The Obedient Bride by Mary Balogh

Author:Mary Balogh [Balogh, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Erotic, Adult
ISBN: 9780451159625
Google: a5UJAAAACAAJ
Amazon: 0451159624
Barnesnoble: 0451159624
Goodreads: 969586
Publisher: Signet
Published: 1989-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

10

Frances prepared for the Pottier soiree with particular care. She wore a deep midnight-blue gown that she had been saving for the next ball. She wished to appear at her best for Sir John Charlton and the group of somewhat lesser admirers who showed interest in her wherever she went. More important, she wished to show Sir Theodore Perrot that she was indeed enjoying her stay in London and felt no homesickness whatsoever.

She was somewhat chagrined to find that Theodore was already there before them and in conversation with the Marquess and Marchioness of Ravenscourt and Lady Harriet Meeker. He looked quite as if he belonged in the drawing room. He did not look at all rustic, as she had rather expected him to look.

Frances smiled at Mr. Browning, who had approached them in order to talk with Arabella. She flirted her fan at him, and the young man looked somewhat taken aback, and blushed.

"Oh, la," Frances said, "what a splendid drawing room. What story from mythology is depicted in the painting on the ceiling, do you suppose?" She smiled dazzlingly.

"The b-birth of Venus, I believe, ma'am," Mr. Browning said.

"Did you succeed in buying the pair of matched grays that you were going to bid on at Tattersall's this morning?" Arabella asked him. "You must tell me all about the auction, sir. I think it very provoking that ladies may not attend."

Frances felt Theodore looking their way. She smiled even more brightly at a clearly uncomfortable Mr. Browning, and fanned herself vigorously.

Theodore, viewing her from across the room, smiled and turned his attention back to what the marchioness was saying.

Frances was rescued at that moment by Sir John Charlton, who made his bows to both ladies and began to engage her in conversation.

"It was a great pity you were not able to drive with me in the park this afternoon, Miss Wilson," he said. "The company there was quite distinguished. Lady Morton was kind enough to remark that my new high-perch phaeton is quite the most fashionable conveyance in town."

"I really hated to miss the chance to drive with you, sir," Frances said. "I am longing to see your new phaeton."

"You would grace it with your beauty," Sir John said, removing a pearl-encrusted snuffbox from his waistcoat pocket and flicking the lid open with one elegant thumb. "You were at Kew this afternoon?"

"Yes," she said. "The gardens are quite splendid. Have you seen the pagoda, sir?"

"Once, as a boy," he said with a sigh. "A strange affectation of our royal family, is it not? But not in quite such bad taste as those other unspeakable edifices in the gardens. I suppose Sir Theodore Perrot was awed by their splendor? Visitors from the country generally are."

"Oh," Frances said. "Yes, Theodore liked the pagoda. Of course, it is somewhat out of place in an English setting. But an amusing curiosity, would you not say?"

He bowed and proceeded to inhale a pinch of snuff from the back of his hand. He withdrew a lace-edged handkerchief from his pocket.

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