A Susceptible Gentleman by Carola Dunn

Author:Carola Dunn [Dunn, Carola]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Romance
ISBN: 2940000073285
Google: FX_INQAACAAJ
Amazon: 1594142645
Barnesnoble: 1594142645
Goodreads: 3304101
Publisher: Five Star
Published: 1989-12-31T11:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

Following a formal dinner, the evening was spent at cards and word games. Lady Catherine excelled at the latter, producing clever verses on any subject at a moment's notice, which was certainly why Mary had insisted on playing that particular game. Adam was amused, but Sarah doubted that a talent for rhyme was what he looked for in a wife.

When the tea tray was brought in, Jonathan asked for the gig to be brought round in half an hour. He and Sarah made their farewells, and Lady Cheverell assured them that she would bring most if not all of the party to church the next morning.

“Mary has planned a musical evening on Monday,” she went on. “I do hope you will come, for if it is nothing but Couperin and Haydn I shall fall asleep."

Adam escorted them into the hall, where they found Wrigley hovering, apparently concealing something behind his back.

“My lord?” the valet said diffidently. “I believe your lordship has forgotten..."

“Oh yes, thank you, Wrigley.” The viscount took the small package wrapped in brown paper tied with string. “Sarah, I brought you a little present from London. Don't open it till you get home, but be careful, it is breakable."

Flustered, Sarah accepted the gift and expressed somewhat confused gratitude. He had never given her anything before, or at least, not since her tenth birthday. She still had the crooked wooden horse he had carved for her on that momentous occasion. Wondering what was in the package, hoping that the contents would enlighten her as to Adam's motive in giving it, she answered at random Jonathan's comments on their visit as he drove back to the vicarage.

Taking her candle from the hall table, she hurried up to her chamber. She sat down at her dressing table and set the package beside the candle, with a sudden curious unwillingness to discover what it contained.

If it was fragile, it could not be jewellery. Of course Adam's sense of propriety, though flexible, would not permit a gift of jewellery to a lady to whom he was not related. Too wide and short for a fan. Surely not a porcelain figurine: he knew her lack of interest in frivolous ornaments which had to be dusted.

She took it up and weighed it in her hand. It was quite heavy for its size. Laughing at herself for dallying, she untied the string, and unwrapped a cut-glass bottle.

Lotion of the Ladies of Denmark. Sarah had heard of it, a fashionable preparation for preventing wrinkles and softening rough skin. Her lips trembling, she studied her face in the glass. It was browner than it ought to be, but there was no trace of a wrinkle that she could find. Why had Adam given it to her?

Then she recalled his final gesture before he left for London. He had kissed her hand. She had treasured the moment, aware of her own foolishness but never guessing that all he remembered of it was her work-roughened skin. A single tear ran down her cheek.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.