Harlequin Historical July 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Madeline Martin

Author:Madeline Martin [Martin, Madeline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Devlin stopped by his mother’s sitting room after his late breakfast. She sat by the window, her reading glasses low on her nose, and her teacup in one hand and a pencil in the other.

Devlin greeted her and walked around to peer over her shoulder at a list of instructions for the housekeeper.

‘She wasn’t there last night.’ His mother put down the cup. ‘Oh, my, the tea is cold. Terrible error of me to let it sit so long. But, no, Miss Albright was not in attendance.’

He’d not considered himself so transparent.

He held himself perfectly still. Well, that was the way of things. Rachael was her own person. If she did not want his interference, so be it.

He gave the tiniest nod of acknowledgement to his mother’s words. But inside, he felt as if she’d been a sweetheart and he’d been at the event, and she’d chosen to stay home rather than to see him.

‘Mrs Albright confided that she suspected the dissolution of her daughter’s acquaintance with Mr Tenney had put her out of sorts for dancing.’

‘Should have made her want to dance.’

‘I suppose.’ His mother turned, staring at him from over her spectacles. She took another sip of her tea. ‘Just don’t cause more grief for her.’

Grief? The only one he would like to cause problems for was the man she’d fancied.

She rested her cup in its saucer, a light whisper of china against china sounding in the silent room. ‘It’s not that I dislike her or would be upset if you were to court her. I just don’t see you pursuing such a gentle sort. She’s not used to the world around us. And people can be cruel. You can only promote someone so much and then it is up to them. Besides, you should know... I’ve heard rumours that the businesses owned by her father are not—are looking a little drab.’

‘She needs this.’

‘If she doesn’t want to flounce about in society, you should accept that. Not everyone is happy spending an hour dressing, an hour getting her hair fixed, a carriage ride when trussed so tightly you can’t breathe, then dancing with men you can hardly tolerate when they’re sober, much less when wobbly from a strong punch. Punch, the drink. Not the action.’ She made a fist with the pencil enclosed in it and jabbed the air.

‘You make it sound like an ordeal to be in society.’

‘No.’ She rotated to write another word on her list. ‘I enjoy it, but not everyone does. And I don’t know that she would. Don’t try to make her into a female version of yourself. We all return to our true characters.’

‘She must become more visible.’

She didn’t raise her head from her writing. ‘If she embarrasses herself, it won’t further her. And the poor girl doesn’t seem to have a knack for being at ease.’

‘She can learn.’

‘Yes.’ His mother let out a sigh. ‘And I can learn to cook. Don’t hold your breath. You’d be much better off eating one of my stunning flower arrangements than any macarons I might make.

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