The Endearing Young Charms Series by Beaton M.C. & Chesney Marion

Author:Beaton, M.C. & Chesney, Marion
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-64734-908-0
Publisher: Wolfpack Publishing
Published: 2020-07-07T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

Cordelia had never been so popular.

The news of Harriet Clifton’s engagement burst upon the ton like a thunderbolt. At first, they were inclined to be maliciously delighted that heroine Harriet had snatched the prize from her sister, but when they quickly realized that Cordelia was on good terms with Harriet and seemed delighted with the forthcoming marriage, they turned against Harriet, calling her an upstart, scheming minx who had entrapped London’s most eligible bachelor.

Gossip that Harriet had cheated her sister began to ripple. No one quite knew who had started this gossip, for Cordelia had set rumors about so cleverly that none of it was ever traced back to her.

Harriet was indifferent to shame or blame. Despite her protests, Aunt Rebecca had accepted the marquess’s generous allowance and had become positively rejuvenated with all the excitement of taking Harriet from mantua-maker to milliner. And Cordelia, who had planned to shine in contrast to the countrified Harriet, gritted her teeth as a new, modish little sister began to appear.

Aunt Rebecca was quite won over by this new, affectionate Cordelia, but although Harriet was inclined to think—or wishfully think—that Cordelia had changed her ways, there was something about the atmosphere of the house on Hill Street that set her teeth on edge.

Nonetheless, despite the fact that neither she nor Cordelia was honored with vouchers to Almack’s Assembly Rooms, that holy of social holies, she was invited to a great number of balls and parties, and she was beginning to enjoy her status as an engaged lady… the curiosity of the ton overcoming their dislike of her.

The marquess was present at most of the functions she attended, always polite and attentive. He never saw her alone and showed no signs of passionately seizing her in his arms again.

Although he seemed somewhat remote, Harriet began to hope that the state of marriage might be more comfortable than she had anticipated. Married men seemed to spend most of their time in their clubs or in the House of Lords or on the hunting field. She was glad to be free from all those upsetting feelings that had made her feel so dizzy when the marquess kissed her.

For the marquess’s part, he was enjoying the unaccustomed novelty of charitably seeing a young lady well fed and well clothed. In marrying Harriet, he was convinced he was doing a very magnanimous thing.

And so this engaged couple who had so nearly been on the brink of love, failed to see each other as individuals, and each was quite content with the chaste courtship.

The weather had been unusually cold and not at all conducive to romance. Several of London’s finest succumbed to the influenza that was raging through the streets, but fear of death did not prevent the ladies from going out in all weathers in nothing but the scantiest of muslin gowns.

There were white frosts at night, and in the red dawns, when society yawned its way to bed, the sooty birds puffed out their feathers and huddled on the branches of the park trees.

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