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Chapter 8.2
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2021-10-01 16:34:48It was Emma who initiated the Fleming sisters' friendship with the two Norwood girls, also being presented that year. The Misses Norwood, Amy and Antonia, were very pretty young ladies in the manner which had been all the rage until the Flemings came to town. They were pale and fair, as ethereal as the Flemings were earthy, as fragile as the Flemings were robust, and, unfortunately for them, as penniless as the Flemings were rich. Consequently, the quest to find well-heeled husbands for the Misses Norwood has not prospered.
Strolling down yet another ballroom, Lady Thorpe's as it happened, on the arm of Francis, of course, Emma had caught the sharp words uttered by a large woman of horsey mine to a young lady, presumably her daughter, sitting passively at her side. "Why can't you two be like that? Those girls simply walk off with any man they fancy. All it needs is a bit of push. But you and Amy..." The rest of the tirade has been swall
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The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 8.3 (Part 1)
It was at Lady Adamson's ball that Sir Jack Finley first appeared as a cold in the Fleming's horizon. Or, more correctly, on the Misses Norwood's horizon, although by that stage, it was much the same thing. Sir Jack, with a tidy estate in Gloucestershire, was in London t look for a wig. His taste, it appeared, ran to sweet young things if the type personified by the Norwood sisters, Antonia Norwood in particular. Unfortunately for him, Sir Jack was possessed of an overwhelming self-conceit combined with an unprepossessing appearance. He was thus vetoed on sight as beneath consideration by the Misses Norwood and their mentors. However, Sir Jack was rather more wily than he appeared. Finding his attentions to Antonia Norwood compromised by the competing attractions of the large number of more personable young men who formed the combined Fleming-Norwood court, he retired from the lists and devoted his energies to cultivating Mr. and Mrs. N
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2021-10-04The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 8.3 (Part 2)
The change in Antonia Norwood’s fortunes brought a frown to Margaret’s face. She would not have liked the connection for any of her sisters. Still, Antonia Norwood was not her concern. As her sisters appeared to have taken the event philosophically enough, she felt justified in giving it no further thought, reserving her energies, mental and otherwise, for her increasingly frequent interludes with her guardian. Despite her efforts to minimize his opportunities, she found herself sharing his carriage on their return journey to Mount Street. Marian Winford sat beside her and Felix, suavely elegant and exuding subtle aura of powerful sensuality, had taken the seat opposite her. Lady Hillsborough and her three sisters were following in the Twyford coach. As Margaret had suspected, their chaperon fell into a sound sleep before the carriage had c
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2021-10-04The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 9.1 (Part 1)
The Twyford coach was also the scene of considerable activity, though of a different sort. Amelia m, in sympathy with Mrs. Winford, quickly settled into a comfortable doze which the whisperings of the other occupants of the carriage did nothing to disturb. Emma, Sophia and Maribella, incensed by Antonia's misfortune, spent some minutes giving vent to their feelings. "It's not as if Sir Jack's such a good catch, even," Sophia commented. "Certainly not," agreed Emma with uncharacteristic sharpness. "It's really too bad! Why, Mr. Wolfinger is almost at the point of offering for her and he has a much bigger estate, besides being much more attractive. And Antonia likes him, what's more." "Ah," said Maribella, wagging her head sagely, "but he's not been making up to Mrs. Norwood, has he? That woman must be all about in her head, to think of giving little Antonia to Finley."
