Graystone has already been married to a most suitable female, from what I have heard, and I have no desire to try to live up to my predecessor's standards."
"Oh, yes. He was married to Catherine Montrose, was he not? I seem to recall Mother talking about her. Mrs. Montrose was a great believer in the value of Mother's books for young ladies. She raised Catherine on them, I believe. And Mother always claimed Catherine Montrose was a fine example of the efficacy of her instructional techniques."
"What a jolly notion." Augusta went to the window and stood gazing forlornly down into the gardens behind the town house. "Graystone and I have absolutely nothing in common. We are violently opposed on all the modern questions. He does not care for free-thinking females, you know. He has made that quite clear. And he does not even know the half of it. He would no doubt have a fit of the vapors if he realized some of the things I have done."
"I cannot envision Lord Graystone having a fit of the vapors under any circumstances, and in any event I do not think you behave so very poorly, Augusta."
Augusta winced. "You are too generous by half. Believe me, Claudia, Graystone cannot possibly want me for his bride."
"Then why did he ask for your hand?"
"I do not believe he did," Augusta announced grimly. "In fact, I am certain he did not. As I told you, it was all a ghastly error. He no doubt thought he was asking for your hand."
"Mine?" Claudia's cup clattered in the saucer. "Good heavens. That is impossible."
"Not at all." Augusta frowned intently. "I have been thinking about it and I can see precisely how the mistake occurred. Graystone no doubt arrived here this afternoon and asked for the hand of a
Miss Ballinger
, Uncle Thomas persuaded himself the earl meant me because I am the eldest. But of course he did not. He meant you."
"Really, Augusta. I doubt Papa would have made a mistake of that magnitude."
"No, no, it is entirely possible. Uncle Thomas is always mixing us up. You know that. Only think of all the times he calls one of us by the other's name. He gets so involved in his studies that he frequently forgets us altogether."
"It does not happen all that often, Augusta."
"But you must agree it has happened," Augusta insisted. "And in this situation where he no doubt wanted to convince himself he was going to get me married off at last, it is easy to see how the mistake occurred. Poor Graystone."
"Poor Graystone? I hear he is quite wealthy. Estates in Dorset, I believe."
"I am not talking about his financial situation," Augusta said impatiently. "The thing is, he will be quite horrified when he sees the notice in the papers tomorrow. Horrified and trapped. I have got to do something immediately."
"What on earth can you possibly do? It is nearly nine o'clock. We shall be leaving for the Bentleys' soiree in a few minutes."
Augusta set her jaw with grim determination. "I must pay a brief call on Lady Arbuthnott this evening."
"You are going to Pompeia's again this evening?" Claudia's gentle voice held a hint of reproof.
"Yes. Would you like to come with me?" It was not the first time Augusta had made the offer and she already knew what Claudia's answer would be.
"Heavens no. The name alone must give one pause.
Pompeia's
. All those rather nasty connotations about unvirtuous behavior. Really, Augusta, I do believe you spend entirely too much time visiting that club."
"Claudia, please. Not tonight."
"I know how much you enjoy the place and I know you are fond of Lady Arbuthnott. Nevertheless, I do wonder if Pompeia's might not be encouraging certain characteristics in you that are known to be latent in the blood of the Northumberland branch of the family. You should be working to restrain and control those streaks of impulsiveness and recklessness. Especially now that you are about to become a countess."
Augusta narrowed her eyes at her lovely cousin. There were times when Claudia bore a striking resemblance to her
"Oh, yes. He was married to Catherine Montrose, was he not? I seem to recall Mother talking about her. Mrs. Montrose was a great believer in the value of Mother's books for young ladies. She raised Catherine on them, I believe. And Mother always claimed Catherine Montrose was a fine example of the efficacy of her instructional techniques."
"What a jolly notion." Augusta went to the window and stood gazing forlornly down into the gardens behind the town house. "Graystone and I have absolutely nothing in common. We are violently opposed on all the modern questions. He does not care for free-thinking females, you know. He has made that quite clear. And he does not even know the half of it. He would no doubt have a fit of the vapors if he realized some of the things I have done."
"I cannot envision Lord Graystone having a fit of the vapors under any circumstances, and in any event I do not think you behave so very poorly, Augusta."
Augusta winced. "You are too generous by half. Believe me, Claudia, Graystone cannot possibly want me for his bride."
"Then why did he ask for your hand?"
"I do not believe he did," Augusta announced grimly. "In fact, I am certain he did not. As I told you, it was all a ghastly error. He no doubt thought he was asking for your hand."
"Mine?" Claudia's cup clattered in the saucer. "Good heavens. That is impossible."
"Not at all." Augusta frowned intently. "I have been thinking about it and I can see precisely how the mistake occurred. Graystone no doubt arrived here this afternoon and asked for the hand of a
Miss Ballinger
, Uncle Thomas persuaded himself the earl meant me because I am the eldest. But of course he did not. He meant you."
"Really, Augusta. I doubt Papa would have made a mistake of that magnitude."
"No, no, it is entirely possible. Uncle Thomas is always mixing us up. You know that. Only think of all the times he calls one of us by the other's name. He gets so involved in his studies that he frequently forgets us altogether."
"It does not happen all that often, Augusta."
"But you must agree it has happened," Augusta insisted. "And in this situation where he no doubt wanted to convince himself he was going to get me married off at last, it is easy to see how the mistake occurred. Poor Graystone."
"Poor Graystone? I hear he is quite wealthy. Estates in Dorset, I believe."
"I am not talking about his financial situation," Augusta said impatiently. "The thing is, he will be quite horrified when he sees the notice in the papers tomorrow. Horrified and trapped. I have got to do something immediately."
"What on earth can you possibly do? It is nearly nine o'clock. We shall be leaving for the Bentleys' soiree in a few minutes."
Augusta set her jaw with grim determination. "I must pay a brief call on Lady Arbuthnott this evening."
"You are going to Pompeia's again this evening?" Claudia's gentle voice held a hint of reproof.
"Yes. Would you like to come with me?" It was not the first time Augusta had made the offer and she already knew what Claudia's answer would be.
"Heavens no. The name alone must give one pause.
Pompeia's
. All those rather nasty connotations about unvirtuous behavior. Really, Augusta, I do believe you spend entirely too much time visiting that club."
"Claudia, please. Not tonight."
"I know how much you enjoy the place and I know you are fond of Lady Arbuthnott. Nevertheless, I do wonder if Pompeia's might not be encouraging certain characteristics in you that are known to be latent in the blood of the Northumberland branch of the family. You should be working to restrain and control those streaks of impulsiveness and recklessness. Especially now that you are about to become a countess."
Augusta narrowed her eyes at her lovely cousin. There were times when Claudia bore a striking resemblance to her
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