Lord Blackwood's Valentine Ball: An Authentic Regency Romance by Arabella Sheraton Page B
Authors: Arabella Sheraton
Ads: Link
rose as the sound of voices floated towards them. Patience looked up to see Lorna running forward, her hands outstretched. “Oh, you must come and see the dearest little flock of ducklings that Sophie and I have found.”
She caught Lord Blackwood by one hand and tugged him along. He looked back at Patience and gave a small shrug as if in excuse.
Patience waved to Lorna but could not prevent a black despair stealing over her. Why did she feel this way when clearly she had achieved her goal? Lord Blackwood and Lorna strolled, arm in arm, towards the lake where the elusive ducklings had been sighted. Lorna looked up at him. Her face glowed with pleasure, or was it love? He bent his head and made some remark, which sent her into peals of laughter. She tapped his arm as if gently reprimanding him about something. He patted her hand and then covered it with his as they continued to walk. Yes, they always had so much to talk about. If he had wanted proof of Lorna’s love, then Patience had just given him the encouragement he needed to seek the ultimate consummation of that love: a proposal and marriage.
“My goodness!” said Mrs. Sutcliffe, stretching her arms as she woke up. She adjusted her bonnet and tidied her dress. “Did I nod off for a moment?”
Patience gave her a reassuring smile, “Yes, you did, ma’am, but for no more than two or three minutes.” Mrs. Sutcliffe stared at her, eyebrows drawn together. “Five at the most.”
“I’m relieved,” said the matron, “for I would not want anyone to think I had been remiss in my duty as chaperone.”
“Oh, not at all,” said Patience, “and besides, from this vantage point I have kept an eye on…er…things.”
Mrs. Sutcliffe leaned towards her and whispered, “It’s just the Capshaw boy is not what I had in mind for Sophie, and I simply don’t know how to dissuade him from trailing after her like a lovelorn schoolboy. His mama and I are old friends, and I don’t want to hurt her feelings by suggesting he is not good enough for my Sophie.”
“You needn’t worry, ma’am. I noticed that Sophie spent most of her time with Viscount Birdwell, and she only walked in a group with him and Miss Hartley and Captain Lyndon.”
Mrs. Sutcliffe’s face brightened. “Viscount Birdwell? Well, I never. That’s more like it.”
“But not a word, ma’am,” said Patience. “Perhaps she encouraged Mr. Capshaw only because you did not approve of him. I think if you don’t mention Mr. Capshaw’s name again or forbid him to visit, then he will very soon fade from Sophie’s memory once she discovers the viscount is more appealing.”
“Capital!” Mrs. Sutcliffe beamed. “Mr. Sutcliffe would far rather encourage someone of the viscount’s standing, so I’ll take your advice.” She took Patience’s hand and squeezed it in gratitude. “What a sensible girl you are, Miss Cherwell.”
Patience smiled but she drooped inside. Sensible. Who wanted to be thought of as a sensible person when love was what one desired?
Back home, Lorna danced about the sitting room and expounded on the unusual, interesting, or exciting things encountered at the park; of what the viscount had said and done; and of what the captain had said and done.
“You didn’t spend much time with his lordship,” said Patience. “Except for looking at the ducklings.”
Lorna widened her eyes. “Of course not, dear Patience. That was my whole plan for you and his lordship to get to know each other better. I saw you talking with your heads so close that I thought you might bump them together. What did you talk about?”
Patience reddened. “Oh, this and that. Nothing in particular. He asked me my opinion on a few subjects.”
Lorna gave her an approving smile. “Good, and I hope you told him what you thought without holding back. I so want you and him to get to know each other better.”
Patience smiled but did not reply. She had given her opinion freely to Lord Blackwood, and
She caught Lord Blackwood by one hand and tugged him along. He looked back at Patience and gave a small shrug as if in excuse.
Patience waved to Lorna but could not prevent a black despair stealing over her. Why did she feel this way when clearly she had achieved her goal? Lord Blackwood and Lorna strolled, arm in arm, towards the lake where the elusive ducklings had been sighted. Lorna looked up at him. Her face glowed with pleasure, or was it love? He bent his head and made some remark, which sent her into peals of laughter. She tapped his arm as if gently reprimanding him about something. He patted her hand and then covered it with his as they continued to walk. Yes, they always had so much to talk about. If he had wanted proof of Lorna’s love, then Patience had just given him the encouragement he needed to seek the ultimate consummation of that love: a proposal and marriage.
“My goodness!” said Mrs. Sutcliffe, stretching her arms as she woke up. She adjusted her bonnet and tidied her dress. “Did I nod off for a moment?”
Patience gave her a reassuring smile, “Yes, you did, ma’am, but for no more than two or three minutes.” Mrs. Sutcliffe stared at her, eyebrows drawn together. “Five at the most.”
“I’m relieved,” said the matron, “for I would not want anyone to think I had been remiss in my duty as chaperone.”
“Oh, not at all,” said Patience, “and besides, from this vantage point I have kept an eye on…er…things.”
Mrs. Sutcliffe leaned towards her and whispered, “It’s just the Capshaw boy is not what I had in mind for Sophie, and I simply don’t know how to dissuade him from trailing after her like a lovelorn schoolboy. His mama and I are old friends, and I don’t want to hurt her feelings by suggesting he is not good enough for my Sophie.”
“You needn’t worry, ma’am. I noticed that Sophie spent most of her time with Viscount Birdwell, and she only walked in a group with him and Miss Hartley and Captain Lyndon.”
Mrs. Sutcliffe’s face brightened. “Viscount Birdwell? Well, I never. That’s more like it.”
“But not a word, ma’am,” said Patience. “Perhaps she encouraged Mr. Capshaw only because you did not approve of him. I think if you don’t mention Mr. Capshaw’s name again or forbid him to visit, then he will very soon fade from Sophie’s memory once she discovers the viscount is more appealing.”
“Capital!” Mrs. Sutcliffe beamed. “Mr. Sutcliffe would far rather encourage someone of the viscount’s standing, so I’ll take your advice.” She took Patience’s hand and squeezed it in gratitude. “What a sensible girl you are, Miss Cherwell.”
Patience smiled but she drooped inside. Sensible. Who wanted to be thought of as a sensible person when love was what one desired?
Back home, Lorna danced about the sitting room and expounded on the unusual, interesting, or exciting things encountered at the park; of what the viscount had said and done; and of what the captain had said and done.
“You didn’t spend much time with his lordship,” said Patience. “Except for looking at the ducklings.”
Lorna widened her eyes. “Of course not, dear Patience. That was my whole plan for you and his lordship to get to know each other better. I saw you talking with your heads so close that I thought you might bump them together. What did you talk about?”
Patience reddened. “Oh, this and that. Nothing in particular. He asked me my opinion on a few subjects.”
Lorna gave her an approving smile. “Good, and I hope you told him what you thought without holding back. I so want you and him to get to know each other better.”
Patience smiled but did not reply. She had given her opinion freely to Lord Blackwood, and
Similar Books
