you then, Louisa,” Lady Jersey said as she moved away, chuckling to herself. She always enjoyed Lady Louisa’s company.
Felicia looked toward the awesome figure that was bearing down on them and curtsied when Lady Jersey introduced herself. After a few seconds of conversation, Felicia saw Lady Louisa beckoning to her so she excused herself thankfully and obeyed the summons.
“Enjoying yourself, child?” Lady Louisa asked indulgently. “Sally Jersey always has such interesting soirees, don’t you think?”
“This one most certainly is, ma’am, but I cannot speak for the rest, as I have never attended one before.”
“Who was that girl you were talking to? She seems to be a shy little thing. It was prodigious kind of you to sit with her so long. Even Lady Jersey remarked on it.”
“That was Miss Williams. She has been sent up to London by her wicked stepmother to find a husband.” Felicia rolled her eyes in mock horror. “And she is terrified of the fate in store for her should she return home without the necessary ring on her finger.”
“You silly chit,” Lady Louisa laughed. “With looks like that and no fortune, I fear the worse for her.”
“That is unfair, ma’am,” Felicia protested. “She does have a respectable dowry, and I swear with a change of hairstyle and a more becoming cut of clothes, she would do well enough. In fact, I have recommended she go to Miss Sophy.”
“So kind of you, my dear,” Lady Louisa murmured distractedly. She was already thinking of the note she wanted to write to Dr. Ross and was eager to get home. “But I do not think it necessary to take a more personal interest in her welfare. It would never do, my dear girl, for word to get around that you collect strays.”
Felicia giggled. “’Tis what people would accuse you of, ma’am, if they knew the truth about me. Miss Williams at least has an authentic pedigree.”
“Quite so. Quite so,” Lady Louisa rejoined unabashed. “But with me, people will put it down to mere eccentricity.” She rose from her seat, dismissing the subject. “Come. I declare I am fagged to death and, as Ian has promised to join us for an early supper, I will need to rest a while. Say your good-byes prettily to Lady Jersey, for she has been prodigious generous.”
Felicia looked at Lady Louisa blankly. “Generous, ma’am?”
“I will tell you more about that later,” Lady Louisa said hastily. “Let us go before I find myself engaged in more exchanges of gossip.”
They made their farewells and were soon ensconced in their carriage. Felicia looked out the window morosely as she felt her enjoyment of the afternoon slip away at the thought of Lord Umber’s dining with them. The last thing she wanted was an intimate meal with him, for she was afraid that the mutual antagonism they felt for each other would not go unnoticed by Lady Louisa. Perhaps she could plead a headache and yet, she was anxious to find out how his affair with Lady Barbara was progressing. She sighed unhappily. Oh! How she wished she did no find his presence so disturbing. His arrogance always seemed to anger her even though David had told her that it was a veneer and something she should try to ignore. Her thoughts drifted to the friends of Lord Umber she had met, and she decided that David was certainly the most considerate. Dr. Ross she regarded in an entirely different light, though he was probably the closest friend of the Alverston family. Her relationship with him was entirely professional, hence it precluded personal feelings. Yet she knew instinctively that she could rely on him for help if she ever found herself in trouble.
She almost enjoyed her visits with him. The only thing to mar her pleasure was her inability to recall anything of importance to help him. In her many talks with him, she had discovered how dedicated he was to his mentor, Anton Mesmer, and how important solving her case had become. For Mesmer was experiencing difficulties in
Felicia looked toward the awesome figure that was bearing down on them and curtsied when Lady Jersey introduced herself. After a few seconds of conversation, Felicia saw Lady Louisa beckoning to her so she excused herself thankfully and obeyed the summons.
“Enjoying yourself, child?” Lady Louisa asked indulgently. “Sally Jersey always has such interesting soirees, don’t you think?”
“This one most certainly is, ma’am, but I cannot speak for the rest, as I have never attended one before.”
“Who was that girl you were talking to? She seems to be a shy little thing. It was prodigious kind of you to sit with her so long. Even Lady Jersey remarked on it.”
“That was Miss Williams. She has been sent up to London by her wicked stepmother to find a husband.” Felicia rolled her eyes in mock horror. “And she is terrified of the fate in store for her should she return home without the necessary ring on her finger.”
“You silly chit,” Lady Louisa laughed. “With looks like that and no fortune, I fear the worse for her.”
“That is unfair, ma’am,” Felicia protested. “She does have a respectable dowry, and I swear with a change of hairstyle and a more becoming cut of clothes, she would do well enough. In fact, I have recommended she go to Miss Sophy.”
“So kind of you, my dear,” Lady Louisa murmured distractedly. She was already thinking of the note she wanted to write to Dr. Ross and was eager to get home. “But I do not think it necessary to take a more personal interest in her welfare. It would never do, my dear girl, for word to get around that you collect strays.”
Felicia giggled. “’Tis what people would accuse you of, ma’am, if they knew the truth about me. Miss Williams at least has an authentic pedigree.”
“Quite so. Quite so,” Lady Louisa rejoined unabashed. “But with me, people will put it down to mere eccentricity.” She rose from her seat, dismissing the subject. “Come. I declare I am fagged to death and, as Ian has promised to join us for an early supper, I will need to rest a while. Say your good-byes prettily to Lady Jersey, for she has been prodigious generous.”
Felicia looked at Lady Louisa blankly. “Generous, ma’am?”
“I will tell you more about that later,” Lady Louisa said hastily. “Let us go before I find myself engaged in more exchanges of gossip.”
They made their farewells and were soon ensconced in their carriage. Felicia looked out the window morosely as she felt her enjoyment of the afternoon slip away at the thought of Lord Umber’s dining with them. The last thing she wanted was an intimate meal with him, for she was afraid that the mutual antagonism they felt for each other would not go unnoticed by Lady Louisa. Perhaps she could plead a headache and yet, she was anxious to find out how his affair with Lady Barbara was progressing. She sighed unhappily. Oh! How she wished she did no find his presence so disturbing. His arrogance always seemed to anger her even though David had told her that it was a veneer and something she should try to ignore. Her thoughts drifted to the friends of Lord Umber she had met, and she decided that David was certainly the most considerate. Dr. Ross she regarded in an entirely different light, though he was probably the closest friend of the Alverston family. Her relationship with him was entirely professional, hence it precluded personal feelings. Yet she knew instinctively that she could rely on him for help if she ever found herself in trouble.
She almost enjoyed her visits with him. The only thing to mar her pleasure was her inability to recall anything of importance to help him. In her many talks with him, she had discovered how dedicated he was to his mentor, Anton Mesmer, and how important solving her case had become. For Mesmer was experiencing difficulties in
Similar Books
