Ruse & Romance by Suzanne G. Rogers

Author:Suzanne G. Rogers
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2014-09-07T18:30:00+00:00

After an exciting cricket match at Lord’s, Augustus and Beaucroft waited in a queue for their carriage to be brought around. A well-dressed gentleman approached and hailed Beaucroft.

“Well hullo there! Just the man I wished to see.”

“Hullo, Lord Ferndale!”

Beaucroft introduced his friend to Augustus.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir. Now that I have the two of you together, I must ask you to quash a rather disturbing rumor,” Ferndale said. “Is it true Miss Beaucroft’s betrothal to Lord Philip Butler is a contrivance?”

“What?” Augustus forced his countenance to remain placid, lifting only one eyebrow to express incredulity at such a ridiculous assertion.

“What a strange notion!” Beaucroft said. “I can assure you, my daughter is planning her wedding even now.” A vein in his temple pulsed as he spoke.

Ferndale shook his head, bewildered. “Then it’s a terrible falsehood. These gossips ought to be ashamed of themselves.”

“Yes. People like to hear themselves talk, I think,” Augustus said.

“Well, you should know the story is circulating,” Ferndale said. “Perhaps you might want to nudge the wedding plans along, eh?”

He touched the brim of his top hat before ambling off. All conversation between Augustus and Beaucroft was suspended until they’d climbed into their carriage and left the cricket grounds behind.

“How on Earth did the truth get out?” Beaucroft muttered finally.

“It’s a puzzlement, but I suspect Lord Gryphon is behind this campaign of revenge.”

“Kitty saw something in that accursed man’s character that gave her pause, but I wouldn’t listen. Well, we refuted the story to Ferndale, and undoubtedly the rumor will die quickly.”

Augustus tried to brush off the incident, but truthfully he was unsettled.

“I hope you’re right. If society believes the engagement is a contrivance, however, I fear we are done for.”

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