Dowager? When she’d arrived, the butler apologized
profusely as he directed Alexandra to the lovely sitting room. The
Dowager was not quite ready to receive her, he said. Alexandra tapped her
toe and struggled to keep her posture ramrod straight. Aunt Eloise always
insisted on perfect posture, especially for Alexandra. “Sitting up
straight will give you presence, my dear! ”
“Hello!”
A stunning young woman walked into the room, her long inky curls bouncing
jauntily against her tiny waist. She walked into the room with broad,
unladylike steps, exuding confidence and a friendly air.
Alexandra
liked her immediately. She stood and curtsied, assuming the girl in front
of her to be the Dowager’s granddaughter, and her host for tea.
The
sparkling green eyes were so much like her brother’s that Alexandra was taken
aback. The young lady gave her a sly smile. “You are Miss Dunforth.
Grandmother has told me all about you. You quite shocked her, you
know.”
“I
did?” Alexandra wondered what shocked the Dowager more – her
cursing or her unruly hair.
“Why
yes! She never expects to meet any young woman who is not a complete
dimwit. The Dowager gets positively thrilled when she finds a girl who
seems to have a mind. According to Grandmother, young ladies who can
think on their own are rather the exception. I’m Lady Miranda Reynolds by
the way.”
Alexandra
bobbed her head, but Miranda caught her arm. “Please! Let us not
stand on ceremony. I find that all tiresome.” She winked at
Alexandra and laughed, a light tinkling sound which made Alexandra think of
bells. “I insist you call me Miranda. When people start saying
“Lady Reynolds,” I get all flustered thinking they are speaking to my mother or
Grandmother, but not to me. At least they don’t call me Satan Reynolds
– they reserve that for Cam.” She laughed again.
Alexandra
wasn’t sure what to say. She expected that Miranda said the last bit to
shock her, possibly even test her in some way.
“Cam is my
brother, Lord Reynolds. You’ll likely meet him. Most of his
friends call him Cam – short for Cambourne, but his given name is
Sutton. Satan Reynolds is just a play on his first
name. I’m really not sure where the nickname came from.
I mean, my brother has always been a bit wicked even as a child, but I don’t
think that’s it. It may be because he has a tattoo.” Miranda’s eyes
blazed bright green.
Miranda
is trying to scandalize me.
“I believe I heard that.” Alexandra nodded wondering what sort of comment
she could make. Maybe I should shock Miranda and tell her that I met
her brother in a dark library and he kissed me. Alexandra sat with
her hands on her lap, composing her face into what she hoped was polite
interest as Miranda continued to chatter.
“I’m certain
those horrid boys at Eton started it. He had a terrible time of it
there. Or possibly the ton started calling him that when he
returned from Macao, no – that can’t be right because the Chinese also
called him ‘Satan’ in Macao.” She paused and looked
thoughtful. “I don’t know how you say ‘Satan’ in Chinese.
Have you ever heard of Macao? I’ve read loads about it and I’ve asked Cam
to take me there but he says it’s much too wild and full of unsavory
characters.” Miranda gave a careless shrug. “I think Macao sounds
positively decadent! Cam had a monkey named Jonas when he lived there.
Jonas wore a little red knit cap and smoked opium. Can you
imagine? Oh, there’s the tea cart!”
Alexandra’s
head was spinning. She wasn’t even sure Miranda Reynolds had taken a
breath in the last ten minutes.
Miranda sat
back in a profusion of lavender silk making her look as if she were perched in
a giant orchid. “Now what about you, Miss Dunforth? Grandmother
said you were newly arrived to London, and that you are unhappily
profusely as he directed Alexandra to the lovely sitting room. The
Dowager was not quite ready to receive her, he said. Alexandra tapped her
toe and struggled to keep her posture ramrod straight. Aunt Eloise always
insisted on perfect posture, especially for Alexandra. “Sitting up
straight will give you presence, my dear! ”
“Hello!”
A stunning young woman walked into the room, her long inky curls bouncing
jauntily against her tiny waist. She walked into the room with broad,
unladylike steps, exuding confidence and a friendly air.
Alexandra
liked her immediately. She stood and curtsied, assuming the girl in front
of her to be the Dowager’s granddaughter, and her host for tea.
The
sparkling green eyes were so much like her brother’s that Alexandra was taken
aback. The young lady gave her a sly smile. “You are Miss Dunforth.
Grandmother has told me all about you. You quite shocked her, you
know.”
“I
did?” Alexandra wondered what shocked the Dowager more – her
cursing or her unruly hair.
“Why
yes! She never expects to meet any young woman who is not a complete
dimwit. The Dowager gets positively thrilled when she finds a girl who
seems to have a mind. According to Grandmother, young ladies who can
think on their own are rather the exception. I’m Lady Miranda Reynolds by
the way.”
Alexandra
bobbed her head, but Miranda caught her arm. “Please! Let us not
stand on ceremony. I find that all tiresome.” She winked at
Alexandra and laughed, a light tinkling sound which made Alexandra think of
bells. “I insist you call me Miranda. When people start saying
“Lady Reynolds,” I get all flustered thinking they are speaking to my mother or
Grandmother, but not to me. At least they don’t call me Satan Reynolds
– they reserve that for Cam.” She laughed again.
Alexandra
wasn’t sure what to say. She expected that Miranda said the last bit to
shock her, possibly even test her in some way.
“Cam is my
brother, Lord Reynolds. You’ll likely meet him. Most of his
friends call him Cam – short for Cambourne, but his given name is
Sutton. Satan Reynolds is just a play on his first
name. I’m really not sure where the nickname came from.
I mean, my brother has always been a bit wicked even as a child, but I don’t
think that’s it. It may be because he has a tattoo.” Miranda’s eyes
blazed bright green.
Miranda
is trying to scandalize me.
“I believe I heard that.” Alexandra nodded wondering what sort of comment
she could make. Maybe I should shock Miranda and tell her that I met
her brother in a dark library and he kissed me. Alexandra sat with
her hands on her lap, composing her face into what she hoped was polite
interest as Miranda continued to chatter.
“I’m certain
those horrid boys at Eton started it. He had a terrible time of it
there. Or possibly the ton started calling him that when he
returned from Macao, no – that can’t be right because the Chinese also
called him ‘Satan’ in Macao.” She paused and looked
thoughtful. “I don’t know how you say ‘Satan’ in Chinese.
Have you ever heard of Macao? I’ve read loads about it and I’ve asked Cam
to take me there but he says it’s much too wild and full of unsavory
characters.” Miranda gave a careless shrug. “I think Macao sounds
positively decadent! Cam had a monkey named Jonas when he lived there.
Jonas wore a little red knit cap and smoked opium. Can you
imagine? Oh, there’s the tea cart!”
Alexandra’s
head was spinning. She wasn’t even sure Miranda Reynolds had taken a
breath in the last ten minutes.
Miranda sat
back in a profusion of lavender silk making her look as if she were perched in
a giant orchid. “Now what about you, Miss Dunforth? Grandmother
said you were newly arrived to London, and that you are unhappily
Similar Books
