The Wicked Cousin by Stella Riley

Author:Stella Riley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: obsession, abduction, courtship, drury lane, georgian london, female stalker, rockliffe series, school for scandal
Publisher: Stella Riley

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Having been given Rockliffe’s permission to make use of his box at the Theatre Royal, Lady Elinor sent out invitations to the Ingrams and the Vernons … and because she was convinced that a bit of match-making couldn’t hurt, to Cassie and Mr Audley. Then, when the first evenings of May turned unexpectedly balmy, she invited the same people to join Harry and herself for supper at Vauxhall before the weather broke again.

The party travelled by boat, arriving just as it was growing dark and the myriad of coloured lanterns began glowing in the trees. Sebastian glanced at Cassie … and found himself unable to look away. Her hair was piled high on her head and an amber domino covered her pale yellow gown. But it was the look of pure pleasure lighting her face that held his gaze and made something tighten in his chest.

God, he thought sourly. How do I keep my distance when this whole place is just one great invitation to dalliance? I ought to have pleaded a previous engagement.

Cassie, meanwhile, had decided that the best way to avoid embarrassment over The Kiss was to pretend it hadn’t happened. Unfortunately, it only needed one look at Mr Audley – sinfully handsome in a black domino thrown carelessly over a coat of silver-laced dark grey silk – for her to realise that this was easier said than done. She stiffened her spine and made some inane comment about the grottos.

The party settled into one of the private booths where Harry had bespoken supper.

Cassie said, ‘This is a lovely idea, Nell. I haven’t been here for ages and nearly didn’t manage to persuade Papa to let me come tonight. He loathes Vauxhall - says it’s teeming with unseemly persons. Truthfully, I think the only thing that swayed him was that Jack and Isabel would be with us.’

Lady Elinor looked offended. ‘Not me?’

‘No,’ laughed Cassie. ‘Nor Harry nor Philip, either. Far too flighty, all three of you.’

‘I object to that,’ said Philip. ‘I’m a model of respectability. Ask anyone.’

‘Except Sir Charles, apparently.’ Harry picked up a small printed leaflet from the table, then looked up, his eyes dancing. ‘This says Tenducci’s singing here tonight.’

‘The celebrated castrato?’ asked Isabel eagerly. ‘I’ve never heard him. He’s said to be quite extraordinary.’

‘He’s that, all right.’ Philip grinned at Harry. ‘Did you see that piece in The Whisperer? The piece about him having – you know.’

‘Well, he had to explain those two children somehow, didn’t he? After having been divorced on the grounds of --’

‘That’s enough,’ interposed Mr Ingram quietly.

‘You read The Whisperer as well, do you Jack?’ asked Harry innocently.

‘No. I don’t. But I know the sort of thing they print and can be fairly sure it isn’t a suitable topic of conversation in mixed company.’

‘The most entertaining things never are,’ complained Nell. ‘I don’t see why men should have all the fun.’

‘If it’s any consolation,’ offered Sebastian, ‘I’m feeling equally left out.’

‘Tell you later,’ promised Harry. ‘And Jack’s right. The Whisperer is a wickedly witty scandal sheet which doesn’t hold back from printing names.

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