An American Lady by Emma Brady

Author:Emma Brady
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: victorian, romance, england, america
Publisher: Emma Brady
Published: 2018-05-31T16:00:00+00:00

SITTING IN ONE OF THE tiny upholstered chairs, Lucas felted trapped. He was surrounded by women in evening gowns and perfume. They sighed and tittered, sending invitations with their eyes. Some of the bolder ones even wetted their lips for him. Still, his eyes focused on the center of the room.

His sister stood as still and pale as a ghost, singing in the wrong pitch. Her hands were clutching at her skirt with damp palms. Only the terrible wailing from the piano was enough to draw attention away from her. Lucas had never heard such awful music.

“It is such a shame,” whispered a painted matron sitting in front of him, “A beauty like that is such a dreadful piano player.”

“No one can have everything,” answered her friend.

“Yes, but why did they display her lack of talent?”

Lucas had a suspicion he knew why. It was all part of her grand plan to remain a spinster. It seemed to be working on most of the gentlemen in the room. They were fools not to see what a sparkling creature she was. Frustrated, Lucas made his way out of the crowded ballroom.

“You couldn’t stand it either?”

Lucas hadn’t noticed Davonport standing in the empty hallway. The old man stood with a glass of brandy in his hand. Gray hair stuck out on the sides of his head, giving him a disheveled look. It must have been difficult to watch his granddaughter put on such a display.

“Someone should have warned the audience.” Lucas smiled for the other man’s benefit, “Whose insane idea was this?”

“My wife’s, but Sinclair assured us she could play.”

“Apparently she can play, just poorly.”

Davonport winced at the truth and Lucas felt guilty. It wasn’t the old man’s fault he’d been outsmarted by his own granddaughter. Sinclair had a skill for making men look like fools.

“I think we should escape to another room before Lillith finds us here and drags us back.” said Davonport.

“Splendid idea.”

The duke motioned for Lucas to follow him into a darkened study. A fire burned softly in the fireplace, casting the only light in the room. Davonport took a seat in one of the two large, leather chairs sitting before the mahogany fireplace. Just as he’d done many times, Lucas took the seat beside him.

“Your sister seems to have blossomed since the start of the season.” said Davonport, relaxing now that they were alone. “She isn’t the same frightened girl who made a mess of her first ball.”

“It is the influence of your granddaughter. Sinclair has taught Charlotte how to ignore everyone else’s opinion.”

The old man chuckled in agreement.

“She is a handful,” he said, “She reminds me so much of her mother when she outsmarts me.”

“You must have had your hands full back then.”

“It was blissful though.”

Lucas could almost imagine Sinclair as a little girl with dark ringlets and rosy cheeks. His chest tightened as he thought about her having a daughter of her own. In his mind the little girl had her mother’s locks but eyes the color of clear emeralds.

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