Read Online Wicked and Wonderful by Valerie King - Free Book Online

to discipline her?” Judith whispered.
    “A thankless task when my heart swells so just by looking at her.”
    Judith glanced at Margaret. The woman had never spoken of her life in the East End, and no one asked. But Judith had come to believe that in one sense she and Margaret were sisters, in that they had both left intolerable situations, having struck out into the unknown with nothing but their wits to guide them.
    Perhaps it was for that reason they had become the dearest of friends. Judith had even been present at Shelly's birth.
    As she looked at Margaret now, she suddenly slipped her arm about her waist. “How happy I am for you. I believe you have everything even the most privileged of ladies desire.”
    Margaret glanced at her husband who was holding Shelly and kissing her forehead. “I would only wish the same fer ye.”
    That evening at the theater, Judith took her turn looking through the peephole in the curtain and saw that Kelthorne was sitting as he had the night before, in the front row on the left. Was he playing at a deep game or was it possible he was merely a kind and generous man? Somehow she believed he was the former, only what was he about?
    After the performance, she lingered longer than usual at her sewing. She kept waiting for Henry or Freddy to bring her Kelthorne’s card, but no such event occurred. She wished she could feel gladdened by the circumstance instead she found she was oddly piqued.
    Early the following morning, while she had been closeted in her tent and bathing in privacy, she heard rather than saw Kelthorne’s arrival. He was greeted warmly by several of the actors and a moment later by Mrs. Marnhull who exclaimed over several brace of pheasant, thanking him profusely.
    “Horace,” she called loudly. “We’ll be needing several spits this time. Thank ye, m’lord. Ye are a good man.”
    Worse followed when, as she was washing her neck and arms, she heard John actually invite him to dine with them.
    “With pleasure,” Kelthorne responded warmly.
    “And Mr. Doulting, too, o’ course,” John added.
    “He will be much gratified. And if it pleases you, Mr. Ash, I shall bring a keg of beer.”
    The actors who had followed him to Mrs. Marnhull’s wagon, all cheered him with several rousing, “Huzzas!”
    “Ye have yer answer, m’lord?”
    Judith was horrified. Had he now so insinuated himself into the troupe that she must endure his presence at nuncheon? So it would seem.
    The real question, however, she could not yet answer— was this by design?
    Judith sat down on her bed, only this time a little too hard for the corner gave way and she landed with a bounce on the canvas floor.
    “What was that?” she heard Kelthorne ask.
    “Judy, did yer bed fall again?” John called to her.
    In this moment, her tent was far too close to Mrs. Marnhull’s wagon for her to be in the least content. She wore only her shift and her corset and even though she could not be seen, she felt quite exposed. “Aye,” she responded “But, tis no matter.”
    “Miss Lovington’s bed has a weak post,” she heard John explain.
    She felt her cheeks grow warm. How could he be speaking to Kelthorne about the state of her bed?
    “How unfortunate,” Kelthorne said. “Perhaps someone should tell her to stop jumping about on it.”
    The men laughed at his joke. She rolled her eyes and pulled a face, an expression no one could see, of course, but which afforded her some consolation.
    “I must go,” Kelthorne said. “But I shall return with Mr. Doulting. At what hour?”
    “Nuncheon be served at one,” Mrs. Marnhull stated firmly.
    “We shall not be late.”
    Judith spent the next several hours wishing some evil would befall Kelthorne to prevent his coming. No such misfortune, however, occurred, for five minutes before the hour, both gentlemen arrived, dashing in their riding clothes and top boots and astride two very fine horses, which Horace immediately took charge of.
    As it was,