afford to pay Hawkins’s salary out of my widow’s portion.”
Lord Winterdale’s mouth curved sardonically. “I might believe that sad tale if I were not privy to exactly how much money my uncle did leave you, Aunt Agatha. So please don’t cry poverty to me.”
“I have my old age to think about,” Lady Winterdale said with tragic dignity. “I have the future of my child.”
Lord Winterdale’s black eyebrows flew upward in exaggerated surprise. “Good heavens, have I been mistaken all along? I thought the whole purpose of this Season was to find Catherine a husband so that her future would be secured. Are you planning to keep her single so that she can serve as a nursemaid to yourself, Aunt Agatha?”
Poor Catherine, who had spoken not a word during the entire dinner, put down her head and looked as if she would like to slide under the table.
It was time for a diversion, so I said to Lord Winterdale, “I believe I met an acquaintance of yours the last time I was in London, my lord. Do you know Lord Henry Sloan?”
He turned away from Lady Winterdale, a predator briefly distracted from his prey. “Yes, I know Lord Henry. Where did you meet him, Miss Newbury?”
“I met him at Madame Tussaud’s exhibit when I was last in town. He was very gallant and rescued me from the attentions of a most unpleasant man.”
The faintest of lines appeared on Lord Winterdale’s brow, and I could see him turning his mind back to my last visit to London.
“You only came to London with your maid,” he said abruptly. “What the devil were you doing at Madame Tussaud’s?”
The remains of the rolled steak and the side dishes were cleared from the table, the cloth was removed, and the pineapple moulds were brought in.
I said, answering Lord Winterdale’s last question, “Maria and I went to look at the exhibit, of course. I wanted to go to Westminster Cathedral, but Maria was so anxious to see Madame Tussaud’s that I gave in. I must say, I was glad I did. It was fascinating.”
No one at the table appeared to be terribly interested in Madame Tussaud’s, however. What did seem to exercise their attention was the fact that I had gone there unescorted.
“Miss Newbury, I will not present you if you continue to behave in so ill-bred a manner,” Lady Winterdale informed me, putting down her dessert spoon.
“What was happening that Sloan felt that it was necessary to rescue you?” Lord Winterdale asked abruptly.
“Oh, nothing terrible,” I assured him. “A young man of the merchant classes kept following me around trying to impress me with his knowledge. I wasn’t frightened or anything; I was just annoyed. Lord Henry saw what was happening, however, and soon sent him about his business.”
“Very gallant of Lord Henry indeed,” Lord Winterdale said with that sarcastic tone in his voice that so intimidated Catherine.
“I thought so,” I replied spiritedly. “He showed us around the exhibit himself and I told him that I was your ward, my lord, and that I would be making my come out this season with Lady Catherine.”
“You told him you were my ward?” The sardonic look on Lord Winterdale’s face was very pronounced. “And what did he say to that?”
“Oh, he just said that we would doubtless be seeing each other as he was spending the Season at his father’s house.”
“Lord Henry is only the younger son of a duke, but I believe he is to inherit some small amount of money from an uncle,” Lady Winterdale said. “He might be an eligible parti for you, Miss Newbury.”
“Have you ferreted out the financial dirt on every bachelor in London, Aunt Agatha?” Lord Winterdale asked ironically.
“It is the duty of a mother,” Lady Winterdale replied with majestic calm.
Lord Winterdale’s eyes went to Catherine, who had spoken not a single word during the entire meal. “True,” he said, not even trying to hide his amusement.
I said to Catherine, “Have you ever been shopping in London
Lord Winterdale’s mouth curved sardonically. “I might believe that sad tale if I were not privy to exactly how much money my uncle did leave you, Aunt Agatha. So please don’t cry poverty to me.”
“I have my old age to think about,” Lady Winterdale said with tragic dignity. “I have the future of my child.”
Lord Winterdale’s black eyebrows flew upward in exaggerated surprise. “Good heavens, have I been mistaken all along? I thought the whole purpose of this Season was to find Catherine a husband so that her future would be secured. Are you planning to keep her single so that she can serve as a nursemaid to yourself, Aunt Agatha?”
Poor Catherine, who had spoken not a word during the entire dinner, put down her head and looked as if she would like to slide under the table.
It was time for a diversion, so I said to Lord Winterdale, “I believe I met an acquaintance of yours the last time I was in London, my lord. Do you know Lord Henry Sloan?”
He turned away from Lady Winterdale, a predator briefly distracted from his prey. “Yes, I know Lord Henry. Where did you meet him, Miss Newbury?”
“I met him at Madame Tussaud’s exhibit when I was last in town. He was very gallant and rescued me from the attentions of a most unpleasant man.”
The faintest of lines appeared on Lord Winterdale’s brow, and I could see him turning his mind back to my last visit to London.
“You only came to London with your maid,” he said abruptly. “What the devil were you doing at Madame Tussaud’s?”
The remains of the rolled steak and the side dishes were cleared from the table, the cloth was removed, and the pineapple moulds were brought in.
I said, answering Lord Winterdale’s last question, “Maria and I went to look at the exhibit, of course. I wanted to go to Westminster Cathedral, but Maria was so anxious to see Madame Tussaud’s that I gave in. I must say, I was glad I did. It was fascinating.”
No one at the table appeared to be terribly interested in Madame Tussaud’s, however. What did seem to exercise their attention was the fact that I had gone there unescorted.
“Miss Newbury, I will not present you if you continue to behave in so ill-bred a manner,” Lady Winterdale informed me, putting down her dessert spoon.
“What was happening that Sloan felt that it was necessary to rescue you?” Lord Winterdale asked abruptly.
“Oh, nothing terrible,” I assured him. “A young man of the merchant classes kept following me around trying to impress me with his knowledge. I wasn’t frightened or anything; I was just annoyed. Lord Henry saw what was happening, however, and soon sent him about his business.”
“Very gallant of Lord Henry indeed,” Lord Winterdale said with that sarcastic tone in his voice that so intimidated Catherine.
“I thought so,” I replied spiritedly. “He showed us around the exhibit himself and I told him that I was your ward, my lord, and that I would be making my come out this season with Lady Catherine.”
“You told him you were my ward?” The sardonic look on Lord Winterdale’s face was very pronounced. “And what did he say to that?”
“Oh, he just said that we would doubtless be seeing each other as he was spending the Season at his father’s house.”
“Lord Henry is only the younger son of a duke, but I believe he is to inherit some small amount of money from an uncle,” Lady Winterdale said. “He might be an eligible parti for you, Miss Newbury.”
“Have you ferreted out the financial dirt on every bachelor in London, Aunt Agatha?” Lord Winterdale asked ironically.
“It is the duty of a mother,” Lady Winterdale replied with majestic calm.
Lord Winterdale’s eyes went to Catherine, who had spoken not a single word during the entire meal. “True,” he said, not even trying to hide his amusement.
I said to Catherine, “Have you ever been shopping in London
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