Never Courted, Suddenly Wed by Christi Caldwell

Author:Christi Caldwell [Caldwell, Christi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Romance, Regency, Historical Romance
Amazon: B00JZ29KKK
Barnesnoble: B00JZ29KKK
Publisher: Christi Caldwell
Published: 2014-04-27T04:00:00+00:00

Lady Ackerly’s Tattle Sheet

Miss S W created quite a stir at St. James’s Park when she took a tumble into the St. James’s Lake. More noteworthy, however, is the seeming rivalry between the Duke of M and Earl of W for the young lady’s affections.

~14~

Two hours and fifteen—now, sixteen minutes.

Sophie’s glance slid away from the clock atop the mantle in her brother’s office, over to where Geoffrey sat behind his desk.

It had taken two hours and ten minutes longer than usual for her to receive the summons to Geoffrey’s office following her scandal at the lake.

Geoffrey drummed his fingertips on the opened ledger that rested atop an otherwise immaculate surface.

The grating rhythm threatened to drive her mad.

Sophie shuffled on her feet. After several hours with no word from Geoffrey, she’d thought he might say nothing about her latest scrape at St. James’s Park.

A sigh escaped her. Mere wishful thinking on her part.

As she awaited his stern rebuke, she made a mental list of all the faux pas she’d committed that afternoon. There’d been the trip through St. James’s Park with the duke when everyone knew no respectable miss would dare accompany a gentleman so close to St. James Street.

Then, she couldn’t very well have challenged the duke’s decision to take her walking in that forbidden park. Nor, truth be told, had she wanted to. Certain liberties were afforded a lady of her age. A frown pulled at her lips. She’d thought she was afforded certain liberties.

Or mayhap Geoffrey would scold her for her tumble into the lake.

Or allowing Christopher to escort her home instead of the duke.

Or having gotten into a hackney with Christopher and her maid.

Or…

“Lucy informed me that you’ve been visiting London Hospital.”

Sophie blinked. She hadn’t been expecting her visits at London Hospital to be the reason for Geoffrey’s displeasure.

Geoffrey went on. “Lucy says you’ve been playing the pianoforte for the wounded soldiers there.”

Lucy had a bigger mouth than the carp Sophie had used to catch in Father’s lake. She took a breath, prepared to defend her recent outings at the hospital.

A grin formed on Geoffrey’s lips. “Well done, sister.”

She wrinkled her brow, uncertain of the direction of this latest scolding.

“The duke serves on the board of London Hospital. Did Mallen suggest you visit the hospital?”

“Mallen?” She knew she sounded like a sapskull, but there was no helping it. Whatever was her brother talking about?

“If Mallen suggested it, then I want you to continue your visits.”

Sophie opened her mouth to correct his error, and then promptly closed it. It hardly behooved her to explain it had in fact been Emmaline who’d initiated Sophie’s visits to the hospital. If the only reason Geoffrey allowed her to attend was to encourage the duke’s suit, so be it. For then, Sophie would still be able to continue her trips to the hospital.

“Are we done, here?” Sophie shifted on her feet.

Geoffrey snorted. “Hardly.”

So he did plan to scold her for the incident at the lake. Oh blast, she’d had enough. “Well, get on with it, Geoffrey.

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