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2021-10-07The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 9.1 (Part 2)
For Maribella, the distraction of Sir Jack came at an opportune time in her juggling of Sir Jerome and Mr. Overend. It formed no part of her plans for either of these gentlemen to become too particular. And while her sober and earnest consideration of their suits had, she knew, stunned and puzzled Lord Byron, who watched with a still sceptical eye, her flirtation with Sir Jack had brought a strange glint to his hazel orbs. In truth, Henry had been expecting Maribella to flirt outrageously with her court in an attempt to make him jealous and force a declaration. He had been fully prepared to sit idly by, watching her antics from the sidelines with his usual sleepily amused air, waiting for the right moment to further her seduction. But her apparent intention to settle for a loveless marriage had thrown him. It was not a reaction he had expected. Knowing
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2021-10-07The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 9.2 (Part 1)
The advent of Helen Fletcher caused a certain amount of reworking if the Flemings’ plan for Sir Jack. After she consideration, she was taken into their confidence and willingly joined the small circle of conspirators. In truth, her appearance relieved Maribella’s mind of a nagging worry over how she was to let Sir Jack down after Antonia accepted Mr. Wolfinger, who, under the specific guidance of Emma, was close to popping the question. Now, all she had to do was to play the hardened flirt and turn Sir Jack’s bruised ego into Helen’s tender care. All in all, things were shaping up nicely. However, to their dismay, the Flemings found that Mrs. Norwood was not yet vanquished. The news of her latest ploy was communicated to them two days later, at Beckenham, where they had gone to watch a ballroom ascent. The intrepid aviators had
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2021-10-10The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 9.2 (Part 2)
By the time they reached the area cordoned off in the centre of the large field, a crowd had gathered. The balloon was already filling slowly. As they watched, it lifted from the ground and slowly rose to hover above the cradle slung beneath, anchored to the ground by thick ropes. “It looks like such a flimsy contraption,” said Maribella, eyeing the gaily striped silk balloon. “I wonder that anyone could trust themselves to it.” “They don’t always come off unscathed, I’m sorry to say,” answered Mr. Overend, his schoolmasterish tones evincing strong disapproval of such reckless behaviour. “Humph!” said Sir Jerome Needham.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2021-10-10The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 9.3 (Part 1)
The Fleming sisters attended the opera later that week. It was the first time they had been inside the ornate structure that was the Opera House; their progress to the box organized for them by their guardian was perforce slow as they gazed about them with interest. Once inside the box itself, in a perfect position in the first tier, their attention was quickly claimed by their fellow opera-goers. The pit below was a teeming sea of heads; the stylish crops of the fashionable young men who took perverse delight in rubbing shoulders with the masses bobbed amid the unkempt locks of the hoi polloi. But it was upon the occupants of the other boxes that the Flemings’ principal interest focused. These quickly filled as the time for the curtain to rise approached. All four were absorbed in nodding and waving to friends and acquaintances as the lights went out.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2021-10-13The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 9.3 (Part 2)
Behind Sophia sat Lord Bullock and Mr. Watson, invited by Felix to act as squires for Sophia and Maribella respectively. Neither was particularly interested in the opera, yet both had accepted the invitations with alacrity. Now, they sat, yawning politely behind their hands, waiting for the moment when the curtain would fall and they could be seen by the other attending members of the ton, escorting their exquisite charges through the corridors. Maribella, too, was fidgety, settling and resettling her pink silk skirts and dropping her fav. She appeared to be trying to scab he boxes in the tier above. Felix smiles. He could have told her that Henry Byron hated opera and had yet to be seen within the portals of Covent Garden. Lady Hillsborough, dragon-like in puce velvet, sat de
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The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 13.5 (Part 2)
While the Duke and Duchess of Twyford and Lord and Lady Daniel exchanged congratulations all around, Lady Hillsborough looked on in disgust. “What I want to know,” she said, when she could make herself heard once more, “is if I’m to be entirely done out of weddings, even after all my efforts to see you all in person’s mouse-trap?” “Oh, there are still two Flemings to go, so I wouldn’t give up hope,” returned her nephew, smiling down at her with transparent goodwill. “Apropos of which, has anyone seen the other two lately?” No one had. When applied to, Millard imparted the information that Lord Byron had called for Miss Maribella just before two. They had departed in Lord Byron’s carriage. Mr. Francis has d
The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 13.5 (Part 1)
The Duke of Twyford returned to London the next afternoon, accompanied by his Duchess. They went directly to Twyford House, to find the entire household at sixes and sevens. They found Lady Hillsborough in the back parlour, reclining on the chaise, her wig askew, an expression of smug satisfaction on her face. At sight of them, she abruptly sat up, struggling to control the wig. “There you are! And about time, too!” Her shrewd blue eyes scanned their faces, noting the inner glow that lit Margaret’s features and the contented satisfaction in her nephew’s dark face. “What gave you been up to?” Felix grinned wickedly and bent to kiss her cheek. “Securing my Duchess, as you correctly imagined.” “You’ve ties the knot alrea
