The Reluctant Rake by Jane Ashford

Author:Jane Ashford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2019-09-03T16:00:00+00:00

Three

The Countess of Cheane was that evening presenting an eminent Italian singer to society at a musicale, and the haut ton was nearly all in attendance. Though genuine love of music was by no means widespread, the event had acquired immense cachet during weeks of gossip fostered by the countess and her friends. Thus, both Marianne and Susan were able to assure the newcomers to their households that the evening was the height of fashion, and the young men accompanied them with far more enthusiasm than either would normally have shown for such an outing.

“Here we are,” said Susan unnecessarily as they pulled up before the countess’s house. “Those are linkboys, William. They light the way for the chairs.”

“If you lean so far out, you will fall in the street,” responded her brother shortly, not pleased to be lectured on the ways of the town. Susan grimaced at him.

They went inside, and the ladies left their wraps. As they climbed the stairs to the drawing room, William hung back a little. “Do you think my coat is all right?” he asked Georgina quietly. “Susan seemed to find it hopelessly countrified.”

“It is not the latest fashion,” agreed Georgina, knowing that he would see this for himself soon enough and that false reassurance would be useless. “But it is well made and you look the gentleman.”

He nodded. “That should be good enough for anyone.”

“There is that girl,” hissed Susan over her shoulder.

“What girl?” answered Georgina in a normal voice.

“Shh! The one from the ball.”

There could be no mistaking this reference, and Georgina looked up to find Marianne MacClain greeting their hostess on the landing.

“That one?” asked William admiringly. “Are you acquainted with her?”

“Shh!” repeated Susan. “Let us wait here until…” But more guests came up behind them, forcing their group to move up the stairs and reach the countess before Marianne’s party had left her. Indeed, the press was so great that the two families were forced to walk into the drawing room together.

Susan and Marianne exchanged nods, and might have left it at that had it not been for William. Clearly struck with Marianne’s charms, he requested an introduction, and this led to reciprocal presentations of Lady Bentham and her husband, Georgina, and Tony Brinmore. Lady Bentham, unconscious of any awkwardness, immediately suggested they find chairs and to Marianne’s amused consternation and Susan’s obvious outrage, they all sat down together near the back of the room.

Lady Bentham was quite content to talk to her husband, and Georgina offered an occasional remark in counterpoint to their duet. William had taken care to place himself beside Marianne, leaving Susan and Tony to occupy the end of the row of gilt chairs.

“I understand this is to be a famous evening,” William ventured as soon as they were settled.

“Yes, indeed,” replied Marianne with a smile. “You are fond of music?”

“I? Well, tolerably fond.”

“That’s good. They say Signora Veldini can go on for hours, once she begins. She is to do the aria from The Marriage of Figaro, you know.

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