quieted. “You've been home from the sea almost two years. I think you've punished yourself enough."
He shifted, not meeting her eyes. “You speak nonsense."
"This life you've lead since your return from the Peninsular war. The risks, the women—"
Cole summoned a practiced, lazy grin and looked directly into her eyes. “Punished? Don't you know that a life of debauchery is the perfect reward for a returning war hero?"
Aunt Livy fixed her penetrating gaze upon him, but he ensured that his practiced façade remained firmly in place. She pursed her lips and shook her head, her attention turned back to her needlepoint. “Perhaps I shall invite Miss Palmer for tea. For a time when you will be home."
"I don't think she likes me, Aunt Relentless."
"I'm not relentless, I'm determined. But if she doesn't like you, then she must already know you too well,” Aunt Livy said mournfully, slipping back into their familiar banter and safer ground. “We shall have to find you a wife who will be less discerning."
Relaxing, Cole grinned. “Quite right."
Aunt Livy glanced up at him. “The Hancock's dinner party is tomorrow. And we've already accepted. All three of us."
He made a face. “Why must you insist I attend all of these pointless exercises?"
"To find you a wife, of course. How else are you going to do it?"
"Perhaps I don't wish to do it yet."
"Good. It will take time to cajole some poor girl to take you."
Cole chuckled. “You are the sharpest-tongued old woman who's ever lived."
"Thank you, dear. Now, go be useful and tell the cook I wish to have lobster bisque for dinner tonight."
"No one else gets away with ordering me about, you know."
"You ought to visit more often. It's good for your humility."
Cole kissed her cheek. All the way out the door he muttered about bossy women loudly enough for her to hear. Her laughter followed him into the hall.
Alicia's brave, grief-stricken face flashed into his mind. Intrigued at how truly genuine he found Alicia Palmer, Cole anticipated their next meeting with mingled excitement and dismay. Against his better judgment, he knew that there would be a next meeting. Even if he had to arrange it.
[Back to Table of Contents]
CHAPTER 5
Alicia paraded about the sitting room adjoining her boudoir wearing a pale amber moiré.
"Oh, dearest, this one is your color. It makes the gold flecks in your eyes dance, and oh, your skin simply glows. And how slender and graceful you look. I fear I shall be quite dowdy next to you.” Elizabeth affected a pretty pout.
"Ha! The day you look dowdy is the day I sprout wings.” Or become beautiful. She turned to Hannah who wore a creamy white that complemented her fair skin. “Lovely, Hannah."
Hannah smiled shyly.
They spent the afternoon trying on dresses Elizabeth brought them while Elizabeth's maid measured both Alicia and Hannah. They enjoyed tea and scones, chatting happily while Witherspoon made the alterations. When the gowns were completed, Alicia swallowed her pride, thanked Elizabeth for the gowns, and bid her goodbye.
That evening, feeling like a princess in a green silk creation, Alicia came downstairs with Hannah, but when they came across Uncle Willard's path, her joy dimmed.
Willard eyed their gowns. “Where did you get those?"
"Elizabeth let us borrow them, Uncle."
He nodded in approval. “Where are you going?"
"The dinner party at the Hancock's, remember? We've already sent our acceptance."
"I'd forgotten. I'm sorry but I cannot attend with you. I have an appointment."
Robert miraculously arrived downstairs looking neat and clean, and even had managed to sober up enough to drive Alicia and Hannah to Elizabeth's dinner party. Male cousins could only loosely be considered an appropriate escort for young ladies, but they had no one else. And Robert had tried to take on the role of her protector whenever he was not too foxed. Uncle Willard had lost his own phaeton in a card game and the family coach had been sold.
He shifted, not meeting her eyes. “You speak nonsense."
"This life you've lead since your return from the Peninsular war. The risks, the women—"
Cole summoned a practiced, lazy grin and looked directly into her eyes. “Punished? Don't you know that a life of debauchery is the perfect reward for a returning war hero?"
Aunt Livy fixed her penetrating gaze upon him, but he ensured that his practiced façade remained firmly in place. She pursed her lips and shook her head, her attention turned back to her needlepoint. “Perhaps I shall invite Miss Palmer for tea. For a time when you will be home."
"I don't think she likes me, Aunt Relentless."
"I'm not relentless, I'm determined. But if she doesn't like you, then she must already know you too well,” Aunt Livy said mournfully, slipping back into their familiar banter and safer ground. “We shall have to find you a wife who will be less discerning."
Relaxing, Cole grinned. “Quite right."
Aunt Livy glanced up at him. “The Hancock's dinner party is tomorrow. And we've already accepted. All three of us."
He made a face. “Why must you insist I attend all of these pointless exercises?"
"To find you a wife, of course. How else are you going to do it?"
"Perhaps I don't wish to do it yet."
"Good. It will take time to cajole some poor girl to take you."
Cole chuckled. “You are the sharpest-tongued old woman who's ever lived."
"Thank you, dear. Now, go be useful and tell the cook I wish to have lobster bisque for dinner tonight."
"No one else gets away with ordering me about, you know."
"You ought to visit more often. It's good for your humility."
Cole kissed her cheek. All the way out the door he muttered about bossy women loudly enough for her to hear. Her laughter followed him into the hall.
Alicia's brave, grief-stricken face flashed into his mind. Intrigued at how truly genuine he found Alicia Palmer, Cole anticipated their next meeting with mingled excitement and dismay. Against his better judgment, he knew that there would be a next meeting. Even if he had to arrange it.
[Back to Table of Contents]
CHAPTER 5
Alicia paraded about the sitting room adjoining her boudoir wearing a pale amber moiré.
"Oh, dearest, this one is your color. It makes the gold flecks in your eyes dance, and oh, your skin simply glows. And how slender and graceful you look. I fear I shall be quite dowdy next to you.” Elizabeth affected a pretty pout.
"Ha! The day you look dowdy is the day I sprout wings.” Or become beautiful. She turned to Hannah who wore a creamy white that complemented her fair skin. “Lovely, Hannah."
Hannah smiled shyly.
They spent the afternoon trying on dresses Elizabeth brought them while Elizabeth's maid measured both Alicia and Hannah. They enjoyed tea and scones, chatting happily while Witherspoon made the alterations. When the gowns were completed, Alicia swallowed her pride, thanked Elizabeth for the gowns, and bid her goodbye.
That evening, feeling like a princess in a green silk creation, Alicia came downstairs with Hannah, but when they came across Uncle Willard's path, her joy dimmed.
Willard eyed their gowns. “Where did you get those?"
"Elizabeth let us borrow them, Uncle."
He nodded in approval. “Where are you going?"
"The dinner party at the Hancock's, remember? We've already sent our acceptance."
"I'd forgotten. I'm sorry but I cannot attend with you. I have an appointment."
Robert miraculously arrived downstairs looking neat and clean, and even had managed to sober up enough to drive Alicia and Hannah to Elizabeth's dinner party. Male cousins could only loosely be considered an appropriate escort for young ladies, but they had no one else. And Robert had tried to take on the role of her protector whenever he was not too foxed. Uncle Willard had lost his own phaeton in a card game and the family coach had been sold.
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