The Earl Breaks Even: A Regency Historical Romance (Gambling Peers Book 3) by Matilda Madison

Author:Matilda Madison [Madison, Matilda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2024-10-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

The weather on the day of the regatta was perfect as puffy white clouds rolled lazily by a blue sky and the sun shined. The air was almost abuzz with excitement as guests arrived at Boxwood Park. As Mabel dressed in her favorite amethyst colored gown, she couldn’t keep a cheeky smirk off her face. It was one of those mornings where anything felt possible, and she was wholly ready to meet the day.

The countess’s ability to procure blooms in quantities that should not have been feasible had extended to the country as the whole house was covered in a sea of colorful petals. It was as if every available flower in the county had been delivered that morning as the staff hurried around the house, preparing for the guests that would arrive momentarily. Luncheon would be provided outdoors during the race, and the regatta ball would be held later that night. It would be a grand affair, and some of the Trembleys’ closest friends began to arrive just after breakfast to try and get a premium spot in the fish folly to watch the race.

The Combes and the Bairnsdales arrived within an hour of each other around noon. The duke and duchess were, of course, accompanied by Violet and Fredrick, dressed in their best day clothes; Mabel peered down from her room, watching them exit their carriages.

“It’s a lovely day, isn’t it?” she asked her sister, whose hair was plaited and pinned into an intricate style.

The wistfulness of Mabel’s tone, however, seemed to catch her sister’s attention.

“Lovely? You haven’t described any days in this country as lovely.”

“Well, today seems to be the first one,” Mabel replied with a shrug, moving around the room. “The heat has diminished since leaving the city and this really is beautiful country. I think being on the banks of a river has helped.”

“Indeed,” Leona said, turning back to the mirror so her maid could finish her hair. “Well, hopefully, today will be better than yesterday, though it is not off to a very promising start.”

“Why, whatever do you mean? Were we not just agreeing that it’s a lovely day?”

Leona managed a weak smile. “It is lovely, but I’m afraid my mood is not similarly bright. Alfred brought me a bouquet of sweet peas this morning,” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t believe he would be so careless. Particularly after I told him how much I detest them.”

“Did you?” Mabel asked, her voice slightly high.

“Yes.”

“Well, I’m sure it was just an oversight,” Mabel began, hoping to rectify the situation. “I believe I heard the earl say that Boxwood Park is quite famous for their sweet pea blooms. Yes, I think he even suggested to Alfred that a posy would be a thoughtful gesture.”

“That may be so, but even if it was the earl’s suggestion, Alfred should have told him my dislike for them. And don’t think I’m not aware of what this lack of attentiveness to my tastes and preferences might signal.”

Guilt dropped into Mabel’s stomach.

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.