Good Earl Gone Bad by Manda Collins

Author:Manda Collins
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781466866805
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Thirteen

Hermione was seated in the drawing room in Half-Moon Street, debating whether to send a note to Jasper about Mr. Rosewood’s interview with her father, when she heard the knocker on the front door strike a tattoo.

What if Rosewood had come back? she wondered, nervous energy coursing through her. Lord Upperton had left for his club, and Jasper’s warnings that she wasn’t to speak to Rosewood alone again rang in her ears.

She would simply tell Greentree that she was not receiving callers at the moment. That should be enough to send the fellow away. He couldn’t expect everyone to welcome him into their homes with open arms.

But when Greentree presented the caller’s card to her, it was not whom she’d expected.

Curiosity and a shade of trepidation ran through her even as she said, “Send her up, Greentree. And please have cook send up some refreshments.”

“The Countess of Mainwaring,” intoned Greentree before the lady stepped into the chamber.

For the barest moment, the two ladies surveyed each other.

Lady Mainwaring was very obviously Jasper’s mother. He’d inherited his blue eyes and fine features from her. As well as the curls in his hair, though hers was a much lighter shade of brown. And whereas he was nearly six feet tall, his mother was shorter than Hermione. But it was evident from the way she held herself that she was accustomed to deference from everyone she met.

“Lady Mainwaring,” Hermione said, stepping forward to offer the other woman her hand. “What a pleasure to meet you. I hope you will come in and make yourself comfortable.”

The chilly smile the other lady gave her did not bode well for their future relationship. “Thank you, Lady Hermione,” said the countess with a strained smile. “I hope that you do not find my visit overly intrusive.”

She gave Hermione’s hand a limp squeeze before lowering herself gracefully to one of the armchairs separated by a small table. “What a pretty little room this is. I am quite surprised to see it so well furnished. I had heard your father had chosen to let the Upperton town house, and thus supposed your rented rooms would be quite gauche. How pleasant it must be for you to reside here.”

Hermione blinked at Lady Mainwaring’s rudeness. “Indeed,” she said when she found her voice. “Quite pleasant.” Clearly Jasper’s mother had come with a purpose in mind. She wished most heartily that the lady would reveal that purpose as soon as possible.

“My son informs me that he has made you an offer of marriage and that you have accepted,” the countess said without preamble. “I must request that you withdraw your consent immediately. Before too many people hear of it. I realize that it came about because of some silly card game, but it will be much easier to play that off as a foolish male mistake than rumors of promises made between the two of you.”

If Hermione had been expecting to be welcomed into the Mainwaring family with open arms, she saw now that she had been horribly mistaken.

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