In the Duke's Estimation by Wendy Soliman

Author:Wendy Soliman [Wendy Soliman]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: -
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2015-03-24T00:00:00+00:00

***

Almack’s, soirées, shopping, drives in the park, assignations on terraces…Lady Katrina certainly knew how to enjoy herself. Cedric was exhausted just looking on from the outside. What would it be tonight, he wondered.

He was not left in ignorance for long. An elegant carriage bearing the Duke of Winchester’s crest on the doors rattled to a halt outside Lady St. John’s house. Both the duke and his brother alighted from it, were admitted to the house and soon emerged from it again, escorting Lady Katrina and Lady St. John.

“Brown won’t like it,” Cedric muttered to himself.

He was deep in thought about Brown’s likely reaction and how it might affect his remuneration if he was the conveyor of bad tidings, since he had convinced himself that it was Brown and not Heston who had decided upon the need for Lady Katrina to be watched. Therefore, it would be Brown who paid Cedric from his own resources. He must be sure to secure that payment before he presented his report, he decided.

With his mind taken up with matters pecuniary, it took Cedric a moment to realise that Lady Katrina was staring directly at him. Cursing his stupidity, he ducked for cover, hoping one of the gentlemen would not come to investigate and mistake him for a burglar. Fortunately that didn’t happen but it had set him on his guard and he would be more cautious in future.

He mounted his horse and followed the duke’s carriage at a discreet distance. He had tried to tell Brown that he wasn’t cut out for this sort of thing, he thought, trying to justify his momentary lapse. But now, having agreed to take the assignment, he was unwilling to fail due to lack of attention and would see it through. Anything was better than returning to clerking.

He was relieved when the duke’s destination proved to be the Theatre Royal. Cedric could purchase a ticket for the pit and at least keep warm. It would give him the added opportunity to observe Lady Katrina and Lord Nathaniel together and offer some insight into the nature of their relationship. Men in Sheridan’s position could do as they damned well pleased and were seldom taken to task for it, especially with a young woman such as Lady Katrina, who only had an aged parent to protect her reputation. Cedric was seldom moved to gallantry, he was far too lazy to make the effort, but felt fiercely protective towards Lady Katrina. He had been following her for long enough to feel that he actually knew her and that she was his responsibility.

Lady Katrina sat at the front of one of the best boxes in the house, apparently absorbed by the performance. Lord Nathaniel sat directly behind her, constantly leaning over her shoulder to share in her amusement or to answer her questions. She clearly enjoyed the performance and Cedric was surprised to find that he did too, not being a great lover of the bard.

When it was over there was a tremendous crush at the door.

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