An Honourable Thief. Anne Gracie
Чтение книги онлайн.
Читать онлайн книгу An Honourable Thief - Anne Gracie страница 14
Название: An Honourable Thief
Автор: Anne Gracie
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Историческая литература
isbn:
isbn:
Kit laid a small hand on his, and said earnestly. “Should you really be eating tho many crab patties? They are very rich, you know, and my papa found they did not at all agree with his constitution—”
“I have eaten and enjoyed crab patties all my life,” he snapped, and reached towards the dish.
Kit tactfully moved the dish away from him with an understanding smile. “Yeth, but after a certain age, I believe, gentlemen are not able to do all the things they used to enjoy in their youth. Would you care for a ruthk?” She offered him a rusk, maintaining her demure expression by biting hard on the inside of her cheek.
“No, I would not!” he snapped explosively. There was another short silence while Mr Devenish fought to control his indignation at being treated as an octogenarian.
Kit placidly examined her nails, ninny fashion.
He stood up. “You seem to have finished your supper, Miss Singleton.” He held out a commanding hand to help her to her feet.
Kit, relieved not to be pushed further on the question of her background, offered him an artless smile and allowed herself to be drawn from her seat.
“I believe Sir Bartlemy Bowles was hoping to take you on a short promenade around the room,” he said, his eyes glinting.
Oho, so the Watchdog stooped to low tricks, did he? How dare he deliver an innocent young girl such as she to a creature like the Octopus!
She turned to leave, but her hem appeared to be caught under the chair. She stumbled and fell against him, quite awkwardly, and floundered against him momentarily, trying to regain her balance. He gently took her upper arms and lifted her upright; she avoided his gaze and babbled hasty thanks and apologies for her clumsiness.
Mr Devenish frowned blackly. At the first touch of her body against his, a surge of awareness had passed through him like wildfire. He thrust her small, firm body resolutely away from him. He was not attracted to this little widgeon! He was damned if he would be attracted to any respectable female of the ton, let alone a complete simpleton!
“Thank you very much for the dance and for escorting me to thupper, Mr Devenish, but my Aunt told me not to go on to the terrace without her, tho, if you don’t mind…” She smiled a last smile at his waistcoat, enjoying the sight of his pristine white cravat, the smooth folds of which were quite unmarred…not by a crumb or a scrap of crab. Not even by a tie-pin, phoenix or otherwise.
Chapter Three
Kit joined a group around her aunt, and was soon taken to dance by a very young gentleman, a young gentleman who was rather less subtle than Mr Devenish.
Kit’s heart plummeted as he blurted out his question. “A diamond mine!” she gasped. “Everybody knows I own—!” She stopped in mid-step. “Oh, good God! You cannot mean it?”
Young Mr Wollborough stared back owlishly at her.
Yes, Kit realised. He did indeed mean it. She ignored his dismay at her reaction and sat down on a nearby bench. Whatever am I to do now!
Mr Wollborough looked dismally at her. “Drat! Mother did say it was a secret, that you did not wish to be courted for your fortune.”
Courted for her fortune! Kit closed her eyes and tried to repress a hysterical bubble of laughter. A penniless adventuress, courted for her fortune!
“I’m dashed sorry to have distressed you like this, Miss Singleton! I’m a tattle-tongued fool! You don’t need to fret about me knowing. I’ll not mention it to a soul. In any case, I’m sure very few people know about it. I know I was told it in the strictest confidence.”
She stared at him blankly. Very few people indeed! Everything clicked into place: Miss Singleton’s comments about her wearing pearls instead of diamonds; Lord Norwood and other men’s determined courtships; Mr Devenish’s equally determined questioning about her background.
Mr Wollborough hovered, awkwardly. “Can I get you a glass of something? Er, do you want me to fetch your aunt?”
Kit took no notice of him. Her mind was in a whirl. Virtually the entire ton must believe her to be rich. That was the reason so many people had been so very friendly and welcoming towards an unknown young woman. It wasn’t “polite society” at all—these people were no different from others she had encountered all over the world. Money smoothed all paths, honeyed all tongues, welcomed all strangers.
They imagined her to be a great heiress! It would be laughable, if it were not so disastrous to her scheme. But however had such an outrageous rumour started? Such a ridiculous one, what’s more—a diamond mine! How could she ever get out of this one?
She glanced up at the crestfallen young blade who hovered awkwardly, looking crushed and miserable. Kit repressed another bubble of half-hysterical laughter. Young Mr Wollborough was only too aware that he’d blown his chance with the great heiress.
“Take me to my aunt, if you please, Mr Wollborough,” said the heiress. “I find I have the headache.”
As soon as they reached home, Kit broached the matter with Rose Singleton. “Young Mr Wollborough asked me about a diamond mine, Aunt Rose.”
“Hmm, yes, dear?” said Rose, retrieving a trailing scarf which had almost slipped to the floor.
“He seems to believe—a number of people, in fact, seem to believe that I own a diamond mine.”
“Yes.” Rose’s brow wrinkled at the look on her niece’s face. “What is the matter? I know you did not wish it to be generally known, but these things have a way of coming out.”
“But why would people believe I own a mine full of diamonds?”
“It was diamonds, was it not? I’m sure it was—I would have remembered if he’d said rubies or emeralds. Or sapphires—sapphires would go so beautifully with your eyes. But no, I was certain he said a diamond mine.”
“Who said?”
Rose frowned. “Your father, of course! Who else?”
Kit closed her eyes briefly. Papa! Who else!
“My papa told you he owned a diamond mine?”
“Wait, I’ll fetch the letter.” Rose wandered into the front withdrawing room where her small Sheraton writing desk stood. She rummaged through the pile of papers in the desk, then turned and peered around the room, annoyed. “Now where has it got to? Things move in this house, there is no denying it.”
“Oh, never mind,” said Kit. “It will turn up sooner or later. Now just refresh my mind, will you please, Aunt dearest? Where did my papa say this diamond mine was situated?”
Aunt Rose looked at her in astonishment. “Don’t you know where it is situated? How very odd. But I suppose…”
“Where is the diamond mine, Aunt Rose?” Kit prompted gently.
“Why, in New South Wales, of course. Where else?”
New СКАЧАТЬ