Rich Girl, Poor Girl by Valerie Wood

Author:Valerie Wood [Wood, Valerie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Historical Saga
ISBN: 0593060229
Google: AodwdbVrqXAC
Publisher: Corgi (UK)
Published: 2009-11-24T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

When they assembled in the drawing room before supper Rosalie and Polly were wearing their prettiest gowns, Polly in her favourite blue and Rosalie in primrose yellow muslin with a sprig pattern. They had both pinned up their hair. Polly wore a blue ribbon and Rosalie a lace cap.

Clementina wore white satin and Edwin and his father wore dark frock coats with stiff starched neckcloths. Howard had not yet come down but as Rosalie and Polly chatted to Mrs Radcliffe, and Clementina and Edwin remained silent, the door opened and he came in.

‘There you are, my boy,’ Luke greeted him. ‘Come along and meet Mrs Radcliffe. This is Howard, my dear.’

Howard had indeed smartened up; his fair hair was still wet from washing and he wore a pair of light-coloured trousers, a white shirt with a cravat, and a dark blue waistcoat under a short velvet jacket.

‘I’m very pleased to meet you, Howard,’ Mrs Radcliffe said. ‘And how very modish you are. We don’t often see such style on the moor.’

Howard gave her a courtly bow. ‘I understood we had a special visitor,’ he said, giving her a quick disarming smile. ‘And I wanted to make a good impression this time. Alas, you may never see me looking like this again!’

Anna Radcliffe laughed. ‘Oh, I do hope so. But have we met before?’

‘We have, ma’am,’ he said. ‘When I was a boy. My friend and I came with Uncle Luke to your home during the school holidays, and we went grouse shooting with your husband.’

She raised a finger. ‘You did! I remember. Well, how nice to meet you again after all these years.’

‘Indeed the pleasure is mine, Mrs Radcliffe,’ he said. ‘You had a young son, and a little girl, I think.’

She was about to answer when Mrs Moody knocked on the door to announce that supper was served and they rose from their seats. Luke took Anna’s arm; Clementina and Edwin went next. Edwin muttered, ‘Fop,’ as he passed Howard, but Howard was quite unfazed and merely winked at Polly and Rosalie and held out both elbows akimbo.

Cook had surpassed herself with her beef and ale pie. The meat was tender and succulent and the pastry rich and crumbling. Carrots, leeks and roast potatoes accompanied it, and there was thick onion gravy as the master had requested. When the maids had cleared away, Luke asked that the dessert might be delayed for ten minutes.

He opened a bottle of sparkling wine, filled Anna’s, Edwin’s and Howard’s glasses to the brim, and gave half a glass each to the three young ladies. Then he stood at the head of the table with Anna at his right hand and carefully poured his own. He took a breath and surveyed them all, his gaze lingering on Edwin and Clementina before coming to rest on Anna, who smiled.

‘My dears,’ he said, ‘I have something to say before dessert is brought in. I – we’ – he glanced at Anna – ‘have an announcement to make.

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