Althea by Madeleine E. Robins Page B

to fetch her a plate and a
glass of punch, however, she did make some effort to discover her sister or her
brother-in-law. That effort was quite unsuccessful.
    As Mr. Pendarly was still gone, Miss Ervine continued to
amuse herself by watching the people about her. At one point she caught sight
of Sir Tracy Calendar, and he of her. He could not approach, as he was cornered
by two elderly gentlemen apparently intent upon having Sir Tracy’s opinion upon
some matter of taste; but he did not refrain from raising his glass to her and
smiling slightly.
    Althea was not unpleased by the attention, although Sir
Tracy was not exactly to her taste; he was good company and, if all Maria said
was true, a very important man in the ton. Mr. Pendarly returned with her plate
and a glass of punch, drawing Althea’s attention back to himself. To her
surprise she found that she was quite famished and remarked as much to
Pendarly.
    “It must be the exertion involved in a ball, Miss Ervine.
After dancing energetically for several hours, one’s appetite is naturally
aroused. I hope you are pleased with what I brought. Although Lady Fforyding
keeps an almost awesome table for her suppers, I tried to restrict myself to the
best — or at least the most readily digestible — foods offered.” He smiled
pleasantly.
    “I admire your discretion and your choices, Mr. Pendarly. It
would surely be foolish to indulge in lobster patties this late at night. I
quite shudder to consider the consequences.”
    “How long will you grace our city with your presence,
ma’am?” The words brought back Calendar’s polite parody of similar questions,
and Althea again had the irritating feeling of stifling her laughter as Mr.
Pendarly continued. “Can we hope to have the luck of your presence for the
entire Season, ma’am? If so, I shall hope to see you often. I collect you are
at your sister’s house?”
    “Yes, sir. I cannot say for how long I shall be staying,
however, for that must depend upon the good will of my sister and her husband,
but I hope to make a long visit and then be banished back to my father’s home.”
    “If your stay depends upon your credit with Lady and Lord
Bevan, I am sure that we shall have you in London for a long while to come. How
could they tire of so charming a guest?”
    “Charm has no bonds for sisters, sir. Have you no sisters or
brothers of your own that you would know the bounds of filial affection?”
Althea, rather overwhelmed by the compliments of Mr. Pendarly, sought to turn
the conversation around to him. He was a pleasant partner, quiet but not sober,
and unlike most of the young men she had met, given to neither overstatement
nor inarticulateness. His admiration for her he displayed quite clearly, and
Althea could not help but be cheered by the attentions of such an Adonis and to
wish to know more about him.
    “I have one brother, ma’am, who is my elder and with whom I
confess I have never been on the best of terms.”
    “I understand you precisely, for my sister is reckoned to be
the beauty of the family, as she takes after our mother, and when we were
little she was used to positively twit me with the fact that she was fair and
had Mama’s features, while I had not. There was a long time when all I wanted
from life were guinea-gold ringlets and the family nose. I have learned I shall
never have either, and you can see that it has not permanently scarred me.
Surely your brother has ceased to torment you now, since you are both grown.”
    “Jeremy seems to think any excuse quite adequate, ma’am. But
why do we discuss my family feuds when there are other topics that must be far
more interesting?” He smiled at her ingratiatingly. “What do you think of our
city, ma’am? It is rare to meet someone who will admit that she is not city
bred — or at least bored to distraction by city sights.”
    “In truth, sir, I have seen so little of those city sights
that I cannot, in honesty, venture my opinion. My