The Unscrupulous Uncle by Allison Lane

Author:Allison Lane [Lane, Allison]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Regency Romance
Publisher: Belgrave House
Published: 1997-09-25T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

“That gown is very becoming, my dear,” trilled Louisa as she entered the drawing room.

“Thank you.” Not that it made much difference. Society’s views would be shaped by other factors – like Sidney’s spiteful tongue. She was already feeling its effects. The servants were clearly hostile this morning.

“Now you must be careful today,” warned Louisa as they climbed into her carriage. “Lady Beatrice takes great pleasure in pillorying anyone who does not follow the rules.”

“Can we not visit someone else?” begged Catherine. The last thing she needed was to face a disapproving dowager who would have heard every word of Sidney’s lies.

“Of course not. This is her at-home day. If I do not produce you, she will conclude that you are afraid to face her. That would be worse than anything else you could do. We must prove that these tales are false.”

Lady Beatrice pounced on Catherine the moment she walked through the door. “So you actually dare show your face in public,” she declared with a snort.

“I have done nothing of which I need be ashamed,” Catherine countered steadily, though her knees were knocking and black spots whirled before her eyes. “It is unfortunate that I am related to Sidney Braxton, but that is hardly my fault.”

“You deny affairs with your tenants then? At last count your list of liaisons had reached two-and-twenty.”

Catherine forced herself to laugh, fully aware that fourteen listeners hung on every word. “My, how a tale can grow when watered by malice. I wonder how many people are aware that my uncle’s estate includes only eight tenant farms. But that is irrelevant. Even Sidney did not accuse me of such impropriety. He merely implied such by mentioning that I had recently spent considerable time with Joshua Barton.”

“So you admit it.” The malicious eyes gleamed.

“Absolutely – four hours a day for nearly two weeks.” Gasps filled her pause, and one lady moved to stand between her daughter and Catherine. “Poor Josh broke his leg just after Christmas. He had just celebrated his eighth year and does not take confinement well. Mr. Barton had been laid up much of the fall with injuries, so his wife had to accept a job as the baker’s assistant in order to make their rent. I helped care for Joshua until her sister arrived. My cousin considered my assistance deplorable, of course. He would sooner die than speak to such lowly creatures, despite deriving much of his income from their labor.”

Faces slipped into shock, laughter, and other emotions for several seconds before their owners regained control.

“Poor boy,” murmured one lady.

“Did he recover?” asked another.

“Certainly. So small a thing as a broken leg would not keep Josh down for long. He is back to climbing trees and getting into mischief. Last month he tried to ride a neighbor’s cow and was pitched into the stream, breaking his collarbone.”

“Why would your cousin imply a different relationship?” asked Lady Beatrice bluntly, her ancient eyes boring into Catherine’s as though she would drag her soul out for examination.

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