A Wicked Gentleman by Jane Feather Page B

market.”
    Her gaze moved pointedly over Livia’s cloth pelisse and down to her plain brown boots. “I take it this is your first visit to town?” She didn’t wait for a response, but continued smoothly, “Aurelia was telling me you’ve been immured in the country for years, Cornelia. It shows, my dear. You won’t mind my saying that, I’m sure. Such old friends as we are. You must be so glad for the opportunity to do a little shopping now. Why, I shall so enjoy bringing you up to date on all the fashions, I can tell you just how to go on…just who to go to…it’s very different these days, and you’ll be so out of touch with modes and such like.” She waved an all-embracing hand.
    â€œHow kind of you, Letitia,” Cornelia said, trying to avoid catching Aurelia’s eye. Her sister-in-law was standing just behind Letitia and was struggling with laughter. “We shall be most grateful, I’m sure, of any little pointers you can give us. Won’t we, Liv?” She winked at Livia, who was looking more than a little bemused.
    â€œWell, no time like the present,” Letitia declared. “You must all come at once to Berkeley Square…Oglethorpe has given me carte blanche for a complete redecoration of the house, and I can’t wait to show you all my improvements. It will give you some ideas for your own refurbishment, Lady Livia. Everything in the best of taste, of course…now where’s my maid…wretched girl, she’s always wandering off…oh, there you are. Take my reticule, girl. It gets in the way. And don’t forget those bandboxes…Come, ladies. My barouche is outside, plenty of room for four of us.”
    Aurelia cast Cornelia a desperate glance. How were they to prevent this kidnapping? Cornelia shrugged slightly and shook her head. It occurred to her that it would do Livia no harm to have news of her ownership of the house on Cavendish Square pass into the gossip stream, and Letitia would be the perfect conduit.
    They followed Lady Oglethorpe out of the warehouse, attendants scurrying with packages and boxes in their wake. A handsome barouche stood at the curb, and the driver jumped down from the box to let down the footstep. He handed the ladies in and arranged his mistress’s purchases in every available space before settling lap rugs over his passengers.
    â€œHetty, you must walk,” Letitia declared to the maid, smoothing the rug over her knees. “There’s no room for you with all these packages.”
    â€œWhy don’t you have the warehouse deliver them?” Livia asked bluntly. It was a bitterly cold morning and a long walk from Goodge Street to Berkeley Square.
    Letitia looked at her in surprise. “Why on earth would I do that, Lady Livia? An unnecessary expense…they’d need to hire a hackney.”
    â€œOf course,” Livia murmured, reflecting that now, thanks to this overbearing lady, her own purchase of the straw-colored satin would have to be made another day, necessitating another expensive hackney ride that they, unlike the countess, could ill afford.
    Letitia prattled merrily as they drove to Berkeley Square, and her three companions, snug beneath their rugs, allowed the stream to flow over them. It was certainly a pleasanter method of travel than an ill-smelling, drafty hackney carriage.
    The barouche drew up outside the handsome Oglethorpe mansion on Berkeley Square. The double doors opened before the ladies had set foot on the pavement, and both butler and footman stood in the hall as they ascended the short flight of steps.
    â€œHave the boxes taken to my sitting room, Walter,” the countess instructed, shrugging out of her fur-trimmed pelisse as she sailed towards the stairs. The butler caught it with practiced skill as it slipped from her shoulders. “I wish to see just how well the material will look on the window seat. And serve a nuncheon in