The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 13.4
The clink of crockery woke Margaret. She stretched languorously amid the soft cushions, the sensuous drift of the silken covers over her still tingling skin bringing back clear memories of the past hours. She was alone in the bed. Peering through the concealing silk canopy, she spied Felix, tastefully clad in a long silk robe, watching a small dapper servants laying out dishes on the low tables on the other side of the room. The light from the brass lamps suffused the scene with a soft glow. She wondered what the time was. Lying back in the luxurious cushions, she pondered her state. Her final lesson had been in two parts. The first was concluded fairly soon after Felix had joined her in the huge bed; the second, a much more lingering affair, had spun out the hours of the evening. In between, Felix had, to her lasting shock, asked her to marry him. She
The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 13.3 (Part 2)
Emma had thought he had taught her all about kissing, but this was something quite different. She felt his arms lock like a vice about her waist, not that she had any intention of struggling. And the kiss went on and on. When she finally emerged, flushed, her eyes sparkling, all she could do was gasp and stare at him.Francis uttered a laugh that was halfway to a groan. “Oh, Emma! Sweet Emma. For God’s sake, say you’ll marry me and out me out of my misery.” Her eyes grew round. “Marry you?” The words came out as a squeak. Francis’s grin grew broader. “Mmm. I thought it might be a good idea.” His eyes dropped from her face to the lace edging that lay over her breasts. “Aside from ensuring I’l
The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 13.3 (Part 1)
For Francis Cambridge, the look on Emma’s face as he walked into the back parlour was easy to read. Total confusion. On Emma, it was a particularly attractive attitude and one wig which he was thoroughly conversant. With a grin, he went to her and took her hand, kissed it and tucked it into his arm. “Let’s go into the garden. I want to talk to you.” As talking to Francis in gardens had become something of a habit, Emma went with him, curious to know what he wished to say and wondering why her heart was leaping about so uncomfortably. Francis led her down the path that bordered the large main lawn until they reached an archway formed by a rambling rose. This gave access to the rose gardens. Here, they came to a stone bench bathed in softly dappled sunshi
The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 13.2
The first thought that sprang to Maribella’s mind on seeing Henry Byron enter the back parlour was how annoyed he must have been to learn of her deception. Margaret had told her of the circumstances; they would have improved his temper. Oblivious to all else save the object of her thoughts, she did not see Sophia leave the room, nor Francis take Emma through the long windows into the garden. Consequently, she was a little perturbed to suddenly find herself alone with Henry Byron. “Anna Kripinski, I presume?” His tone was perfectly equable but Maribella did not place any reliance on that. He came to stand before her, dwarfing her by his height and the breadth of his magnificent chest. Maribella was conscious of a devastating desire to throw herself on that bro
The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 13.1
“Sophia?” Daniel tried to squint down at the face under the dark hair covering his chest. “Mmm,” Sophia replied sleepily, snuggling comfortably against him. Daniel grinned and gave up trying to rouse her. His eyes drifted to the ceiling as he gently stroke her back. Serve her right if she was exhausted. Together with Francis and Henry, he had followed the strongly disapproving Millard to the back parlour. He had announced them, to the obvious consternation of the three occupants. Daniel’s grin broadened as he recalled the scene. Maribella had looked positively stricken with guilt, Emma had not known what to think and Sophia had simply stood, her back to the windows, and w
The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 12.3 (Part 3)
Well, what had she expected? asked that other Miss Fleming, ousting her competitor and taking total possession as Felix bend his head to kiss her. Her mouth opened welcomingly under his and he took what she offered, gradually drawing her into his embrace until she was crushed against his chest. Margaret did not mind; breathing seemed unimportant just at that moment. When Felix finally raises his head, his eyes were bright under their hooded lids and, she noticed with smug satisfaction, his breathing was almost as ragged as hers. His eyes searched her face, then his slow smile appeared. “I notice you’ve ceased reminding me I’m your guardian.” Margaret, finding her arms twined around his neck, ran her fingers through his dark hair. “I’ve given
The Duke And His Four Wards Chapter 12.3 (Part 2)
As usual when with her guardian, time flew and it was only when a chill in the breeze penetrated her thin cloak that Margaret glanced up and found the afternoon gone. The curricle was travelling smoothly down a well surfaced road, lined with low hedges set back a little from the carriageway. Beyond these, neat fields stretched sleepily under the waning sun, a few scattered sheep and cattle attesting to the fact that they were deep in the country. From the direction of the sub, they were travelling south, away from the capital. With a puzzled frown, she turned to the man beside her. “Shouldn’t we be heading back?” Felix glanced down at her, his devilish grin in evidence. “We aren’t going back.” Margaret’s brain flatly refuses to accept
