The Perfect Mistress. Victoria Alexander

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СКАЧАТЬ widowhoods had begun at very nearly the same time. Veronica’s husband had been involved in the sort of financial dealings open only to those of great family wealth. Portia’s had been a literary sort, something of a scholar from what she had said. And Julia’s husband had been engaged in the practice of law. Three years ago, their husbands had died within months of each other of accident or illness or mishap. That they had forged a true friendship was attributable only to the whims of fate and perhaps the fact that they had met at a time when each needed a friend who was neither a relation nor considered them an obligation. And now they had come to rescue her.

      Julia fetched her great-grandmother’s manuscript from the library and returned to the parlor. She took a seat, keeping the memoirs on her lap. “This is what I wished to discuss with you.”

      Veronica eyed the stack of papers curiously. “And what, may I ask, is it?”

      Portia sniffed. “It doesn’t look very interesting.”

      “Appearances, my dear Portia, are often deceiving.” Julia drew a deep breath. “Do you recall my telling you that my grandmother’s brother died oh, about six months ago?”

      Portia brightened. “And you have at last received an inheritance? Monies that will allow you to take care of the responsibilities that should have rightfully been his?”

      “Yes, and no.” Julia shook her head. “His property went to a relative so distant I was not even aware of his existence. As for money, well, it seems he had none to speak of.”

      “Of course not.” Portia’s expression hardened. “Vile creature.” Portia could not understand a family not caring for its own. Her parents had died when she was very young and her aunt and uncle had taken her in.

      “This”—Julia laid her hand on the manuscript—“is my inheritance. It was left to my mother by my great-grandmother. For reasons unknown to me, although I have my suspicions, my great-uncle kept it in his possession.”

      “And now that it is rightfully yours, what—” Veronica paused to allow a maid to enter with a tea cart then take her leave. She waited until the door closed to continue. “Now, what is it?”

      “These are my great-grandmother’s memoirs.”

      Portia sighed with disappointment. “Oh yes, that is interesting.”

      “Julia, dear,” Veronica eyed her thoughtfully. “Who was your great-grandmother?”

      “Lady Hermione Middlebury.” Julia held her breath.

      “Oh my,” Veronica murmured. “That is interesting.”

      “Why?” Portia’s impatient gaze slid from one woman to the other.

      Veronica chose her words with care. “Is this the same Lady Middlebury who was reputedly the mistress of—”

      Julia nodded. “Yes.”

      “And involved in the scandal surrounding the prince of—”

      “That too.” Julia winced.

      “And the rather infamous incident with a prime min—”

      “Yes, yes, all of that.” Julia waved away Veronica’s words.

      “Well, I don’t know what either of you are talking about.” Portia huffed.

      “My apologies, Portia.” Julia paused to gather her thoughts. “My great-grandmother was widowed at an early age and then proceeded to live her life exactly as she pleased.”

      “In a most … independent manner,” Veronica said with an amused smile.

      “By ‘independent’ do you mean scandalous?” Portia asked.

      “Of course.” Veronica poured a cup of tea. “But it was a very long time ago.”

      Julia cleared a space and set the manuscript on the cart. “She passed away more than thirty years ago.”

      “Still,” Portia said, “scandal is scandal.”

      “As I was saying,” Veronica continued, “these are the memories of a woman who has been dead for these past thirty years and her …”

      “She calls them adventures.” Julia wrinkled her nose.

      “Amorous adventures, no doubt,” Portia said darkly.

      “Adventures? How delightful. Oh, I do like that.” Veronica paged through the manuscript. “The amorous adventures of a woman long in her grave may well have been scandalous when they occurred. But today, they are more in the realm of …” She thought for a moment. “Oh, history, I would think, as those who shared her adventures are long dead and buried as well.”

      “History?” Portia stared at the manuscript as if she wasn’t sure if she wished to spirit it away and read it in the dead of night or burn it. “I daresay no one would look at this as history.”

      “The history of society as it were, for better or ill,” Veronica said in a superior manner. “These amorous exploits of Julia’s great-grandmother happened so long ago they are only of interest in a literary sense.”

      “More prurient than literary, no doubt.” Portia directed a warning look at Julia. “Some people have very long memories.”

      “And some people are fast reaching a point of financial ruin.” Julia tapped her fingertip on the manuscript. “Hopefully, this will provide salvation.” She drew a deep breath. “My finances are dwindling quickly.”

      Veronica stopped paging through the manuscript and cast a startled look at the other woman. “Why haven’t you said anything?”

      “It’s rather embarrassing to admit that one’s resources are limited,” Julia said with a wry smile.

      Surprise crossed Veronica’s face. “Even among friends?”

      Julia nodded. “Especially among friends.”

      Veronica huffed. “I tell you everything. Why, you know very nearly all my secrets.”

      Portia ignored Veronica, directing her words to Julia. “You should marry again. That would solve all your problems.”

      “I would very much like to marry again,” Julia said, her tone a bit sharper than she intended. “However, it was not easy to find the right man once.”

      “It would be much easier if you were looking for financial stability rather than love,” Veronica noted, not for the first time.

      “At this particular moment, I would turn my life over to a man without hesitation if it would mean financial salvation,” Julia said staunchly.

      Veronica raised a brow. “You do not lie well, my dear. You would beg on the streets before you wed a man you did not care for.” She paused. “How bad is it?”

      Julia blew a long breath. “I have approximately three months before my circumstances are serious.”

      Veronica frowned. СКАЧАТЬ