Miss Armistead Makes Her Choice by Heidi Ashworth

Author:Heidi Ashworth [Ashworth, Heidi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dunhaven Place Publishing
Published: 2014-05-09T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

The morning after his party, Colin found himself by the fire in the dining room. The fact that he was possessed of a perfectly lovely breakfast room was beside the point; he now enjoyed the dining room every bit as his library, and he would breakfast where he pleased in spite of his butler’s protestations. As he sorted the morning post, Colin was at first delighted, then more than a little suspicious, when his gaze settled on the crest, impressed in wax, of Sir Anthony Crenshaw. Why he was not in town to call in person, Colin could not begin to fathom. Certainly he had long ago completed the task set him by his grandmama.

Colin broke open the seal and spread wide the single sheet of vellum.

Dearest Jonesy,

I am held prisoner at the Barrington estate near Bedford. The quarantine is meant to extend through the 15th of May. I count myself fortunate that I have not yet broken out in spots (have I had the pox? I do not recall) and that I am confined in tandem with two very pretty, young ladies whose skin as of yet remain unblemished. If only Avery were not under the same roof, I should be vastly enjoying myself. If I find you are responsible for his exquisitely timed arrival, it shall be pistols at dawn. Affectionately,

A

“What claptrap!” Colin bellowed aloud. “I have never read such a quantity of drivel in all my life!”

“Might I be of service, sir,” Evans panted as he entered the room at a run.

“But, of course not! You could no more terminate a quarantine than construct a gown. And I don’t know that they should allow you near the place, what with the pox run amuck. Besides which, you might end up a prisoner, as well.”

“Sir?” Evans asked, his face perfectly composed except for his eyes, which were more than a little frenzied.

“It’s not as if I believe a word of it,” Colin continued. “This is just Tony’s way of getting out of our pact.”

“How, sir? I presume this Tony of whom you speak might escape his agreement only through death or illness, however, I cannot determine if it could possibly occur via the pox or imprisonment.”

“Neither! Both! Don’t you see? None of it is the least bit factual. He has invented the whole of it.”

“In that case, sir, I am most relieved. Is there anything else?”

Colin looked at the butler and let loose the pent up air in his lungs. “No. I was merely taken by surprise. You must excuse my outburst.”

“Very good, sir,” the butler said as he turned to quit the room.

“Oh, and Evans, be a good man and have my breakfast brought in here from now on, will you?” Colin requested. He waited until he was alone before he jumped to his feet and began to pace the room. It wasn’t that he felt the least sorry for Tony; he had brought this predicament on himself. No, it was the pair of pretty young ladies with unblemished skin who had Colin feeling a bit nonplussed.

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.