And my bath last night was cold. But, after donning a clean suit of clothes this morning, I feel like a new man” Sir Anthony pushed his plate away and leaned back in his chair. “It is refreshing to say what is on one’s mind, Miss Delacourt. I am a changed being, and it is all because of you”
“If you must know, this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.”
“What exactly did you have in mind, pray tell?”
Ginny fiddled with her eggs. “I don’t know precisely, but rest assured, you have thoroughly discouraged me from finding out. You are an odious, odious man. I have always thought as much”
Sir Anthony looked a bit struck, almost as if her words had stung. “I daresay you’ve been wanting to say that for a long time. It does feel good to express one’s feelings, does it not, Miss Delacourt?”
“Yes, indeed it does.” But it was a lie, an unaccountable lie.
“Well, then, that leaves little to say but farewell”
In spite of the foolish constriction of her throat, Ginny managed to speak. “Good-bye, Sir Anthony. Thank you for all you have done. I will write to Aunt Regina today and have her make restitution for the damages. The hat and your waistcoat, to name a few.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Sir Anthony threw his napkin on the table and rose. “Well then, no doubt Grandmama shall send me back for you, so I’ll be seeing you again soon”
“Oh, no,” Ginny said. “Aunt Regina and I are quite agreed. I shall remain at Dunsmere indefinitely. It seems I and high society are not a good mix.”
“I see” Sir Anthony lingered at the table, his expression unreadable. Standing in front of her as he was, it was difficult for Ginny not to notice the way his dark hair curled crisply away from his brow. Brows that hovered over intensely blue eyes, accentuated by the dark blue of his elegant coat. From the coat, it was but a small feat to take in the snug fit of his buff pantaloons, encasing well-muscled thighs and tucked securely into the tops of shining black Hessians. “Well, then I suppose this is good-bye” His boot tassels twirled from view as he spun away and headed for the door.
“Why, you muth be Thur Anthony,” lisped a girlish voice from the hallway. “You look much better than Mama thaid.”
Ginny attempted to get a glimpse at what kind of creature this could be, but the girl was hidden from view by Sir Anthony’s broad back.
“That is most kind of you,” Sir Anthony replied. “May I ask whom I have the pleasure of addressing?”
“But of courth! Thilly moi! I am Luthinda Barrington.”
Lucinda Barrington. It couldn’t be! True, she was barely out of the schoolroom so Ginny was little acquainted with her, but she hadn’t a lisp the last time they had spoken. She did, however, contrive to turn heads everywhere she went, even then.
Lucinda took Sir Anthony’s arm and drew him back into the room. “I was juth about to partake of my breakfast,” she lisped on, “and la! What a thurprise! Oh, Mith Delacourt, Mama thaid you were visiting. Tho good to thee you again.”
“Yes, what a surprise, indeed,” Ginny said. “Sir Anthony and I were just discussing the benefits of speaking truth, were we not, Sir Anthony?” Surely he would have many home truths for this girl.
“Yes, we were, Miss Delacourt. A delightful conversation. Would you like some kidney steak, Miss Barrington? It is very good.”
“Ooooh, yeth, I love kidney steak.”
Ginny watched in rapt fascination as the creature actually clapped her hands and giggled like a baby. There were girls in London who behaved in just such a nauseating fashion, but such airs were unknown in the provinces. Until now.
Sir Anthony served up a dish of the steak and placed it in front of Lucinda.
“Thank you oh tho much, Thur Anthony,” Lucinda squealed. With another clap of her hands, she picked up her fork and ate. Sir Anthony sat nearby and smiled his encouragement.
Ginny wondered if Sir Anthony could
“If you must know, this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.”
“What exactly did you have in mind, pray tell?”
Ginny fiddled with her eggs. “I don’t know precisely, but rest assured, you have thoroughly discouraged me from finding out. You are an odious, odious man. I have always thought as much”
Sir Anthony looked a bit struck, almost as if her words had stung. “I daresay you’ve been wanting to say that for a long time. It does feel good to express one’s feelings, does it not, Miss Delacourt?”
“Yes, indeed it does.” But it was a lie, an unaccountable lie.
“Well, then, that leaves little to say but farewell”
In spite of the foolish constriction of her throat, Ginny managed to speak. “Good-bye, Sir Anthony. Thank you for all you have done. I will write to Aunt Regina today and have her make restitution for the damages. The hat and your waistcoat, to name a few.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Sir Anthony threw his napkin on the table and rose. “Well then, no doubt Grandmama shall send me back for you, so I’ll be seeing you again soon”
“Oh, no,” Ginny said. “Aunt Regina and I are quite agreed. I shall remain at Dunsmere indefinitely. It seems I and high society are not a good mix.”
“I see” Sir Anthony lingered at the table, his expression unreadable. Standing in front of her as he was, it was difficult for Ginny not to notice the way his dark hair curled crisply away from his brow. Brows that hovered over intensely blue eyes, accentuated by the dark blue of his elegant coat. From the coat, it was but a small feat to take in the snug fit of his buff pantaloons, encasing well-muscled thighs and tucked securely into the tops of shining black Hessians. “Well, then I suppose this is good-bye” His boot tassels twirled from view as he spun away and headed for the door.
“Why, you muth be Thur Anthony,” lisped a girlish voice from the hallway. “You look much better than Mama thaid.”
Ginny attempted to get a glimpse at what kind of creature this could be, but the girl was hidden from view by Sir Anthony’s broad back.
“That is most kind of you,” Sir Anthony replied. “May I ask whom I have the pleasure of addressing?”
“But of courth! Thilly moi! I am Luthinda Barrington.”
Lucinda Barrington. It couldn’t be! True, she was barely out of the schoolroom so Ginny was little acquainted with her, but she hadn’t a lisp the last time they had spoken. She did, however, contrive to turn heads everywhere she went, even then.
Lucinda took Sir Anthony’s arm and drew him back into the room. “I was juth about to partake of my breakfast,” she lisped on, “and la! What a thurprise! Oh, Mith Delacourt, Mama thaid you were visiting. Tho good to thee you again.”
“Yes, what a surprise, indeed,” Ginny said. “Sir Anthony and I were just discussing the benefits of speaking truth, were we not, Sir Anthony?” Surely he would have many home truths for this girl.
“Yes, we were, Miss Delacourt. A delightful conversation. Would you like some kidney steak, Miss Barrington? It is very good.”
“Ooooh, yeth, I love kidney steak.”
Ginny watched in rapt fascination as the creature actually clapped her hands and giggled like a baby. There were girls in London who behaved in just such a nauseating fashion, but such airs were unknown in the provinces. Until now.
Sir Anthony served up a dish of the steak and placed it in front of Lucinda.
“Thank you oh tho much, Thur Anthony,” Lucinda squealed. With another clap of her hands, she picked up her fork and ate. Sir Anthony sat nearby and smiled his encouragement.
Ginny wondered if Sir Anthony could
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