Read Online The Uncatchable Miss Faversham by Elizabeth Moss - Free Book Online

waves. Indeed, every word she spoke seemed to represent an affront of some kind, his barely perceptible grimaces enough to indicate his true feelings – even though he said nothing, made no move to express himself.
        Eleanor wondered, tearing her gaze from his face, how on earth she could contrive to achieve some time on her own with Charlotte, if her over-protective brother was always at her side.
        ‘This must be a difficult time for you,’ she told her friend, choosing her words carefully, ‘without your husband.’
        Charlotte smiled bravely. ‘Nathaniel takes good care of us though. Robert and I have a whole wing of the house to ourselves, and every comfort. I could wish to be a little closer to London, but some days we venture to Leamington. There is a modiste there now. Such a luxury! Indeed, they say the new Pump Rooms will be finished this summer. It’s a pity you cannot stay longer. But we could take a drive out to Leamington or Warwick one day, if my brother would consent to accompany us?’
        From his position in front of the fire, Sallinger gave a brief bow. ‘I am yours to command, ladies.’
        Charlotte laughed. ‘No need to be so stiff and formal, Nathaniel. Why, we all became such good friends when Nell first came from Jamaica, even if we did run somewhat wild at times. I remember distinctly how you and Nell used to – ’
        She broke off in some confusion as Sallinger’s face darkened, his brows contracting sharply in a frown.
        ‘Oh! That is to say … Well, I’m sure we need not stand on ceremony.’
        There was a silence in the drawing room, broken only by the hiss and crackle of the fire. Even little Robert, attempting to unravel a loose thread from the Persian rug, noticed the break in conversation and glanced up at the grown-ups in silent wonder.
     
    ‘Is dinner not yet served? Where the deuce is everybody?’
        With those muttered words, Sallinger knocked back the contents of his wine glass and strode from the room in search of a servant, uncaring what Miss Faversham might make of his manners.
        ‘Allenby?’ he shouted down the corridor, then stopped abruptly, caught up by the sight of his reflection in the hall mirror.
        Nathaniel grimaced; he looked the very image of his father tonight, his eyes narrowed and coldly angry, determined to have his own way.
        He had sworn never to become like his father, a belligerent bully, forever berating his wife, his servants, even his children. Yet how was he supposed to react to his sister’s infernal matchmaking?
        Charlotte meant no harm by it, but at times he regretted asking her to stay at Sallinger House while her husband was away at sea. If she had not been so unwell, he would almost certainly never have issued such an invitation. It was bad enough to suffer his sister attempting to interest him in every Leamington debutante who looked at him sideways. But he would not stand by in idle silence while she made these maddening remarks about his history with Eleanor Faversham. He knew what she hoped for – a reconciliation between them, in other words – and her interference was wholly insupportable.
        When he returned to the drawing room, Nathaniel was irritated to find the two women whispering to each other, their heads jerking up as he paused in the doorway.
        ‘It would seem that dinner is ready to be served,’ he said dryly, his temper back under control now. He offered an arm to Eleanor. ‘Shall we go through, Miss Faversham?’
        She looked up at him with a knowing smile as though aware that he was taunting her.
        ‘Thank you,’ she murmured. ‘But I wish you would call me Eleanor. Your sister is right. We have known each other too long for such formality.’
        ‘Eleanor, then,’ he agreed reluctantly. ‘Though only if you will do me the honour of addressing me as Nathaniel.’
        ‘I shall certainly do my best, my