The Bridal Quest. Candace Camp

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СКАЧАТЬ rankled, but Francesca had to admit that the older woman’s idea made sense. And a visit to Radbourne Park for a few weeks would also take care of her problem with maintaining her household for a while.

      “I am not sure. A few days, surely, to pack and set things in order,” Francesca told her.

      “Well, don’t dawdle, girl. We need to set this thing in motion.”

      “Of course, but—” Francesca broke off as she saw Lord Radbourne approaching. “Ah, Lord Radbourne. Good to see you again.”

      It was a lie, of course. She did not look forward to talking with him. He looked decidedly put out, and Francesca suspected that he was about to ring a peal over her head for whatever had transpired with Irene Wyngate.

      He nodded shortly to Francesca and then to his great-aunt. “Lady Haughston. Lady Pencully.”

      “Gideon,” Lady Odelia responded. “Saw you talking to Lady Irene a few minutes ago.” She looked at him hopefully.

      His lips tightened. “Lady Irene Wyngate is arrogant, stubborn and a snob. I am certain that she would not do for my wife.”

      Even Lady Odelia seemed unable to find a response to that.

      Francesca jumped into the silence that followed his statement. “I see. Well, all the more reason to move forward with other plans. Your great-aunt and I were just discussing having a party at Radbourne Park. I hope you will find that agreeable. It seems a good way for you to meet several young women and get to know them, and for them to get to know you. A week or two allows one many more opportunities than attending rounds of balls and such here in the city.”

      He nodded. “No doubt. I will leave it in your capable hands. And my aunt’s, of course.”

      “Very well.” Francesca relaxed. At least he was not going to make a scene or, apparently, even blame her for whatever Irene had said to him.

      “I will take my leave of you, then. I have business to attend to. If you will excuse me?”

      “Of course.” Francesca was quite content to see him go, though she could not help but wonder what sort of business he could have that required attending to at this time of night.

      Lady Odelia paled a little and glanced around to see if anyone had overheard the earl’s mention of business. He bowed toward them and turned to walk away.

      He had taken only a few steps, however, when he abruptly stopped, pivoted on his heel and returned to them. “Lady Haughston,” he said grimly. “When you make up the guest list…” He hesitated, then added shortly, “Invite Lady Irene.”

      CHAPTER FIVE

      THE NEXT MORNING, Irene glanced across the table at her sister-in-law. Maura was unaccustomedly pale, and her lids were heavy and dark. If it were another person, Irene would have wondered if she had not imbibed too freely at the Spences’ ball last night. Perhaps, she thought, Maura was not feeling well. She had been remarkably silent ever since she sat down at the breakfast table this morning, and she had merely picked listlessly at her food.

      Irene glanced down at her own plate. She noticed that she, too, had not eaten much. However, she knew the reason for her own state. After her ill-fated stroll with Lord Radbourne, she had spent the remainder of the ball fuming. She had wanted to leave the party altogether, but Maura had refused to consider it, and Irene had finally slipped out of the ballroom and found a quiet nook along the gallery, where she had spent the rest of the evening.

      Though she had been undisturbed, it had scarcely been a pleasant hour, for in her mind Irene had gone over and over Lord Radbourne’s rude behavior and her own appalling lapse of good sense. Even when they finally left the ball and she was able to seek the sanctuary of her own room, she had not found any peace. She had gone to bed but had tossed and turned, her thoughts still occupied with the shocking kiss on the terrace.

      It had been hours before she could go to sleep, and even after she finally slipped into slumber, she had been disturbed by hot, lascivious dreams, awakening with her heart pounding and her skin sheened with sweat.

      As a result, she had come down to breakfast a trifle late, feeling as if she had not slept at all, and had pushed her food around on her plate, eating little of it.

      Irene nibbled another bit of egg and glanced around the table at the others. She noticed that Humphrey and her mother were also sneaking small worried looks at Maura, and Irene wondered again what had gotten into Humphrey’s wife.

      Almost as if in answer to Irene’s thought, Maura raised her head and looked at Irene, saying, “I don’t know why you were so anxious to leave the party last night, Irene. It quite spoiled the evening.”

      Irene raised her brows. “I had a headache. But we did not leave, so I cannot see how your evening was affected.”

      “Irene…” her brother said quietly, a note of warning in his voice.

      Irene glanced at him, a twinge of hurt going through her. Was her brother so in the thrall of his wife that he would discourage her from expressing her opinion?

      “Well, Humphrey, it seems a reasonable question, does it not?” she asked levelly.

      “It isn’t that.” He looked distressed, casting another glance at his wife. “Must we discuss this at the breakfast table?”

      Lady Claire spoke up hastily, saying, “It was a lovely party, was it not? I enjoyed myself thoroughly. Didn’t you, Humphrey?”

      “Yes, Mother, of course I did.” Humphrey smiled at the older woman fondly. “I was glad to see you so entertained.”

      “It was a very pleasant time,” Maura agreed. “And I do not mean to criticize, Irene. I just wish that you would make a little more effort. It was so good of Lady Haughston to single you out, and then I saw you walking with that man. Who did you say he was, Mother?”

      “Lord Radbourne,” Lady Claire answered. “Yes, I was quite amazed when Maura pointed him out to me and said you had strolled about the room with him. I had not seen him before, but Mrs. Shrewsbury told me that he was the Bankes’ heir who was kidnapped years ago. Such a sad tale…” She shook her head, tsk-tsking over the story.

      “Yes, but the important thing is that he is said to be worth a fortune,” Maura put in. “A highly eligible man. And you did not make the slightest push to interest him, I warrant. Instead, you came back wanting to leave straightaway.”

      “I am not interested in Lord Radbourne,” Irene said flatly.

      “Of course you are not!” Maura exclaimed. “You are never interested in any man! You are the most unnatural person…. I cannot understand you. Sometimes I think you simply want to thwart me.” Maura glared at Irene, her mouth drawing into a childish pout.

      Irene stared at her sister-in-law. Even for Maura, this behavior was a little unusual. “Maura, it has nothing to do with you,” she began reasonably.

      “Oh, do not speak to me that way,” Maura snapped, picking up her napkin and tossing it down onto the table. “I am not a child. You talk to me as if I were a fool. Of course it has something to do with me! You refuse to marry, when any normal woman would be eager to do so. But you would rather remain here СКАЧАТЬ