Harlequin Historical April 2017, Box Set 1 of 2 by Marguerite Kaye

Author:Marguerite Kaye
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488021312
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2017-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Lorene took her man of business into her confidence about assisting Dell in the refurbishment of his town house. Mr Walters accompanied her when she met with the architect and came along any time there were negotiations to be made. Her mother had not the least curiosity of where Lorene went during the day, so the secret was easily kept.

Because she refused to attend society events, the ton’s curiosity about her seemed to have disappeared as well. Her name did not again appear in the newspapers, even though her mother and Count von Osten were regularly in print, usually for something outrageous her mother said or did.

Days passed and Lorene’s mother still did not tell her about the dinner she planned. Not only had she heard of the dinner from Dell, but also from her cook and housekeeper. Her mother never spoke of it until Lorene caught her mother addressing invitations.

Lorene found her mother in an upstairs sitting room at a writing table, a stack of folded paper next to her.

‘What are you doing?’ She sauntered over to the table.

Her mother first made an attempt to cover her writing, but then seemed to reconsider. She smiled up at Lorene. ‘I am writing invitations.’

Lorene lifted her brows. ‘Invitations?’

Her mother seized her hand. ‘My darling daughter, it was to be a surprise! I am giving a dinner party. Nothing grand. A family dinner party.’

‘And where is this party to be held?’ she asked, as if she did not know.

Her mother gave her an innocent smile. ‘Why, here, of course.’

A memory flashed through Lorene’s mind of Lord Tinmore telling her what dinner parties he had planned, parties he’d not bothered to tell her about until they were a fait accompli. She could say nothing of that, but her life was different now.

She withdrew her hand. ‘Without asking me first?’

‘It was to be a surprise for you, my love.’ Her mother’s voice was wounded.

‘No surprises, Mother, please,’ she stated. ‘I insist on knowing what is happening in my house.’

Her mother stood and gave her a buss on the cheek. ‘As you wish, my love.’ She picked up the completed invitations. ‘As you will see, it is merely family.’

‘No more secrets.’ She put her hands on her hips. ‘Promise me?’

Her mother blinked. ‘Oh, I promise. I do.’

‘Good.’ Lorene turned to leave.

‘Will you come to the opera with us tonight, my love?’ her mother asked. ‘We will sit in the Duke of Archester’s box.’

For a woman who had created scandal after scandal in the early years of her marriage, Lorene’s mother never seemed to want for invitations, although her companions were reputed to be a fast set. She also persisted in trying to persuade Lorene to attend with her.

‘Thank you, no,’ Lorene said.

* * *

The dinner party was scheduled for the next week. Dell received an invitation as Lady Summerfield had promised. On the night of the party he stood at the window of the drawing room in the Duke of Kessington’s Mayfair

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