A Lady of Consequence. Mary Nichols
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Название: A Lady of Consequence
Автор: Mary Nichols
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Историческая литература
isbn: 9781472039736
isbn:
‘I will,’ he said, ‘if you will stop addressing me by my title. I prefer Duncan, or if you cannot manage that, then Stanmore. Sometimes, you know, a title can be a dreadful encumbrance.’
‘You don’t say so.’
‘Indeed, I do. It can have a very restricting influence on a fellow.’
‘You mean because everyone knows you and you cannot get into the least scrape without the whole world knowing of it?’
He grinned in the darkness; she was right about that. ‘Something of the sort. But it also means some people, those whose opinion I value, are uncomfortable with me, afraid to speak their minds.’
‘Can you wonder at it? You are all-powerful, or at least your father, the Duke of Loscoe, is; earning your disapprobation could easily ruin a man. Or a woman, come to that,’ she added softly.
‘I collect you have no such constraints.’
‘Should I have?’
‘No, certainly not. That is what I like about you. You say what you think and if it means giving me a jobation, then you do not hold back, do you?’
She laughed. ‘No, you must take me as I am. I have never been in a position to learn the niceties of Polite Society but, from my limited observation, I have come to the conclusion that a great deal of what goes on is empty sham. One must do this. One must on no account do that. The hierarchy of status must be maintained at all costs…’
‘Everyone in Society is not like that,’ he said softly. ‘My own parents are as liberal as anyone can be.’
‘Yes, the Duchess was very amiable when she spoke to me last week, but that does not mean she would accept me in her circle of friends.’
‘I do not see why not. You are the granddaughter of a count.’
She did not like to be reminded of that untruth, but she was not yet ready to confess her fault, for all she had promised Marianne she would. ‘A French count, that is not the same as an English one, is it?’
He smiled. ‘Perhaps not, but Mama would make no distinction.’
‘I imagine the Duke would.’
‘Not necessarily. Oh, undoubtedly he can be top-lofty, it was especially true when my sister and I were children, but the present Duchess has tamed him, you know. You will see, when you come to the house for the soirée, how very agreeable he can be.’
‘Will he be there?’ She had not thought much about facing the Duke before and she began to tremble at her own temerity. It was easy to boast to Marianne of what she meant to do, but putting it into practice was proving harder than she had imagined; the Marquis of Risley was turning out to be much too good-natured and caring for her peace of mind. If she were not vigilant, she might even find herself liking him too much. And that would never do. ‘I had thought it would only be ladies.’
‘No, there is usually a sprinkling of gentlemen my stepmother has coerced into donating funds to her charity.’
‘And does that include you?’
‘I would not miss it for the world,’ he said. ‘The delectable Miss Charron gracing the Stanmore drawing room, that is something to be seen. Mama was right, you will draw the haut monde like a magnet.’
‘Fustian!’
‘Oh, indeed yes. The evening will make a great deal of money for the orphanage.’
‘Orphanage,’ she echoed in a small voice, watching her feet, unable to look up at him in case he saw her agitation in her face.
‘Yes, did you not know? Mama has been involved in providing homes for soldiers’ orphans ever since the war. Why, when they opened the one in Maiden Lane, she rolled up her sleeves and helped to scrub it out.’
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