A Bird in the Hand by Charlotte Brothers

Author:Charlotte Brothers [Charlotte Brothers]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Charlotte Brothers
Published: 2022-11-23T00:00:00+00:00

“Here you are. Here. You. Are,” announced Lord Penfield to Cherise at the first occasion where they were contrived to meet. Hat in hand, his heavily-pomaded locks (cut in the Brutus mode) moved not a hair despite his vigorous, dipping bow. They had encountered one another in a crowded room, full of fringe members of the ton. Cherise wasn’t foolish enough to believe they were otherwise. As her aunt had intimated, all the marriage mart “first prizes”, those of the first stare, had already been carried off.

Cherise curtseyed automatically in response, and tried to look pleased to see him but not more than a cursory amount. It would not do to raise his hopes, if indeed he had any where she was concerned. Fortunately, she knew of just the topic to bring sobriety to their conversation.

“And how is your father, milord? Does he improve at all?”

“Oh, yes. I mean, no. No, he does no better, I am afraid. The doctor looks in on him frequently, and I am sent messages regularly. I don’t suppose he’ll last the month out.”

Cherise scowled. “Then, why are you here?” she asked impertinently.

“Why, my father takes no notice of me whether I am there or not. In fact, I think I annoy him. A good man, the best kind, but the stiff, old sort- you know what I mean? He has no use for the young.”

“You can hardly be considered young--” she began, but Lady Hamblin, who was now listening with more attention, overheard this, and pulled Cherise by the arm to silence her.

Cherise was surprised that Lord Penfield had even recognized that he was being insulted. He pulled his head back and considered her more carefully, then said with a predatory grin, “As I recall, you are not many years behind me. You must soon be running out of eligible suitors.”

Lady Hamblin gave a nervous laugh then, with birdlike movements, looked between her daughter and their neighbour and said in a sing-song voice, “We have come here for the art exhibition, Lord Penfield.” She smiled sweetly, “Why, my sister kindly procured invitations to soirees and dances, but we are here for art. My husband says that anyone who is anyone ought to see the Marbles.”

Cherise nodded in agreement, daring to look askance at the Viscount. “You know about it of course?” She asked, raising an eyebrow, “You told me that you had been to Rome and Greece for the art, but now the continent has come to us, and father wouldn’t let me miss it for the world.” This proved a fitting distraction for he was reminded of events from his own recent escapades.

“Ah yes,” he said, throwing his head back. “Such a time I had on my tour. I was there only last summer, you know.” The way he patted his stomach affectionately when he said it made Cherise think that he must have indulged his appetites rather too well in Rome. He went on. “This year I was in Paris, or I would not be coming to Town so late, you see.

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