corners of her mouth lifted in an unpleasant smile . “S he perf ectly understands my displeasure now . ”
Sophie did not do ubt it . Ol ivia was as white as the wall behind her and Sophie could well imagine the tongue - lashing she had been subjected to.
“ Olivia is not to blame, ” said Sophie . “T he idea was mine alone . ”
Mrs Sloane pursued her lips. “S he assisted you, albeit in a small way, and is therefore complicit in your disgraceful behaviour. I ’ ve always known you were wild to a fault, but to involve us in a scandal like this is beyond belief. Such ingratitude! ” Eyeing Theo again unfavourably, she observed, “ I am surprised at you, Mr Cavanagh. Even when subjected to the pleadings of my wayward niece, I would not have countenanced a member of the ton , indeed, the brother of an Earl, acting improperly! ”
Th eo bowed, then lifted an eyebrow as he pointed out , “ As I’m only brother to an Earl, I don ’t feel the need to always act with propriety . Quite the opposite. And I don ’t feel the nee d to apologise . Miss Devereux ’s situation sounded difficult and, as a matter of honour , I could not ignore her request and leave her at the mercy of less principled men . ”
Eudora Sloane, a proud woman with none of the tonnish connections she longed for, had nurtured a lifelong admiration for members of the aristocracy . T his deference now battled with her fury. If he had been anyone else, she would have scythed him down with her tongue but , thinking it unwise to antagonise a member of the ton , s he settled for shifting the blame. “ Be that as it may, you should not have helped Sophia . B ut no doubt the deceitful wretch lied to you . The circumstances were therefore peculiar and extenuating and I shall not hold you responsible. ”
“ Generous, ” muttered Theo.
Mrs Sloa ne, missing the sarcastic note in his voice , bestowed a graci ous smile of absolution upon him . “ As for you , ” she snapped, turning back to Sophie , “ I will tolerate no more of this. You will return to Ludstone immediately! ”
“ No. ”
Mrs Sloane ’s eyes flashed. “D o you dare to defy me? ”
“ I am going to London. ”
“S o t his is how you repay me after I welcomed you into my home. Ungrateful girl! ” A shrill note had crept into Eudora ’s cultivated tones.
“ You haven ’t starved me, or locked me in a garret, but you ’ ve made my life un pleasant and now you want me to marry P eregrine, ” Sophie flung back . “ Well, I won ’t do it! I ’ ve got the Star with me and you ’ ll never get your hands on it. ”
Peregrine, now sprawled nonchalantly in a chair , remarked , “T his conversation is already becoming a dead bo re. ”
“T hen why don ’t you leave ?” retorted Sophie , giving him a cold glance.
He laughed, a curious combination of a snort and a titter. “ You don ’t get rid of me so easily , cousin . I ’ ve travelled miles to get here and I ’ ll be deuced if I set foot in my carriage again this evening.
Mrs Sloane gaped at him in astonishment. “ But Peregrine— ”
“ We ’ re s taying here , ” he i nterjected .
“ In this place? ” Eudora regarded her surroundings with distaste .
“ It ’s one of the best coachi ng inns on the Bath road, not a hedge tavern . ”
Mrs Sloane shuddered. “ It is not what I am used to and I have no maid to attend me. ”
“ Olivia c an do the necessary, ” said Peregrine blithely. “D id you bring your overnight things as I told you to? ”
“ Yes, but I never dreamt it would be nec essary to use them ! ” E udora ’s fury swung back on her niece. “S ee what you have done! This is your fault. Your shocking conduct has overset my nerves and now I am in danger of losing my temper — some thing I rarely do! I deman d you collect your bag so we can go home at once. ”
Sophie, her heart sinking at the prospect of her cousin and aunt staying at T he Pelican , remained resolute. “ No.
Sophie did not do ubt it . Ol ivia was as white as the wall behind her and Sophie could well imagine the tongue - lashing she had been subjected to.
“ Olivia is not to blame, ” said Sophie . “T he idea was mine alone . ”
Mrs Sloane pursued her lips. “S he assisted you, albeit in a small way, and is therefore complicit in your disgraceful behaviour. I ’ ve always known you were wild to a fault, but to involve us in a scandal like this is beyond belief. Such ingratitude! ” Eyeing Theo again unfavourably, she observed, “ I am surprised at you, Mr Cavanagh. Even when subjected to the pleadings of my wayward niece, I would not have countenanced a member of the ton , indeed, the brother of an Earl, acting improperly! ”
Th eo bowed, then lifted an eyebrow as he pointed out , “ As I’m only brother to an Earl, I don ’t feel the need to always act with propriety . Quite the opposite. And I don ’t feel the nee d to apologise . Miss Devereux ’s situation sounded difficult and, as a matter of honour , I could not ignore her request and leave her at the mercy of less principled men . ”
Eudora Sloane, a proud woman with none of the tonnish connections she longed for, had nurtured a lifelong admiration for members of the aristocracy . T his deference now battled with her fury. If he had been anyone else, she would have scythed him down with her tongue but , thinking it unwise to antagonise a member of the ton , s he settled for shifting the blame. “ Be that as it may, you should not have helped Sophia . B ut no doubt the deceitful wretch lied to you . The circumstances were therefore peculiar and extenuating and I shall not hold you responsible. ”
“ Generous, ” muttered Theo.
Mrs Sloa ne, missing the sarcastic note in his voice , bestowed a graci ous smile of absolution upon him . “ As for you , ” she snapped, turning back to Sophie , “ I will tolerate no more of this. You will return to Ludstone immediately! ”
“ No. ”
Mrs Sloane ’s eyes flashed. “D o you dare to defy me? ”
“ I am going to London. ”
“S o t his is how you repay me after I welcomed you into my home. Ungrateful girl! ” A shrill note had crept into Eudora ’s cultivated tones.
“ You haven ’t starved me, or locked me in a garret, but you ’ ve made my life un pleasant and now you want me to marry P eregrine, ” Sophie flung back . “ Well, I won ’t do it! I ’ ve got the Star with me and you ’ ll never get your hands on it. ”
Peregrine, now sprawled nonchalantly in a chair , remarked , “T his conversation is already becoming a dead bo re. ”
“T hen why don ’t you leave ?” retorted Sophie , giving him a cold glance.
He laughed, a curious combination of a snort and a titter. “ You don ’t get rid of me so easily , cousin . I ’ ve travelled miles to get here and I ’ ll be deuced if I set foot in my carriage again this evening.
Mrs Sloane gaped at him in astonishment. “ But Peregrine— ”
“ We ’ re s taying here , ” he i nterjected .
“ In this place? ” Eudora regarded her surroundings with distaste .
“ It ’s one of the best coachi ng inns on the Bath road, not a hedge tavern . ”
Mrs Sloane shuddered. “ It is not what I am used to and I have no maid to attend me. ”
“ Olivia c an do the necessary, ” said Peregrine blithely. “D id you bring your overnight things as I told you to? ”
“ Yes, but I never dreamt it would be nec essary to use them ! ” E udora ’s fury swung back on her niece. “S ee what you have done! This is your fault. Your shocking conduct has overset my nerves and now I am in danger of losing my temper — some thing I rarely do! I deman d you collect your bag so we can go home at once. ”
Sophie, her heart sinking at the prospect of her cousin and aunt staying at T he Pelican , remained resolute. “ No.
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