to meet him and shook his hand. “Good to see you again, Des. Lilian, allow me to present Captain Desmond Aldrich. I fagged for Des at Harrow and he’s never let me forget it.”
Hearing Lilian’s sharply indrawn breath, Malcolm wondered if he should have warned her about the captain’s empty sleeve. However, she rose with her usual graceful composure and held out her hand.
“Welcome to Corycombe, Captain Aldrich.”
“My lady.” Des flushed slightly as he bowed over her hand. “Your pardon for intruding, ma’am. I asked for your brother but the butler--”
“Blount was instructed to show you in here, captain. You are just in time to join us for dinner.”
His flush deepened. “I thought I had come early enough to complete our business and be gone before you dined. I’m not dressed for company.”
“We keep country hours, sir. We expected you to dine with us, though Malcolm was uncertain just when you would arrive. And if I have no quarrel to your dress, I am sure Cousin Tabitha and Emily do not. May I present you to Miss Thorne? And this is my daughter.”
Miss Thorne’s expression made it plain that she strongly objected to the captain’s dress, and probably to his
“You don’t believe you have compromised her, do you, Malcolm? Because of the unfortunate way you met?”
“No! Padgett will not talk. Jessup saw nothing. Dr. Barley is bound by professional discretion and you told me Jenny Pennick and Miss Thorne will keep their mouths closed.”
“Whatever her faults, Cousin Tabitha is no tattlemonger. Surely Miss Bertrand is unlikely to broadcast her misfortune. Yes, I daresay you are safe. You are not obliged to marry her.”
“It’s not a matter of obligation. I wish to marry her.”
“Indeed, Malcolm, she is not at all a suitable bride for an Eden.”
“Her birth is good enough,” he argued. “You said yourself her father was a count or viscount. Etiquette can be learned. As for lack of fortune, that is no one’s business but my own. My income may be modest but I can afford to support a wife who considers a library subscription to be an extravagance!”
“No, does she? Poor child! All the same, Mama and Father will be appalled when they hear--”
“Don’t tell the family. They will only brush it off as my latest diverting start,” he said bitterly.
As a child ten years younger than his nearest brother, he had grown accustomed perforce to seeing his every attempt at emulation greeted with indulgent amusement. He had done well at Harrow, but not quite as well as Reggie academically or Peter at sports. Reggie was now a Dean at Canterbury, Peter a Brigadier, James Ambassador to some obscure Balkan kingdom: in the Church, the Army, or the Diplomatic Service, Malcolm would always be a poor second. And Radford, of course, was heir to a marquisate, to their father’s title and lands--admittedly an honour to which Malcolm did not aspire.
His present occupation was not one about which he was able to boast to the family, which was one of its attractions. Whatever he did they would not take seriously. He could marry a royal princess and he’d still be the runt of the litter, so why should he not please himself?
Miss Bertrand was the wife for him. Miss Bertrand? “Dash it, I don’t know her christian name! Blount said Miss...Marie?”
“Mariette,” Lilian corrected him distractedly.
“Mariette.” He savoured the word, then looked up at the ceiling. “Mariette,” he said softly, “you must get well quickly, for I mean to woo and win you!”
Chapter 5
“Captain Aldrich, my lady.” Blount stood aside and the captain stepped into the drawing room. He wore unobtrusive riding clothes, not his uniform, Malcolm noted with approval. His visit to Corycombe was not exactly a secret but there was no sense drawing attention to it.
Malcolm went to meet him and shook his hand. “Good to see you again, Des. Lilian, allow me to present Captain Desmond Aldrich. I fagged for Des at Harrow and he’s never let me forget it.”
Hearing Lilian’s sharply indrawn breath, Malcolm wondered if he should have warned her about the captain’s empty sleeve. However, she rose with her usual graceful composure and held out her hand.
“Welcome to Corycombe, Captain Aldrich.”
“My lady.” Des flushed slightly as he bowed over her hand. “Your pardon for intruding, ma’am. I asked for your brother but the butler--”
“Blount was instructed to show you in here, captain. You are just in time to join us for dinner.”
His flush deepened. “I thought I had come early enough to complete our business and be gone before you dined. I’m not dressed for company.”
“We keep country hours, sir. We expected you to dine with us, though Malcolm was uncertain just when you would arrive. And if I have no quarrel to your dress, I am sure Cousin Tabitha and Emily do not. May I present you to Miss Thorne? And this is my daughter.”
Miss Thorne’s expression made it plain that she strongly objected to the captain’s dress, and probably to his
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