The Lady Emily Capers, Set One by Regina Scott

Author:Regina Scott
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romantic comedy, regency romance, romantic mystery, funny books, historical mystery, fake engagement, rich boy poor girl
Publisher: Regina Scott

Chapter Three

She threw him out, of course. Or rather, she stalked out of the elegant withdrawing room, forcing him to follow, and led him down the carpeted stairs to Warburton.

“Our guest has a pressing engagement,” she said. “Please see him out.”

Lord Robert blinked, but his good manners apparently prevented him from arguing with her. He suffered himself to pick up his top hat and gloves and be ushered out the door by an ever dignified Warburton.

When Emily returned to the withdrawing room, she could see that her friends were not nearly so composed. Indeed, they looked as depressed as she felt. Priscilla was staring off in the distance, her chest rising and falling as if she concentrated on taking deep, even breaths. Ariadne sat slumped in her chair, her reticule pooled in the lap of her gown like a wilted flower. Daphne chewed her lower lip and blinked rapidly as if fighting tears. Either that or Lord Snedley advised blinking when faced with imminent disaster.

Seeing Emily in the doorway, Priscilla rose to her feet and shook out her skirts. “Everyone up. We have no time for this nonsense. We have much to do in the next eleven days.”

As Emily frowned, Daphne obligingly leaped to her feet, setting the teapot on the table in front of her to clattering.

Ariadne got up more slowly. “What must we do?”

Priscilla waved her hands as if shooing away any potential objections. “Prepare for the Ball, of course!”

Daphne brightened. “Then the Ball is still on?”

“The Ball,” Priscilla said with a sniff, “was never off.”

“That is news to me,” Emily said, moving into the room. “What do you know that I have missed, Pris?”

Priscilla raised her chin so that her golden curls caught the sunlight. “Only that you cannot listen to Lord Robert. Some gentlemen are entirely too full of themselves, and I can see that he’s one of them.”

“I told you he was not to be trusted,” Daphne added. “A gentleman is a gentleman indeed.” She narrowed her sky blue eyes. “Perhaps he should read Lord Snedley.”

Emily knew she should probably invite them to sit back down and have a cup of tea, but the silver pot and the dainty flowered China cups had never looked less inviting. Instead she wandered to the window and gazed out at the street below. Fine carriages and gentlemen in tailored coats hurried past, as if they enjoyed their freedom. Was she never to have any?

“Lord Robert has always been arrogant,” she told her friends. “Once when we were children, he held my riding crop over my head and refused to give it back until I kissed his boots. I was fully prepared to spit on them instead, but his older brother intervened.”

“He seems to be thinking of his family instead of himself in this instance,” Ariadne pointed out. “He was most intent in supporting his widowed mother.” She sighed as if she found the trait highly commendable.

Emily supposed it was. Certainly she had wondered whether the marriage might please her father.

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