work of Weston. No wonder if she should be diverted to have a city gentleman to talk to after enduring two hours of Mr. Heppleworth’s gout, she decided.
The black head soon turned in her direction, and its owner caught her studying him with a pensive expression. “What’s the matter?”he asked, “Have I got my hair mussed?”
“No, I shouldn’t think you ever go into public without a careful perusal of your toilette from all angles,”she retorted, piqued to have been caught out in her examination.
“Very true. I have been pirouetting in front of my mirror this past half hour and can’t think what detail escaped me.”
“No detail. I have been admiring your barbering.”
“May I return the compliment and say I admire your coiffure? La Grecque suits you very well.”Monstuart took care that no hint of admiration lit his eyes or lightened his bored tone. “You are wise to continue wearing it, even though it is no longer considered the highest kick of fashion in London,”he added.
Miss Hermitage was not deceived into taking this for a compliment. Like any provincial lady, she was sensitive to the charge of being behind the style. His sly set-down was as good as an invitation to battle. “I must apologize if my antiquated hair style has offended you.”
“I have most particularly told you I admire it,”he pointed out.
“You have also told me it is out of style!”
“No, only out of fashion. Not all fashions are good. The macédoine of lace and ribbons and spangles often seen nowadays in evening toilettes, for example, is quite hideous.”He glanced at Sally’s severe gown.
She immediately inferred another insult. “Much I care about London,”she scoffed.
The dark eyes lingering on her mobile face held an unconscious tinge of admiration. “Were we there this evening, we would have something more lively to look forward to than a game of what, for want of a better word, we shall call chess. Kean is playing at Drury Lane. I have not been in town for some time, but I seem to recall there were some interesting balls offered this week. The Meltons, I think, the Melbournes certainly, and Lady Besswood’s ball, which she calls a rout. There is a new opera being premiered, and a ridotto at—”
“The week has only seven days, milord. Even such a confirmed hedonist as you could hardly take in more than you’ve already mentioned,”she said curtly. Her longing for these treats made her peevish.
“You underestimate me. For propriety’s sake, I’ve omitted some of my less worthy social doings.”
“For what reason do you hint at them, if propriety is of any interest to you at all?”
His dark eyes studied her till she felt uncomfortable. “You’re not seven years old. I suspect you have an inkling how the world wags.”
Sally lifted an imperious brow and stared him down. Why was he speaking in this broad way to her, as though she were married, or a lady of advanced years? “Do you want to play cards or not?”she asked.
“No, but I want even less to sit and watch my nephew make a jackanapes of himself. What do they say, do you suppose, for hours in that little corner?”They both turned their attention to the inglenook.
“I’m surprised you have to ask. You have just implied that, despite your misogamy, you are no stranger to dalliance.”
A rakish smile took possession of his face. “If that’s the way he’s carrying on, I’ll go right over and box his ears,”he said. That smile lent a new aura to Monstuart’s dark, rather forbidding aspect. It hinted at intrigue and caused a warm flush to invade her being. “My sort of dalliance wouldn’t suit your sister at all,”he added, staring at her.
Sally colored at the implication that it would suit her. She decided to misunderstand him. “Derwent’s sort seems to suit her very well.”
His smile dwindled to an ironic grin. “All to do with pledges of eternal devotion, broken hearts if I manage to lure him off for a spell, and that
The black head soon turned in her direction, and its owner caught her studying him with a pensive expression. “What’s the matter?”he asked, “Have I got my hair mussed?”
“No, I shouldn’t think you ever go into public without a careful perusal of your toilette from all angles,”she retorted, piqued to have been caught out in her examination.
“Very true. I have been pirouetting in front of my mirror this past half hour and can’t think what detail escaped me.”
“No detail. I have been admiring your barbering.”
“May I return the compliment and say I admire your coiffure? La Grecque suits you very well.”Monstuart took care that no hint of admiration lit his eyes or lightened his bored tone. “You are wise to continue wearing it, even though it is no longer considered the highest kick of fashion in London,”he added.
Miss Hermitage was not deceived into taking this for a compliment. Like any provincial lady, she was sensitive to the charge of being behind the style. His sly set-down was as good as an invitation to battle. “I must apologize if my antiquated hair style has offended you.”
“I have most particularly told you I admire it,”he pointed out.
“You have also told me it is out of style!”
“No, only out of fashion. Not all fashions are good. The macédoine of lace and ribbons and spangles often seen nowadays in evening toilettes, for example, is quite hideous.”He glanced at Sally’s severe gown.
She immediately inferred another insult. “Much I care about London,”she scoffed.
The dark eyes lingering on her mobile face held an unconscious tinge of admiration. “Were we there this evening, we would have something more lively to look forward to than a game of what, for want of a better word, we shall call chess. Kean is playing at Drury Lane. I have not been in town for some time, but I seem to recall there were some interesting balls offered this week. The Meltons, I think, the Melbournes certainly, and Lady Besswood’s ball, which she calls a rout. There is a new opera being premiered, and a ridotto at—”
“The week has only seven days, milord. Even such a confirmed hedonist as you could hardly take in more than you’ve already mentioned,”she said curtly. Her longing for these treats made her peevish.
“You underestimate me. For propriety’s sake, I’ve omitted some of my less worthy social doings.”
“For what reason do you hint at them, if propriety is of any interest to you at all?”
His dark eyes studied her till she felt uncomfortable. “You’re not seven years old. I suspect you have an inkling how the world wags.”
Sally lifted an imperious brow and stared him down. Why was he speaking in this broad way to her, as though she were married, or a lady of advanced years? “Do you want to play cards or not?”she asked.
“No, but I want even less to sit and watch my nephew make a jackanapes of himself. What do they say, do you suppose, for hours in that little corner?”They both turned their attention to the inglenook.
“I’m surprised you have to ask. You have just implied that, despite your misogamy, you are no stranger to dalliance.”
A rakish smile took possession of his face. “If that’s the way he’s carrying on, I’ll go right over and box his ears,”he said. That smile lent a new aura to Monstuart’s dark, rather forbidding aspect. It hinted at intrigue and caused a warm flush to invade her being. “My sort of dalliance wouldn’t suit your sister at all,”he added, staring at her.
Sally colored at the implication that it would suit her. She decided to misunderstand him. “Derwent’s sort seems to suit her very well.”
His smile dwindled to an ironic grin. “All to do with pledges of eternal devotion, broken hearts if I manage to lure him off for a spell, and that
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