man.”
Prudence smiled, just enough, she hoped. “That would be most kind of him.”
She drank a little more wine and decided she liked it very much. Wine would soon be part of her daily fare, along with pretty china, rich carpets, and all the ribbons she could desire.
She and her sister-in-law would deal well together, completely based on their own selfish interests. All that was needed now was courage and resolution to complete the journey.
As she put down the wine, she mentally stroked the silver pin.
All she needed was to remember Cate Burgoyne’s bold courage.
And forget nearly everything else about him.
Chapter 4
London
June
“’S truth, Cate, I fear I shall have to cut your acquaintance.”
Cate turned in surprise. “Perry? What the deuce are you doing here?”
“Seeking you,” said the honorable Peregrine Perriam, surveying the room, brows raised. “Bagnigge Wells? My poor, poor friend.”
Cate knew what his friend saw—people of the middling sort along with a few ragged fringes of nobility drinking tea or the medicinal waters, or strolling about exchanging greetings and gossip.
He supposed he was a ragged fringe, except that he’d invested in fine new clothes. His suit of blue braided in bronze might seem finer than Perry’s one of plain green cloth, but those who knew would see court grandeur in every line and detail of the green.
Damn him to Hades. Had he come here for amusement or to meddle?
“I’m assured the waters are delightfully salubrious,” Cate said coolly.
“Feeling bilious?”
There was no hiding it. “Feeling amorous. Behold, Georgiana Rumford—in pink with blond lace, eighteen years old and only daughter of the very wealthy Mr. Samuel Rumford, oil merchant.”
Georgiana stood in conversation with her mother and a number of other women, but she looked across at Cate and blushed. Though rather round and rosy, she was pretty enough. Unfortunate that Georgiana chose that moment to wiggle her fingers at Cate in a coy greeting, and even more so that she then turned to giggle with her companions.
“My dear friend . . .” Perry murmured.
“Her portion is large, and it’s been hinted it’ll be increased for the heir assumptive to an earldom.”
“Your brother could sire a son anytime in the next ten years or more. He has girls already.”
“I assume Rumford sees it as a worthwhile gamble for the chance to see his daughter a countess. As for me, I must marry money. You know that.”
“Have I advised against it?”
“Then why come here to interfere?”
“Even my devotion to your welfare would not bring me to Bagnigge Wells. A messenger arrived from Keynings. Wouldn’t state his business, but stressed its urgency. He’d had some difficulty in locating you,” Perry added in mild reproof.
“I hadn’t found time to tell the family that I’d moved in with you.”
He hadn’t communicated with Keynings at all since his explosive departure. They were doubtless content with that. So why the messenger?
“Drastic news, I suppose, so it must be Mother. Merely ill, or dead?”
He should feel more, but they’d never been close, despite his bearing her family name. Perhaps because he bore the family name. He resented it, and she didn’t think he lived up to the Catesby standards.
“You could have directed the messenger here,” Cate pointed out.
“I thought to spare a Yorkshire lad becoming lost amid the wilderness of Islington, so I made the sacrifice. Bagnigge Wells,” Perry repeated, and shuddered.
It was largely humorous affectation, but Cate felt sure his friend had not previously visited this area. He was a creature of Mayfair and St. James’s.
“Did I mention urgent?” Perry said.
“I’ll take my farewells.”
As Cate crossed the room to Georgiana and her mother, he couldn’t help feeling grateful of an excuse to leave. If only the Rumfords were fond of music, art, or antiquities rather than gossipy gatherings of their own sort.
He and
Prudence smiled, just enough, she hoped. “That would be most kind of him.”
She drank a little more wine and decided she liked it very much. Wine would soon be part of her daily fare, along with pretty china, rich carpets, and all the ribbons she could desire.
She and her sister-in-law would deal well together, completely based on their own selfish interests. All that was needed now was courage and resolution to complete the journey.
As she put down the wine, she mentally stroked the silver pin.
All she needed was to remember Cate Burgoyne’s bold courage.
And forget nearly everything else about him.
Chapter 4
London
June
“’S truth, Cate, I fear I shall have to cut your acquaintance.”
Cate turned in surprise. “Perry? What the deuce are you doing here?”
“Seeking you,” said the honorable Peregrine Perriam, surveying the room, brows raised. “Bagnigge Wells? My poor, poor friend.”
Cate knew what his friend saw—people of the middling sort along with a few ragged fringes of nobility drinking tea or the medicinal waters, or strolling about exchanging greetings and gossip.
He supposed he was a ragged fringe, except that he’d invested in fine new clothes. His suit of blue braided in bronze might seem finer than Perry’s one of plain green cloth, but those who knew would see court grandeur in every line and detail of the green.
Damn him to Hades. Had he come here for amusement or to meddle?
“I’m assured the waters are delightfully salubrious,” Cate said coolly.
“Feeling bilious?”
There was no hiding it. “Feeling amorous. Behold, Georgiana Rumford—in pink with blond lace, eighteen years old and only daughter of the very wealthy Mr. Samuel Rumford, oil merchant.”
Georgiana stood in conversation with her mother and a number of other women, but she looked across at Cate and blushed. Though rather round and rosy, she was pretty enough. Unfortunate that Georgiana chose that moment to wiggle her fingers at Cate in a coy greeting, and even more so that she then turned to giggle with her companions.
“My dear friend . . .” Perry murmured.
“Her portion is large, and it’s been hinted it’ll be increased for the heir assumptive to an earldom.”
“Your brother could sire a son anytime in the next ten years or more. He has girls already.”
“I assume Rumford sees it as a worthwhile gamble for the chance to see his daughter a countess. As for me, I must marry money. You know that.”
“Have I advised against it?”
“Then why come here to interfere?”
“Even my devotion to your welfare would not bring me to Bagnigge Wells. A messenger arrived from Keynings. Wouldn’t state his business, but stressed its urgency. He’d had some difficulty in locating you,” Perry added in mild reproof.
“I hadn’t found time to tell the family that I’d moved in with you.”
He hadn’t communicated with Keynings at all since his explosive departure. They were doubtless content with that. So why the messenger?
“Drastic news, I suppose, so it must be Mother. Merely ill, or dead?”
He should feel more, but they’d never been close, despite his bearing her family name. Perhaps because he bore the family name. He resented it, and she didn’t think he lived up to the Catesby standards.
“You could have directed the messenger here,” Cate pointed out.
“I thought to spare a Yorkshire lad becoming lost amid the wilderness of Islington, so I made the sacrifice. Bagnigge Wells,” Perry repeated, and shuddered.
It was largely humorous affectation, but Cate felt sure his friend had not previously visited this area. He was a creature of Mayfair and St. James’s.
“Did I mention urgent?” Perry said.
“I’ll take my farewells.”
As Cate crossed the room to Georgiana and her mother, he couldn’t help feeling grateful of an excuse to leave. If only the Rumfords were fond of music, art, or antiquities rather than gossipy gatherings of their own sort.
He and
Similar Books
