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

nuncheon set her nerves on fire. With Lord Kelthorne sitting at her table she felt more vulnerable than she had in a very long time, though given his conduct, she did not feel particularly justified in her feelings. He held a pheasant drumstick and complimented Mrs. Marnhull on her culinary skills. He slipped peas into his mouth and flirted audaciously with Betty who in turn had taken to chewing her mint leaves more frequently than was usual for her. He ate the potato and cheese dish that was a favorite with the troupe but only once deigned to look at her. He did not even smile. Instead, he asked Bobby to pass the small beer and winked wickedly at Angelique who trilled her laughter so delightfully that Judith had the strongest urge to pull hard on long, curly locks.
    Fortunately, Judith sat beside Mr. Doulting who proved to be a very good sort of man and an excellent companion at table. He kept a flow of conversation going throughout the meal and in the end she realized he had learned quite a lot about her: that the red rose was her favorite flower, that she favored pearls over diamonds and that Byron did not hold so much pleasure for her as Wordsworth.
    A wonderful discussion of poetry followed and very soon she culled from him the information that he was a hopeful poet himself.
    “Perhaps not hopeful ,” Mr. Doulting said, taking a long pull on his tankard. “I have no expectation of finding my efforts in print, but I am excessively fond of scribbling.”
    “I should love to read your work some day.”
    Only then did Kelthorne address her. “He will never permit you to do so, Miss Lovington,” he said. “No one is allowed to read his poems.”
    “Have we a poet among us?” John asked.
    Mr. Doulting was obviously embarrassed and said, “A poor amateur at best.”
    Judith knew that a score of questions would follow, so she said hastily, “I have been noticing your waistcoat. Do you perchance have your clothes fashioned by Weston? I am in the habit of making use of a needle, as most of the troupe is, and cannot help but admire the stitchery. Quite perfection.”
    She watched him breathe a sigh of relief as he said, “Weston, absolutely. He is the very best tailor in London.”
    “Henry, you should look at the embroidery work,” Judith said. “I think it might suit the Richard II cape you have been working on.” She turned back to Mr. Doulting, “Henry, if you must know, designs the costumes but we all share in the labor of fashioning them.”
    Mr. Doulting was indeed very impressed and so followed a lively discussion of the various costumes he had already seen on stage and after nuncheon requested a tour of the designs for forthcoming performances.
    Judith removed herself from the lively group clustered about the earl and his friend choosing to help Mrs. Marnhull clear the table. She had an opportunity, therefore, to watch Kelthorne among his inferiors.
    He seemed quite comfortable with them, perfectly at ease. He had a congenial manner that thwarted defensiveness from those around him. Nor was his language bawdy in the presence of the ladies and he turned every such comment aside as lightly as though he were fencing with great skill. She found, much to her dismay, that she actually approved of him.
    And yet, particularly after having lived in such a wild, insecure manner for eight years, her instincts had been carefully honed. Therefore, she sensed rather than saw that he had begun a determined, careful assault on her innocence.
    “I think him a good man,” Margaret whispered, as the pair of them began preparing to wash the dishes. “He is my idea of wat a gentleman ought to be.”
    “He does appear to have some rather fine qualities,” she agreed, glancing at him over her shoulder. He met her gaze briefly and nodded to her. The smile reached her lips before she could stop it. His smile broadened in a manner she could only think bespoke a sense of triumph.
    With a lift of her chin, she turned back to the