Always the Bluestocking by Murdoch Emily E K

Author:Murdoch, Emily E K
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Historical, Romance
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2020-09-09T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

No matter what she did to distract herself, Mariah found her eyes constantly lingering on the card she was using as a bookmark in The Theory of the Four Movements.

She had stuck it at the back of the back while she perused chapter four, but she could still see the gold leaf edging, which caught her eye in the candlelight.

Sighing, she pulled it out and had another look, although thanks to the numerous times she had already read the short invitation, she almost knew it by heart.

Edward Wynn, Viscount Wynn and Letitia, Lady Wynn cordially invite you, Miss Mariah Wynn, to a card party on the evening of the fourteenth of March, at their residence in Pembroke Square.

Répondez s’il vous plaît to the lady of the house.

Yours sincerely,

V. W and Letitia, Lady Wynn

Mariah’s fingers brushed over the ink signature of her brother and sister-in-law. To think that little Letitia Cavendish was now Lady Wynn.

And now they were sending her an invitation to play cards. She should really have responded in the negative as soon as it arrived in the post, but she had not. Neither had she responded in the positive. In fact, she had done them the great discourtesy of not replying at all.

That was badly done—no wonder the invitation was weighing so heavily on her conscience.

“What are you sighing about?”

Mariah looked up to smile at her guest, Miss Priscilla Seton. Their mothers had been friends back when they had been girls, and out of habit, the two of them occasionally met whenever they were both in the same town.

There was nothing objectionable to Miss Seton. Indeed, now that Mariah came to think about it, she could not think why they were not more intimate friends. Perhaps because Priscilla came from truly noble stock and Mariah, as the adopted daughter, had never quite felt she had the right to consider a Seton more than an acquaintance.

At this moment, Priscilla was lounging on the opposite sofa in the second room Mariah was renting from Mrs. Goddard, which she used as a sitting room.

“This,” Mariah said succinctly, handing over the invitation.

Rain was pouring against the window, drumming behind Mariah. She quite enjoyed it. There was nothing like being inside on a wet evening to make her feel cocooned in warmth.

Priscilla frowned as she read the card aloud.

Mariah nodded.

“Well, I do not see the problem,” Priscilla said airily. “’Tis just an invitation.”

Mariah snorted and reached out for the invitation. “You do not have a brother, do you?”

Her companion shook her head. “No, but I do not see what difference that would make. It is heartening to see your brother still seeks to maintain a connection with you. Few brothers do half as much for their true sisters.”

The last words stung Mariah, but she did not allow the pain to show on her face. That was what the whole world thought; that she was not a true Wynn, and even permitting her the use of the name was something she should be grateful for.

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