The Gypsy and the Gentleman: A Swapped Identities Matchmaking Regency (Scandalous Miss Brightwell Series Book 8) by Beverley Oakley

Author:Beverley Oakley [Oakley, Beverley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-02-12T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Two weeks should have been long enough to mend a heart broken by an engaging lass he’d known for barely five days.

But it was not.

No, two weeks had passed since Henry had received Tilly’s letter outlining exactly why she was giving him up, and still Henry felt a great hollow had been gouged in his chest, now filled with roiling, eviscerating pain.

“I say, Henry! Thought I’d see you around these parts with things livening up. My, you’re looking a little liverish. Everything all right, old chap?”

Henry turned at the friendly greeting from his old university friend, Bertie Sumner, and gave a semblance of a smile.

“Not really up to London revels, if the truth be told, but Mama wanted me here as she’s launching Emily,” Henry replied, continuing past the Inns of Court towards his lodgings.

He hoped he didn’t look as glum as he felt. He hoped, also, that Bertie changed the subject.

“Gorgeous gal, that sister of yours. So, Emily’s amongst the latest crop, eh? So’s my cousin, Matilda. In fact, I’m on my way to pay my respects before she lambasts me for neglecting her. Being a poor orphan, and all that, she lets no one forget how miserable her life can be.” He sighed. “My mama says she’s lost her heart to a bounder. Lady Wylie, who’s sponsoring her, just sent a message round to ask me to jolly her up. Why don’t you come along?” He sent Henry an appealing look. “It’d take the pressure off me. Matilda’s a lovely gal, but she’s not such fun to be around when she’s in the doldrums.”

After a lacklustre nod—for Henry had barely been paying attention—he was soon ushered into Lady Wylie’s drawing room, whereupon Bertie’s cousin fairly threw herself upon him in rapturous delight.

“Darling Bertie, you cannot know how I have suffered these past two weeks!”

With the introductions just effected, Henry was still reeling from the discovery that Miss Matilda Harcourt was none other than the young lady he’d been led to believe was Tilly’s cousin. Furthermore, she was the young lady he had seen from afar at Tunbridge Wells and whom he’d asked Lady Quamby to invite.

He could not believe it. For two weeks he’d existed in a world of pain, suffering an unexpected rejection, and not knowing how to mitigate the damage to his heart and wellbeing.

Now, here was his chance.

But Miss Harcourt had not finished her tale of woe. “Mr Griggs played fast and loose with my tender heart, Bertie,” she went on, grasping his upper arm as he tried to make his way to a seat, having halted his progress in the middle of the Oriental carpet.

Henry felt awkward in the face of this display of feminine emotion. But his desire to ask questions was paramount.

This young woman, Miss Harcourt, was a close confidante of his Tilly? Could she shed light on why his beloved had told him she could no longer marry him?

He nevertheless had to be diplomatic, for Lady Wylie was seated in the corner, her expression bland as she worked at some embroidery.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.