An Unconventional Courtship by Dorothy Mack

Author:Dorothy Mack [Mack, Dorothy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781913335984
Publisher: Sapere Books
Published: 2019-11-24T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

“Come in,” called Emerald when a soft knock sounded at the door to her bedchamber. She glanced around from her chair by the dressing table, her impatient expression changing to surprise as she recognized the figure hesitating in the doorway. “Oh, Mama, I thought you were Tilly. I rang for her, but you know how slow she is to respond.” She turned back to stare with dissatisfaction at her own image, pulling out the pins that anchored her dark curls on top of her head.

“Shall I brush your hair for you, dearest, until Tilly gets here?” Lady Henley asked.

Her daughter shrugged. “If you like, but brush it strongly, Mama. You are too gentle.”

Lady Henley proceeded to wield the brush in a brisk manner, drawing it through the thick raven tresses. “You have such lovely hair, dearest; so deep a black is very rare.”

Emerald shrugged again. “I am tired of this style. I want Tilly to try something new.” As Lady Henley continued to pull the brush rhythmically through the dense curls, their eyes met in the mirror. “Did you wish to tell me something, Mama? Is that why you are here?”

“No, nothing special, dearest. I wanted to hear about the excursion to Bramber Castle, that’s all. Did everyone have an enjoyable afternoon?”

“I suppose so. There wasn’t much to see, just a crumbling wall and some rubble.”

“Was the picnic lunch adequate?”

“Everybody seemed to find it so, though the ants were annoying. The men had a game of quoits afterward.”

Lady Henley’s resolution almost deserted her as she read the poorly concealed impatience in her daughter’s face, but she gathered her courage together and ventured diffidently, “I don’t suppose Lord Altern said anything —”

“Lord Altern said nothing at all of a private nature to me, Mama, but that is scarcely to be wondered at, is it, when Cleo is bent on monopolizing his attention.”

Brush in hand, Lady Henley stared at her daughter in dismay. “Cleone? I don’t understand.”

“It’s very simple, really. She kept him by her side at lunch and then feigned sleep later so that he did not come walking with the rest of us but stayed by Cleo so she wouldn’t be alarmed to wake up and find herself alone — or so he said.”

“But surely it is to Lord Altern’s credit that he should show such consideration. He is a true gentleman. Look how kind he was to Cecily when she had her spill, and he carried you to your room when you hurt your ankle yesterday.”

“I do not accuse Lord Altern of unmannerly conduct, Mama, but surely you have noticed how Cleo’s insinuating ways have drawn his attention to her throughout his visit.” When Lady Henley merely looked uneasy, Emerald continued, “She had to be the one to conduct him about the picture gallery, and look at that croquet game yesterday! What must Cleo do but show off her prowess at ridiculous games to entice Lord Altern into competing with her and ignoring the rest of us.”

Lady Henley

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