A Lady by Chance (Historical Regency Romance) by Cheryl Bolen
Authors: Cheryl Bolen
Tags: Regency Romance
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asked.
"Indeed. A pity he's only a second son."
"La!" Cynthia said. "I would not care were he to show a preference for me for I think he's positively the most handsome man I've ever seen." Turning to her younger sister, she said, "I vow, Charlotte, you danced every dance and not twice with anyone."
"I did dance twice with Mr. Hogart," Charlotte said quietly.
"Was that the man with the terribly ill-fitting coat?" Kate asked.
"You cannot judge a man merely by his clothes," Charlotte defended.
"But really, he stood out like a sty on the eye," Kate said.
"I've never heard of Mr. Hogart," Cynthia added. "What kind of family is he from? Do you know anything of him, Charles?"
Haverstock snapped to attention. "Who?"
"Mr. Hogart," Cynthia chided.
"Never heard of him," Haverstock said gloomily.
"Well, I can tell you all about him," Charlotte said, her eyes sparkling. "He has neither money nor family, but he is wonderfully kind. He is quite pious and plans to become a minister."
Kate rolled her eyes. "Charlotte, my dear, you can do far better. Pray, do not encourage the poor man."
"If he should do me the goodness of calling, I assure you I will be all that is amiable to him," Charlotte said with spunk.
Anna applauded Charlotte's deep goodness but deemed it wisest to keep her own views private for fear of angering Kate or Cynthia. Besides, she did not feel like talking. She still stung from her husband's words. Schemed to become my wife. No love on your part .
With those thoughts – and Sir Henry's instructions – keeping her awake, Anna was unable to sleep. She heard Charles in his dressing room, but he never came to her. It was the first night since she had been at Haverstock House that Charles did not share her bed.
Lydia and her brother, fresh from riding in the park, joined Anna in the breakfast room the following morning.
"Oh, Anna," Lydia said excitedly, "the chestnut Charles bought me is undoubtedly the best piece of horseflesh in London. Charles said she was your idea, and I do most gratefully thank you."
"Seeing your face so lively is thanks enough," Anna said. Davis entered the room and directed his gaze at Haverstock. "Her ladyship requests your presence in her chamber, my lord."
"You sent for me?" Haverstock asked, striding into his mother's gilded chamber where she took a breakfast tray in bed. He noted the grim set to her face. Even in her youth, his mother had not been a beauty. But she possessed what his father wanted in a wife. She was the daughter of earl who settled a generous dowry, and she bore him seven children while maintaining a cool detachment from her husband.
"Sit down," she commanded, her voice sharp.
He did as bid.
"I have been delivered a letter this morning – never mind who sent it. It informs me of your wife's deplorable conduct last night. You have brought me untold disappointment in your choice of a wife, Charles. Once a whore, always a whore."
Overcome with rage, Haverstock rose and towered over his mother. His voice quivered with anger. "I will not allow you to speak of my wife in such a manner. She is a total innocent. If she behaved with impropriety last night, it was because she is ignorant in the ways of the ton ."
"She has bewitched you," the dowager said with disgust. "We cannot have the daughter of that horrible woman bear the title Marchioness of Haverstock. Divorce her before she can become the mother of the future marquess. Don't you see, Charles?"
"I see that you are dangerously close to breaking the bond of my filial duty, Mother. My wife made an innocent mistake. Do not speak so of Anna again."
He turned on his heel and left the room.
Chapter 12
Today, more than any time since her mother's death, Anna was in a blue funk. A terrible one. She had not slept at all the night before.
Over and over she had remembered the harshness of Charles' words spoken in anger – anger she richly deserved. She wondered how she could learn from Charles the
"Indeed. A pity he's only a second son."
"La!" Cynthia said. "I would not care were he to show a preference for me for I think he's positively the most handsome man I've ever seen." Turning to her younger sister, she said, "I vow, Charlotte, you danced every dance and not twice with anyone."
"I did dance twice with Mr. Hogart," Charlotte said quietly.
"Was that the man with the terribly ill-fitting coat?" Kate asked.
"You cannot judge a man merely by his clothes," Charlotte defended.
"But really, he stood out like a sty on the eye," Kate said.
"I've never heard of Mr. Hogart," Cynthia added. "What kind of family is he from? Do you know anything of him, Charles?"
Haverstock snapped to attention. "Who?"
"Mr. Hogart," Cynthia chided.
"Never heard of him," Haverstock said gloomily.
"Well, I can tell you all about him," Charlotte said, her eyes sparkling. "He has neither money nor family, but he is wonderfully kind. He is quite pious and plans to become a minister."
Kate rolled her eyes. "Charlotte, my dear, you can do far better. Pray, do not encourage the poor man."
"If he should do me the goodness of calling, I assure you I will be all that is amiable to him," Charlotte said with spunk.
Anna applauded Charlotte's deep goodness but deemed it wisest to keep her own views private for fear of angering Kate or Cynthia. Besides, she did not feel like talking. She still stung from her husband's words. Schemed to become my wife. No love on your part .
With those thoughts – and Sir Henry's instructions – keeping her awake, Anna was unable to sleep. She heard Charles in his dressing room, but he never came to her. It was the first night since she had been at Haverstock House that Charles did not share her bed.
Lydia and her brother, fresh from riding in the park, joined Anna in the breakfast room the following morning.
"Oh, Anna," Lydia said excitedly, "the chestnut Charles bought me is undoubtedly the best piece of horseflesh in London. Charles said she was your idea, and I do most gratefully thank you."
"Seeing your face so lively is thanks enough," Anna said. Davis entered the room and directed his gaze at Haverstock. "Her ladyship requests your presence in her chamber, my lord."
"You sent for me?" Haverstock asked, striding into his mother's gilded chamber where she took a breakfast tray in bed. He noted the grim set to her face. Even in her youth, his mother had not been a beauty. But she possessed what his father wanted in a wife. She was the daughter of earl who settled a generous dowry, and she bore him seven children while maintaining a cool detachment from her husband.
"Sit down," she commanded, her voice sharp.
He did as bid.
"I have been delivered a letter this morning – never mind who sent it. It informs me of your wife's deplorable conduct last night. You have brought me untold disappointment in your choice of a wife, Charles. Once a whore, always a whore."
Overcome with rage, Haverstock rose and towered over his mother. His voice quivered with anger. "I will not allow you to speak of my wife in such a manner. She is a total innocent. If she behaved with impropriety last night, it was because she is ignorant in the ways of the ton ."
"She has bewitched you," the dowager said with disgust. "We cannot have the daughter of that horrible woman bear the title Marchioness of Haverstock. Divorce her before she can become the mother of the future marquess. Don't you see, Charles?"
"I see that you are dangerously close to breaking the bond of my filial duty, Mother. My wife made an innocent mistake. Do not speak so of Anna again."
He turned on his heel and left the room.
Chapter 12
Today, more than any time since her mother's death, Anna was in a blue funk. A terrible one. She had not slept at all the night before.
Over and over she had remembered the harshness of Charles' words spoken in anger – anger she richly deserved. She wondered how she could learn from Charles the
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