The Bride Wore Blue by Cheryl Bolen

Author:Cheryl Bolen [Bolen, Cheryl]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Historical Romance
ISBN: 9780821772478
Google: 4od1y4A0YQEC
Amazon: 0821772473
Goodreads: 2789692
Publisher: Zebra
Published: 2000-01-01T11:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

The St. George was a nice hotel, even luxurious, Colonel Gordon observed as he informed the clerk he desired that Lady Catherine Bullin should meet him in the plushly furnished lobby. For a hotel, the St. George was nice, but what a tremendous descent it was to have moved from Winston Hall to quarters in a Bath hotel. The blueblooded woman must keenly feel her reduced circumstances.

The colonel limped to a leather chair and lowered himself into it, then propped up his cane on the chair's arm. A glance around the room told him they would have privacy. Which is what he needed for the proposal he was going to make. He was in luck. The French desk at which patrons could sit and write letters was empty. He commended himself on his cunning. Most of the elderly patrons of the hotel were sure to be taking their morning water at the Pump Room.

The note he had sent around last night had assured that Lady Catherine would not be one of them at the Pump Room. He had written that he had urgent business to discuss with her this morning, business which could be highly profitable for the titled lady.

The colonel fancied himself a keen observer of humanity. Such observations had convinced him he was losing Felicity to the rugged looking, very wealthy commoner who now inhabited Winston Hall. Lady Catherine also could not tolerate the same commoner who now owned the house and lands that had been in her family for centuries. Together, he and Lady Catherine could destroy The Usurper.

Gordon impatiently tapped his cane while he studied at the patterned carpet under his feet. He noted how its greens blended with the silken draperies that hung from a golden cornice at the room's tall windows.

The smell of rose water hit him, and he looked up to face Lady Catherine. A pity her family's fortune was as wasted as yesterday's wine, for there was no longer any hope of her attracting a husband as highly born as she. And Lady Catherine was a consummate snob, who could accept no less.

She ran a tentative hand through her nondescript brown hair and smiled at him, revealing somewhat crooked teeth. "Good morning, Colonel Gordon. I see that, as are most military men, you are prompt."

He stood and bowed. "How good it is of you, my lady, to meet with me this morning." He eyed the desk and decided that since it hugged the window wall, it was in the part of the room that was farthest from passersby.

Also, since the lobby was chiefly used for letter writers, he must move to the desk in order to prevent anyone else from disturbing their privacy. He had to be assured no others would be using the lobby during their sensitive discussion. "Please, my lady, take a seat at the desk."

Her brows elevated at the proposal, but she complied, sitting in the wooden chair and draping her muslin skirts beside her.

The colonel pulled up an upholstered arm chair and sat across from her.

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.