Courting Miss Vallois by Gail Whitiker

son with four unmarried sisters. Definitely not the type of suitor you wish to encourage. Unlike this fine strapping young man beside you.’ Lady White raised her lorgnette and peered at Antoine through the lens. ‘Lud, but you’re a fine-looking man. Why ain’t you married?’
    The question could have been offensive, but Antoine just laughed. ‘I have been involved in my studies, my lady.’
    â€˜To be a doctor.’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Quite an occupation. Constantly surrounded by the sick and dying.’ Lady White shuddered. ‘Haven’t the stomach for it myself, but thank God there are those who do.’ She stopped to touch the patch next to her mouth. ‘They don’t train doctors the same way in France as they do here.’
    â€˜I understand there are differences, yes.’
    â€˜But the body’s the same, is it not? Whether one finds oneself on this side of the Channel or the other.’
    â€˜I’ve always thought so,’ Antoine said with a straight face. ‘But not having examined any bodies on this side of the Channel, I cannot say for certain.’
    Lady White stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing. ‘By God, I like the cut of your jib. If I was forty years younger, I’d give these young fillies a run for their money. In fact, I still might.’ She gave him an audacious wink. ‘Think about it, lad. I’ve money enough to keep us both in the style to which a handsome young buck like you should be accustomed.’
    Sophie glanced at her brother, half-expecting to see him make a bolt for the door. Instead, he bowed and said, ‘You do me a considerable honour, Lady White, but I fear I must decline.’
    â€˜Yes, I thought you might. The good ones always do. Still, I hope you’ll play cards with me.’ She rapped him on the chest with her fan. ‘I’ve a mind to find out if your wits are as sharp as your looks.’
    â€˜I would be delighted.’ Then, in a courtly gesture that was years out of date, Antoine took the lady’s hand and raised it to his lips. ‘Je suis très heureux de faire votre connaisance, madame. Vous êtes une Originale.’
    Lady White blinked, and then to Sophie’s surprise, her eyes filled with tears. ‘Oh, you wretched boy. Now you’ve gone and made an old lady cry and I may never forgive you for that.’ She drew a handkerchief from her reticule and dabbed at her eyes. ‘But bless you for having had the kindness to say so.’ She blew her nose, tucked her hankie behind her fan and then, with a smileand another loud sniff, moved off to greet her other guests.
    â€˜Goodness, Antoine, you may wish to think carefully before rejecting her offer,’ Sophie whispered. ‘You would never have to work again if you agreed to become her—’
    â€˜Thank you, Sophie, I think the less said about it, the better.’ But clearly the idea of becoming the cher ami of such a woman was more than even Antoine could keep a straight face for, and after a moment, they both burst out laughing.
    They were still chucking about it a few minutes later when Robert and Jane Silverton came over to join them. ‘What are you two having such a jolly time about?’ Jane asked.
    â€˜Lady White,’ Sophie said. ‘You were right in saying she is a treat. She says what she thinks and worries about it later.’
    â€˜I’m not so sure she does worry,’ Mr Silverton said. ‘I don’t think she cares a whit what anyone thinks.’
    â€˜Well, I think she’s marvellous,’ Sophie said. ‘You have to admire a woman who has the courage to speak her mind.’
    â€˜Even though society is likely to condemn her for doing so?’
    Sophie slowly turned to look at him. As always, Mr Silverton was impeccably turned out. His double-breasted coat, cut square across the front and decorated with a row of gilt buttons,