laugh, ‘Although Lady Casterton needed seven to
get the proportions of her monstrous nose right.’
‘Well, Rose has a little nose – too little, really,
for the proportions of her face,’ said the young woman with a guileless smile,
‘so I’m sure it won’t take as long.’
Rampton felt his protective instincts rise to the fore.
‘Perhaps you are envious, Miss Chesterfield, if you feel the need to criticize.
Lady Chesterfield could not be improved upon. However,’ he continued,
softening, ‘I’m sure if you asked my dear brother nicely enough he would paint
your likeness, too.’
‘I doubt that brothers are so appreciative of their sisters’
likenesses staring down at them from the breakfast parlour wall,’ responded the
young woman with a sigh.
Briskly, Rampton said, ‘If it is to be finished before the
charming Chesterfields leave England Felix will have to work hard –
without interruptions.’ With a meaningful look at Lady Chesterfield, he bowed
over her hand, adding, ‘Madam, what about Thursday, in the morning when the
light is best, for your next sitting?’
Two days from now. It seemed to Rampton an eternity before
he could spend time alone with her. In the meantime, though, he might manage an
intimate moment conversation or two at Catherine Barbery’s ball, an
entertainment for which he had little enthusiasm but which he’d felt obliged to
attend.
He levelled a challenging look at Helena and Arabella. ‘My
mother intends calling on me on Thursday. She has been quizzing me tirelessly
about the West Indies and indicated that she wished to meet Lady Chesterfield
most particularly.’ He frowned at Helena. ‘I understand you young ladies are
committed to a dancing lesson.’
‘As is my dear sister-in-law,’ said Helena sweetly.
‘Then it’s just as well that she is already such an
exquisite dancer.’ He looked at the young woman whose unconventional behaviour
had briefly aroused his interest before he’d realised she was just the reason
he wanted nothing to do with unmarried misses, and said with a colluding look
at Lady Chesterfield, ‘So, Thursday morning it is.’
‘Thursday morning I have made other arrangements,’ said
Felix, testily, when he finally put down his charcoal having rendered a
preliminary sketch after their visitors had gone.
Rampton grinned. ‘Perfect.’
***
‘Oh, look! A parcel!’ Removing her bonnet as the three girls
entered the drawing room Arabella darted towards the low table on which the
small, beautifully wrapped item lay.
‘It’s addressed to Lady Chesterfield.’ Edith’s tone was
uncertain as Arabella handed the cigar-shaped box to her sister-in-law, who
frowned as she scanned the accompanying card before thrusting the parcel at
Rose.
‘A paean to Lady Chesterfield’s golden tresses, etc etera,’
she said with disgust, ‘which would suggest it was not intended for this Lady Chesterfield.’
Heart thumping, Rose lifted the lid, then gasped as she
beheld the magnificent gift: a diamond necklace composed of alternating flowerheads
and entwined oval links.
‘Oh Rose, I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. Why, no man
would give such a gift if he didn’t intend to make an offer,’ gabbled Arabella,
who immediately put her hand to her mouth, blushing. ‘But of course, Lord
Rampton doesn’t know he’s free to make an offer. Why, you must tell him—’
Edith cut in sharply, ‘Miss Rose will not be accepting the
gift.’
One look at Edith’s grim look stayed Rose’s objection, but
it was Helena who said, frowning, ‘I believe I’ve seen it before.’
All eyes turned upon her as she reached for the priceless
article and studied it carefully. ‘I don’t believe it’s paste, either,’ she
gasped. ‘But why…?’ she shook her head and Rose, desperate to know what she was
alluding to, asked, ‘Are you sure? Where have you seen it?’
Slowly Helena handed it back, still frowning. ‘You are very
fortunate to have won
get the proportions of her monstrous nose right.’
‘Well, Rose has a little nose – too little, really,
for the proportions of her face,’ said the young woman with a guileless smile,
‘so I’m sure it won’t take as long.’
Rampton felt his protective instincts rise to the fore.
‘Perhaps you are envious, Miss Chesterfield, if you feel the need to criticize.
Lady Chesterfield could not be improved upon. However,’ he continued,
softening, ‘I’m sure if you asked my dear brother nicely enough he would paint
your likeness, too.’
‘I doubt that brothers are so appreciative of their sisters’
likenesses staring down at them from the breakfast parlour wall,’ responded the
young woman with a sigh.
Briskly, Rampton said, ‘If it is to be finished before the
charming Chesterfields leave England Felix will have to work hard –
without interruptions.’ With a meaningful look at Lady Chesterfield, he bowed
over her hand, adding, ‘Madam, what about Thursday, in the morning when the
light is best, for your next sitting?’
Two days from now. It seemed to Rampton an eternity before
he could spend time alone with her. In the meantime, though, he might manage an
intimate moment conversation or two at Catherine Barbery’s ball, an
entertainment for which he had little enthusiasm but which he’d felt obliged to
attend.
He levelled a challenging look at Helena and Arabella. ‘My
mother intends calling on me on Thursday. She has been quizzing me tirelessly
about the West Indies and indicated that she wished to meet Lady Chesterfield
most particularly.’ He frowned at Helena. ‘I understand you young ladies are
committed to a dancing lesson.’
‘As is my dear sister-in-law,’ said Helena sweetly.
‘Then it’s just as well that she is already such an
exquisite dancer.’ He looked at the young woman whose unconventional behaviour
had briefly aroused his interest before he’d realised she was just the reason
he wanted nothing to do with unmarried misses, and said with a colluding look
at Lady Chesterfield, ‘So, Thursday morning it is.’
‘Thursday morning I have made other arrangements,’ said
Felix, testily, when he finally put down his charcoal having rendered a
preliminary sketch after their visitors had gone.
Rampton grinned. ‘Perfect.’
***
‘Oh, look! A parcel!’ Removing her bonnet as the three girls
entered the drawing room Arabella darted towards the low table on which the
small, beautifully wrapped item lay.
‘It’s addressed to Lady Chesterfield.’ Edith’s tone was
uncertain as Arabella handed the cigar-shaped box to her sister-in-law, who
frowned as she scanned the accompanying card before thrusting the parcel at
Rose.
‘A paean to Lady Chesterfield’s golden tresses, etc etera,’
she said with disgust, ‘which would suggest it was not intended for this Lady Chesterfield.’
Heart thumping, Rose lifted the lid, then gasped as she
beheld the magnificent gift: a diamond necklace composed of alternating flowerheads
and entwined oval links.
‘Oh Rose, I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. Why, no man
would give such a gift if he didn’t intend to make an offer,’ gabbled Arabella,
who immediately put her hand to her mouth, blushing. ‘But of course, Lord
Rampton doesn’t know he’s free to make an offer. Why, you must tell him—’
Edith cut in sharply, ‘Miss Rose will not be accepting the
gift.’
One look at Edith’s grim look stayed Rose’s objection, but
it was Helena who said, frowning, ‘I believe I’ve seen it before.’
All eyes turned upon her as she reached for the priceless
article and studied it carefully. ‘I don’t believe it’s paste, either,’ she
gasped. ‘But why…?’ she shook her head and Rose, desperate to know what she was
alluding to, asked, ‘Are you sure? Where have you seen it?’
Slowly Helena handed it back, still frowning. ‘You are very
fortunate to have won
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