its blandest. “You really should not listen to gossip, Cecily, especially the whispers of the ill-informed."
Lady Cecily was goaded beyond endurance. “You know perfectly well that I do not pay heed to gossip! At least ... Really, Robert, surely you must realize that everyone is anxious that I am kept informed of your discreet progress. I am thought to live in dread of your begetting an heir and thus losing the title for my own firstborn. Such odious busybodies. It is quite a trial to me, I assure you. Yes, you may laugh! But if you had any feeling for me at all, you would marry tomorrow so that I may have some peace. I have often been so put out of patience with the nonsense that I have positively hoped that you have a bastard or two tucked away somewhere, and so I have said! That shut their mealy mouths, I can tell you!"
The earl laughed again. At Lady Cecily's reproachful look, he only shook his head. He rose and gently tweaked one of his sister's glossy brown curls. “I am most sorry to disappoint you, Cecily. But to my knowledge, I have no bastards. And I do apologize for being such a cross for you to bear. I had no notion that you suffered such indignities on my behalf."
"If you truly, truly loved me, you would remarry,” Lady Cecily said hopefully. Her brother's gaze was startled. She tried to keep a straight face but she could not. She pealed with laughter. “Oh, that was perfectly wicked of me, was it not! Pray do forgive me for teasing you so in such a horrid fashion, Robert."
"Indeed, I must, for I do adore you.” He smiled down into her eyes, then said firmly, “But not enough to wed Lady Mary Spence or any other lady only to satisfy your notion of proper succession, which, by the by, is a most unnatural one for a mother-to-be. Any other lady would be ecstatic to have her unborn child in line for an earldom."
"That's all very well, Robert. But you know that my dearest wish above all else is to see you settled and as happy as you were before. You see!” Lady Cecily spread her hands with an air of injured innocence. “I am completely unselfish."
The earl lifted his well-marked black brows. “Indeed!"
She smiled as she stretched out her hand to him. “Go away, dear brother. I wish to think private and forbidden thoughts regarding your future."
"You fill me with alarm,” Lord Kenmare said. He bowed over her fingers, retaining her hand for a moment as though he meant to say something else. But he apparently thought better of it. He merely smiled before he left the drawing room.
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Chapter 6
That evening mother and daughter waited impatiently for the arrival of their invited dinner guest. When a very young gentleman attired in regimental togs was ushered into the drawing room, both ladies leapt to their feet.
"William!” Lady Mary quickly went to him, her hands outstretched. But Abigail slipped past her to envelop her brother in a smothering hug.
The young gentleman emerged from Abigail's fervent welcome to take Lady Mary's hands. He bowed with aplomb. “My lady, you look exceptionally well,” he said, a wide grin belying the formality of his greeting.
Lady Mary laughed and shook her head at him. “You'll not stand on such ceremony with me, I warn you,” she said. In imitation of her daughter's exuberant welcome, she threw her arms around him. She was surprised and touched when his strong arms came up to clasp her close.
The silly tears started to her eyes and she blinked them back. She released him with a last pat and stepped back, once more mistress of herself. She made a production of looking him up and down while he stood grinning at her.
William Spence was a sturdy young gentleman of average height, with his shoulders broad and held proudly. His face was open and boyish except for the thin sliver scar that cut deep across his left brow. Lady Mary was pleased to note that her son appeared as pleasant-natured as ever. She had unconsciously feared that somehow
Lady Cecily was goaded beyond endurance. “You know perfectly well that I do not pay heed to gossip! At least ... Really, Robert, surely you must realize that everyone is anxious that I am kept informed of your discreet progress. I am thought to live in dread of your begetting an heir and thus losing the title for my own firstborn. Such odious busybodies. It is quite a trial to me, I assure you. Yes, you may laugh! But if you had any feeling for me at all, you would marry tomorrow so that I may have some peace. I have often been so put out of patience with the nonsense that I have positively hoped that you have a bastard or two tucked away somewhere, and so I have said! That shut their mealy mouths, I can tell you!"
The earl laughed again. At Lady Cecily's reproachful look, he only shook his head. He rose and gently tweaked one of his sister's glossy brown curls. “I am most sorry to disappoint you, Cecily. But to my knowledge, I have no bastards. And I do apologize for being such a cross for you to bear. I had no notion that you suffered such indignities on my behalf."
"If you truly, truly loved me, you would remarry,” Lady Cecily said hopefully. Her brother's gaze was startled. She tried to keep a straight face but she could not. She pealed with laughter. “Oh, that was perfectly wicked of me, was it not! Pray do forgive me for teasing you so in such a horrid fashion, Robert."
"Indeed, I must, for I do adore you.” He smiled down into her eyes, then said firmly, “But not enough to wed Lady Mary Spence or any other lady only to satisfy your notion of proper succession, which, by the by, is a most unnatural one for a mother-to-be. Any other lady would be ecstatic to have her unborn child in line for an earldom."
"That's all very well, Robert. But you know that my dearest wish above all else is to see you settled and as happy as you were before. You see!” Lady Cecily spread her hands with an air of injured innocence. “I am completely unselfish."
The earl lifted his well-marked black brows. “Indeed!"
She smiled as she stretched out her hand to him. “Go away, dear brother. I wish to think private and forbidden thoughts regarding your future."
"You fill me with alarm,” Lord Kenmare said. He bowed over her fingers, retaining her hand for a moment as though he meant to say something else. But he apparently thought better of it. He merely smiled before he left the drawing room.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter 6
That evening mother and daughter waited impatiently for the arrival of their invited dinner guest. When a very young gentleman attired in regimental togs was ushered into the drawing room, both ladies leapt to their feet.
"William!” Lady Mary quickly went to him, her hands outstretched. But Abigail slipped past her to envelop her brother in a smothering hug.
The young gentleman emerged from Abigail's fervent welcome to take Lady Mary's hands. He bowed with aplomb. “My lady, you look exceptionally well,” he said, a wide grin belying the formality of his greeting.
Lady Mary laughed and shook her head at him. “You'll not stand on such ceremony with me, I warn you,” she said. In imitation of her daughter's exuberant welcome, she threw her arms around him. She was surprised and touched when his strong arms came up to clasp her close.
The silly tears started to her eyes and she blinked them back. She released him with a last pat and stepped back, once more mistress of herself. She made a production of looking him up and down while he stood grinning at her.
William Spence was a sturdy young gentleman of average height, with his shoulders broad and held proudly. His face was open and boyish except for the thin sliver scar that cut deep across his left brow. Lady Mary was pleased to note that her son appeared as pleasant-natured as ever. She had unconsciously feared that somehow
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