Elisabeth Kidd by Lady Lu

Author:Lady Lu
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Despite not having laid her head on her pillow until nearly dawn, Lady Luisa found herself wide awake at ten o’clock the next morning. She stared up at the canopy over her bed only for a moment before flinging the covers off and getting up. Pulling a light cambric robe around herself, she went to the window and looked out, without even squinting at the brightness of the light, at a clear, sunny day.

She stretched luxuriantly, not unlike the cat Augustus who, having adopted her, had taken to sleeping on the cushioned chest at the foot of her bed. She did not know why she felt so exhilarated this morning. The ball had been undeniably a trial, and the best Maria would be able to say of her behaviour was that she had not been entirely outrageous—or at least had not raised her voice or terrified more timid persons in any way. By Luisa’s own measure, she had been remarkably unsuccessful—either in persuading Val to propose to her or in teasing Richard into...

Into what? Luisa picked Augustus up and stroked him absently as she considered this. Did she truly wish to see Richard released from his betrothal? She did. But why? Because he and Diana simply did not suit. She admitted freely that she cared little for Miss Bromley’s happiness, but she did care fiercely for Richard’s, and Cynthia Hanford’s gleeful gossip had erased any doubt she might have had that he would find it with Diana Bromley.

Unfortunately, there was no delicate way to bring up the modest Miss Bromley’s fault. Even if such a thing could be discussed over the breakfast cups, most people, Luisa supposed, would not believe it, or not see it as a fault, or would think Luisa imagined it. Maria would think that. Richard might believe her, but despite their long acquaintance and deep understanding of each other, Luisa did not think she could bring herself to tell him that his choice of a wife might not be fully qualified for the post.

She had to confess that, had she heard this from herself, she would have been inclined to dismiss it as nonsense. Every girl enjoyed a mild flirtation—or so Luisa had always believed—so long as neither party expected it to lead to a more intimate exchange. To be sure, Diana was very young. Perhaps her quiz of a mother had never schooled her in the acceptability or not of this sort of behaviour. That seemed unlikely, however. Sir Alfred and his lady seemed to be well matched, and he was certainly not above eyeing chambermaids and displaying other evidences of a warm nature.

No, it was less likely that Diana’s education was at fault than that she was simply of a celibate disposition. Now she thought on it, indeed, Luisa recalled that Diana nearly always wore her gloves in public—even her lace mitts at the ball the night before—as if to avoid direct contact with anyone.

What nonsense! Luisa scolded herself. Maidenly modesty was scarcely a fault in a maiden.

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