Seasons of Love by Emily Murdoch

Author:Emily Murdoch
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2016-08-14T23:00:00+00:00

A June Wedding

Chapter One

The front door finally closed, and to Victoria’s ears, it was the sweetest sound that she had heard in months.

“Thank the Lord that’s over,” she said, sinking into the nearest chair while her mother frowned at her.

“Victoria, really. That is most unladylike of you – and to show gladness that another pleasant ball is over? I am this moment overcome with disappointment that we are absent from the enjoyable company of such entertaining and genteel young men.”

Victoria tried her hardest not to roll her eyes as her mother handed her pelisse to their butler. “Mama, if my brother Stuart had not inherited the Earldom of Cheshire in the last year, then half of those eligible young men would be entertaining another young gentlelady and her mother.”

Mabel Walsingham did not take kindly to this remark. “Victoria Walsingham, your brother Stuart has done everything he can to ensure that you have enjoyed this season, and you should be grateful!”

This time Victoria did roll her eyes, as her fingers moved up to remove the pins digging into her head and keeping up the curls of chestnut hair.

It had been the same remark that she had heard, with variations of course, for the last few months, and now that it was the end of May, Victoria was looking forward to not hearing it for many months to come.

“Mama, you must admit that Stuart’s sudden – and completely unexpected – rise to become the fifteenth Earl of Cheshire has completely changed things,” said Victoria wearily. The night of dancing at Almack’s had tired her more than she thought, and she raised her feet to sit cross legged like a Turk in the chair in the hallway. “I mean, look!”

She gestured to the large hallway that they were standing in, and raised her eyebrows. The chandelier’s candles were burning low, as they had been alight for several hours, and the large grandfather clock chimed two o’clock in the morning. The plush red carpet that clothed the entire room also snaked up the large staircase that swept down into the hallway. The chairs were gilded with gold, and the brocade around the curtains was of the finest to be had in all of London.

Her mother sniffed. “I do not know to what you refer.”

“Mama,” said Victoria, “you know exactly what I mean. This sort of accommodation would have been far beyond the reach of a country doctor’s widow before Stuart became so noble, and we should not forget it.”

“Nonsense.” Mrs Walsingham’s tone was decided, and she swept out of the hallway into the drawing room.

Victoria sighed. Her mother had said no more, but that did not mean that her only daughter did not understand her. It was now time for the ritual discussion of the evening, and neither hell nor high water would be able to distract her from such a conversation, despite the lateness of the hour.

Placing her sore feet once more on the floor, Victoria kicked off her dance shoes that perfectly matched the vermillion gown that she was wearing, and followed the path that her mother had taken.

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