Lord Clayborne's Fancy by Laura Matthews

Author:Laura Matthews [Matthews, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Regency Romance
Publisher: Belgrave House
Published: 1980-09-25T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

After Clayborne’s strategic withdrawal from his wife’s room, he wandered about the house, deeply upset. Eventually he invaded the drawing room where Miss Turnpeck and Meg had just greeted a morning caller.

“So nice to see you again. What brings you to town?” Miss Turnpeck asked the visitor.

“A small commission for my wife. She will have it that a christening gown for the baby must come from London, and that I must be the one to choose it. Much I know about such things,” the caller said with a laugh.

“Oh, Lord Clayborne, here is someone you know,” Miss Turnpeck greeted his arrival cheerfully.

Since Clayborne had never laid eyes on the young man before and the caller looked equally bewildered, Meg hastened to introduce them. “Jason, this is our friend Thomas Burns from near Salisbury. Thomas, this is Lord Clayborne. I have sent for Rebecca and Mary for we are all old friends.”

Clayborne made his bow and studied the young man carefully while Meg engaged him in conversation. Burns was shorter than he but very well formed; his clothes fit him to perfection, and he had a charming manner. His eyes were perpetually laughing, and his black hair kept escaping down his brow, to be brushed negligently back into place. He was relaying to the two ladies the local news in which they would be interested, particularly his encounter with Meg’s Will a few days before. Meg hung on his words, and smiled and blushed alternately until Rebecca entered the room.

“Lady Clayborne, a pleasure,” Burns greeted her with a bow, taking her hand and pressing it. “You are looking well.” And indeed she was, as her color was still high from her confrontation with Clayborne.

“And you, Thomas. How are your wife and child?”

“Both very well. Sybil is regaining her strength very quickly and the little fellow is healthy, though he looks a bit red and wrinkled to me.”

“I think they all do, you know. I’m pleased you came to call. What brings you to London?” she asked, and they drifted apart from the others while he again explained his commission. When they could not be overheard Rebecca asked, “And how is Rags?”

He chuckled. “Just the same as ever, always into mischief. Are you sorry you gave him to me? Do you wish to have him back?”

“Oh, no. He was always more interested in you than in me, ungrateful dog,” she admitted. “I thought they were supposed to attach themselves to the one who fed them.”

“Well, in that case it should have been your cook, not you. He is a frisky little fellow and I look forward to the day he and my Ned will be the best of companions,” prophesied the proud father.

“You sound happy, Thomas, and I am so glad for you.”

“Sybil is the dearest of women, Rebecca. Had I known her better before I married her, I should never have been such a gudgeon as to talk of her as I did. I hope you will forgive me.”

“There is no need.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.