An Honorable Thief by Anne Gracie

Author:Anne Gracie
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Harlequin Historical Classic
Published: 2013-08-25T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

There was a slight stir in several quarters when Mr Hugo Devenish made his entrance at Uppington-Smythe ball a week later.

“Good grief! It’s Devenish,” whispered Maud, Lady Gosper to her neighbour. “I thought he was on the barest of civil terms with the Uppington-Smythes. What the deuce is he doin’ at their ball, Hettie?”

“I believe the attraction is the Singleton gel—the new one, not poor Rose, of course,” responded Lady Hester Horton.

“Oh, yes. He’s pursuing her quite openly. He was at Almack’s last Wednesday night again; he hasn’t missed a week since the gel arrived in Town,” said the Honourable Pearl Hamnet.

“Well, he certainly dances attendance on her on every occasion, but as to whether the gel is encouraging his pretensions, that’s another matter,” said Hettie.

Lady Gosper looked at her and scoffed. “Gel don’t want for sense, does she? Full o’ juice, that Devenish boy—not like the rest of his family. O’ course she’ll be encouraging him, Hettie.”

Hettie shrugged. “I had it from Rose that the gel’s been devilish fidgety about the way he’s been following her around. Can’t seem to attend any occasion—rout party, soirée, even the theatre, but what Hugo Devenish will turn up. And besides, you forget, Maud—she has no need of a fortune—she’s an heiress herself.”

The three elderly ladies critically observed Mr Devenish pass through the crowd, bowing, smiling coolly and exchanging a few words with each acquaintance he met. Without appearing to have made a bee-line, however, he was, in the space of a few minutes, bowing over the hand of the elder Miss Singleton, before bowing to her niece.

“Boy’s got good manners, even if he has got cit blood in him.”

Hettie shook her head. “Makin’ a complete cake of himself, Pearl.”

Maud made an irritated gesture. “Rose needs to take a firmer hand with that gel—gettin’ fidgety indeed! The Devenish boy is a good match for that chit, cit blood or no cit blood! In my day a gel would marry whoever she was told to and that was the end of it. Whistlin’ a good match down the wind, indeed!” The old lady snorted. “Even if she is an heiress!”

Pearl leaned forward conspiratorially. “My husband tells me they’re laying bets on it at White’s.”

Maud made a rude noise. “Pah! Of course they are—that doesn’t mean anything. Men will bet on anything. Nothin’ better to do with their lives, poor, simple creatures!”

On the other side of the room another hasty colloquy was taking place.

“Thomas, I told you! See, he is here again—pursuing her in the most blatant possible fashion! It’s an absolute disgrace. I told you not to believe him—she must be an heiress, else why would your uncle be pursuing her so shamelessly!”

Thomas shifted uncomfortably and glanced around. “Hush, Mama. People will hear you.”

“I do not care who hears me!” snapped Amelia, lowering her voice, nevertheless. She continued in a loud whisper, “Now go at once and be nice to that girl, Thomas. Heaven knows she must be feeling neglected—you have scarcely spoken to her in days and days.

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