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Authors: Evelyn Richardson
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orchestra began to tune up.
Unconscious of both critical observers scrutinizing her, Diana was enjoying herself hugely. She had forgotten the excitement she always felt in the opulent theater, filled with gorgeously dressed women, and the anticipation that welled up in her as she gazed down at the brilliantly lit stage. After so much time spent quietly in Brook Street, she would have been content simply to sit silently absorbing it all, but the door to the box had opened and the chorused "Lady Diana" had warned her that the inseparable trio of Ferdie's sportingmad friends—Tony Washburne, Sir Ralph Grinstead, and the Honorable Henry Throckmorton—had come to greet her in their customary exuberant fashion.
She had never shared much with Ferdie's friends, caring little about their absurd bets, and even less for their determined consumption of quantities of port. But she had always appreciated their breezy, friendly manner, their warm acceptance of her into their coterie, and their way of making her feel as though they were the brothers she had never had. 68
The Willful Widow
by Evelyn Richardson
It had not hurt either that they considered her a veritable paragon of cleverness and, following Ferdie's lead, had consulted her from time to time on their most ticklish problems.
"Lady Diana, you must help me. I am in the most devilish coil," Tony Washburne burst out as soon as the acknowledgments and introductions were concluded satisfactorily.
Diana chuckled. "When weren't you in a 'devilish coil,'
Tony? Come tell me that you are not in one, and then I shall be concerned. Besides, I haven't a feather to fly with, so I daresay I shall be of no use to you whatsoever."
"Oh no, you have it all wrong," Sir Ralph interjected, "the man truly is in desperate straits. His mama is convinced it is time he married."
"And what is worse, she has picked out a bride for me." Tony's dismay was so patent that the others could not help laughing.
"And who is this fortunate young lady? Her parents must be all about in the head if they would take you for a match for their daughter."
If possible. Tony looked even more woebegone. "It's Lady Amanda Felthorpe. Her mama and my mama were at school together, so you see it is a hopeless case. They have always been thick as thieves and of course mama now expects me to escort her daughter, dance with daughter and..." Tony shuddered and could not go on.
Diana frowned as she conjured up a picture of Lady Amanda, a mousy young lady with the strictest of principles. 69
The Willful Widow
by Evelyn Richardson
"Yes, I see, it does rather give one pause. Perhaps I should warn her of the life that she is likely to lead as the partner of such a rattle as you. And you, Tony, would do well to point out to your mama, in the most delicate possible manner of course, that a wife would naturally require so much attention that you would not have time to dance attendance on her as she now demands. For with the best will in the world, you cannot desert a wife to escort your mama to any of the routs and balls in town, or to take the waters in Bath, or to flit from one friend's estate to another, as she is so accustomed to doing."
Tony beamed. "There, lads, didn't I tell you she would know what to do?" He grabbed Diana's hand and kissed it effusively. "You are a woman beyond price, Lady Diana. Thank you. But, it begins, we shall not bother you any longer."
"What you mean is that you wish to return to your seats in time to catch a good glimpse of the dancers," Diana retorted smiling.
They all grinned good-naturedly and left the box as precipitately as they had entered it.
Witnessing this byplay, Justin snorted in disgust. Reginald was even more a fool than he thought if he couldn't see that the lady was a hardened flirt as well as a fortune hunter. It was high time the lad was given a talking to, but now the audience was applauding and for the moment, Justin gave himself up to the appreciation of his mistress's
Unconscious of both critical observers scrutinizing her, Diana was enjoying herself hugely. She had forgotten the excitement she always felt in the opulent theater, filled with gorgeously dressed women, and the anticipation that welled up in her as she gazed down at the brilliantly lit stage. After so much time spent quietly in Brook Street, she would have been content simply to sit silently absorbing it all, but the door to the box had opened and the chorused "Lady Diana" had warned her that the inseparable trio of Ferdie's sportingmad friends—Tony Washburne, Sir Ralph Grinstead, and the Honorable Henry Throckmorton—had come to greet her in their customary exuberant fashion.
She had never shared much with Ferdie's friends, caring little about their absurd bets, and even less for their determined consumption of quantities of port. But she had always appreciated their breezy, friendly manner, their warm acceptance of her into their coterie, and their way of making her feel as though they were the brothers she had never had. 68
The Willful Widow
by Evelyn Richardson
It had not hurt either that they considered her a veritable paragon of cleverness and, following Ferdie's lead, had consulted her from time to time on their most ticklish problems.
"Lady Diana, you must help me. I am in the most devilish coil," Tony Washburne burst out as soon as the acknowledgments and introductions were concluded satisfactorily.
Diana chuckled. "When weren't you in a 'devilish coil,'
Tony? Come tell me that you are not in one, and then I shall be concerned. Besides, I haven't a feather to fly with, so I daresay I shall be of no use to you whatsoever."
"Oh no, you have it all wrong," Sir Ralph interjected, "the man truly is in desperate straits. His mama is convinced it is time he married."
"And what is worse, she has picked out a bride for me." Tony's dismay was so patent that the others could not help laughing.
"And who is this fortunate young lady? Her parents must be all about in the head if they would take you for a match for their daughter."
If possible. Tony looked even more woebegone. "It's Lady Amanda Felthorpe. Her mama and my mama were at school together, so you see it is a hopeless case. They have always been thick as thieves and of course mama now expects me to escort her daughter, dance with daughter and..." Tony shuddered and could not go on.
Diana frowned as she conjured up a picture of Lady Amanda, a mousy young lady with the strictest of principles. 69
The Willful Widow
by Evelyn Richardson
"Yes, I see, it does rather give one pause. Perhaps I should warn her of the life that she is likely to lead as the partner of such a rattle as you. And you, Tony, would do well to point out to your mama, in the most delicate possible manner of course, that a wife would naturally require so much attention that you would not have time to dance attendance on her as she now demands. For with the best will in the world, you cannot desert a wife to escort your mama to any of the routs and balls in town, or to take the waters in Bath, or to flit from one friend's estate to another, as she is so accustomed to doing."
Tony beamed. "There, lads, didn't I tell you she would know what to do?" He grabbed Diana's hand and kissed it effusively. "You are a woman beyond price, Lady Diana. Thank you. But, it begins, we shall not bother you any longer."
"What you mean is that you wish to return to your seats in time to catch a good glimpse of the dancers," Diana retorted smiling.
They all grinned good-naturedly and left the box as precipitately as they had entered it.
Witnessing this byplay, Justin snorted in disgust. Reginald was even more a fool than he thought if he couldn't see that the lady was a hardened flirt as well as a fortune hunter. It was high time the lad was given a talking to, but now the audience was applauding and for the moment, Justin gave himself up to the appreciation of his mistress's
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