A Scandalous Bequest by April Kihlstrom

Author:April Kihlstrom [Kihlstrom, April]
Language: eng
Format: epub

Chapter 9

Felicity was entirely unprepared for Sir Anthony's visit the morning after her excursion with Lord Eastcott to see his mother. Indeed, she looked up with pleasure when he was announced, only to have her smile falter as she saw his expression. At least he had the grace, she thought, to wait until Tifton left the room before he began to rail at her.

“What were you thinking, meeting with Lady Eastcott and her . . . her paramour?” Sir Anthony demanded.

Slowly, Felicity rose to her feet, holding onto her temper with the greatest difficulty. Her hands were fists, hidden by the folds of her skirt as she said, trying to keep her voice light, “I was thinking it would be due courtesy to meet Lord Eastcott's mother, when he asked me to.”

“Folly, utter folly!” he said, grabbing her shoulders. “Don't you know what it could do to your reputation? Did no one warn you? Or did you simply think such a visit would go unnoticed?”

“Why should anyone care?” Felicity flung at him.

“Why should anyone care?” Sir Anthony echoed the words with an air of complete disbelief. “They will care because they will wonder if it means you might be like Lady Eastcott!”

Felicity began to pace about the room as she strove to find words to answer him that would not betray the depth of anger she felt.

“Like Lady Eastcott?” she asked. “Do you mean kind and willing to take people as they are, regardless of how the rest of society might view them? Able to see past differences to the good qualities within? This is the weakness of character you throw at my head?”

Sir Anthony gave a sigh of exasperation. “That is not the issue and well you know it!” he flung back at her.

Felicity stopped pacing and faced him, both her voice and her expression grim as she said, “Do I? It seems precisely the issue at hand. I may not have been raised in London and taught all the rules of proper society behavior, but I was raised to treat everyone with kindness and to decide for myself who I should and should not respect. I do not need you to scold me like this!”

“On the contrary, you do,” he replied. “If you are not careful, you may find Lord Eastcott is your only option for a husband and then you will regret your foolishness.”

Felicity felt herself go icy cold with rage. “Indeed? Better than to find myself leg-shackled to a small-minded fool who cannot judge me for who I am. I should a thousand times rather be married to Lord Eastcott than to someone who thinks I am not capable of thinking for myself or making my own decisions. And if that means there is not one man, other than Lord Eastcott, left in London suitable to be my husband, so be it.”

What Sir Anthony would have said next, Felicity did not know for, at that moment, both could hear someone at the front door. He gave a sigh of exasperation.

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