about this. It happens. People do
steal the occasional kiss out in the garden. We all know that. And as long as they are discreet about it
nobody feels they have to announce an engagement afterward."
"We are speaking hypothetically, I assume?" Claudia said with a sudden, sharp glance.
"Absolutely."Augusta waved a hand airily. "The issue arose during a discussion with some, uh, friends of
mine at Pompeia's and we are all trying to form a proper conclusion as to what is expected of the woman
in such a situation."
"It would no doubt be best if you refrained from being drawn into that sort of discussion,Augusta ."
Augustaground her teeth. "No doubt. But do you have an answer to the question?"
"Well, I suppose one could say that allowing a man to kiss one is an example of deplorable behavior but
not precisely beyond the pale, if you see what I mean. One could wish the lady had a nicer notion of
propriety, but one would not condemn her completely for a stolen kiss. At least, I would not do so."
"Yes, that is exactly my feeling on the matter,"Augusta said eagerly. "And certainly the gentleman
involved has no right to think the lady in question had promised to marry him merely because he was such
a cad as to steal a kiss."
"Well…"
"Lord knows, I have wandered out into the garden during a ball and seen any number of gentlemen and
ladies embracing. And they did not all rush back into the ballroom and announce their engagements."
Claudia nodded slowly. "No, I do not think it would be fair of a gentleman to think the lady had made a
firm commitment merely on account of a kiss being exchanged."
Augustasmiled, pleased and relieved. "Not fair in the least. Just what I concluded, Claudia. I am so glad
you agree with me."
"Of course," Claudia continued thoughtfully, "if there were a bit more than a kiss involved, that would put
an entirely different light on the matter."
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
Augustafelt suddenly sick. "It would?"
"Yes, definitely." Claudia took a sip of tea as she pondered the nuances of the hypothetical situation.
"Most definitely. If the lady in question responded to such behavior on the part of the gentleman with any
degree of warmth at all—that is, if she allowed further intimacies, for example, or encouraged him in any
way…"
"Yes?"Augusta prompted, dreading the direction in which this was going.
"Then I think that it would be quite fair of the gentleman in question to assume the lady did indeed return
his affections. He would have every reason to believe she was plighting her troth by such actions."
"I see."Augusta stared glumly down at the novel in her lap. Her mind was suddenly filled with visions of
herself lying in disgraceful abandon in Graystone's arms on the floor of his library. She could feel the heat
in her own cheeks and could only pray her cousin would not notice and remark upon it. "What if the
gentleman had been a bit too warm in his advances?" she finally ventured cautiously. "What if he had
more or less coaxed her into allowing intimacies she had not initially even considered allowing?"
"A lady is responsible for her own reputation," Claudia said with a lofty certainty that remindedAugusta a
great deal of Aunt Prudence. "She must always exercise great care to behave with such perfect propriety
that unfortunate situations do not arise in the first place."
Augustawrinkled her nose and said nothing.
"And, of course," Claudia continued gravely, "if the gentleman in question happened to be a man of
excellent breeding and possessed of an unimpeachable reputation for honor and propriety, that would
make the case even more clear."
"It would?"
"Oh, yes. One could certainly see why he would have been led to believe certain promises had been
made. And a gentleman of such dignity and refined sensibilities would naturally expect the lady's implied
promises to be kept. Her own honor would demand it."
"That is
steal the occasional kiss out in the garden. We all know that. And as long as they are discreet about it
nobody feels they have to announce an engagement afterward."
"We are speaking hypothetically, I assume?" Claudia said with a sudden, sharp glance.
"Absolutely."Augusta waved a hand airily. "The issue arose during a discussion with some, uh, friends of
mine at Pompeia's and we are all trying to form a proper conclusion as to what is expected of the woman
in such a situation."
"It would no doubt be best if you refrained from being drawn into that sort of discussion,Augusta ."
Augustaground her teeth. "No doubt. But do you have an answer to the question?"
"Well, I suppose one could say that allowing a man to kiss one is an example of deplorable behavior but
not precisely beyond the pale, if you see what I mean. One could wish the lady had a nicer notion of
propriety, but one would not condemn her completely for a stolen kiss. At least, I would not do so."
"Yes, that is exactly my feeling on the matter,"Augusta said eagerly. "And certainly the gentleman
involved has no right to think the lady in question had promised to marry him merely because he was such
a cad as to steal a kiss."
"Well…"
"Lord knows, I have wandered out into the garden during a ball and seen any number of gentlemen and
ladies embracing. And they did not all rush back into the ballroom and announce their engagements."
Claudia nodded slowly. "No, I do not think it would be fair of a gentleman to think the lady had made a
firm commitment merely on account of a kiss being exchanged."
Augustasmiled, pleased and relieved. "Not fair in the least. Just what I concluded, Claudia. I am so glad
you agree with me."
"Of course," Claudia continued thoughtfully, "if there were a bit more than a kiss involved, that would put
an entirely different light on the matter."
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
Augustafelt suddenly sick. "It would?"
"Yes, definitely." Claudia took a sip of tea as she pondered the nuances of the hypothetical situation.
"Most definitely. If the lady in question responded to such behavior on the part of the gentleman with any
degree of warmth at all—that is, if she allowed further intimacies, for example, or encouraged him in any
way…"
"Yes?"Augusta prompted, dreading the direction in which this was going.
"Then I think that it would be quite fair of the gentleman in question to assume the lady did indeed return
his affections. He would have every reason to believe she was plighting her troth by such actions."
"I see."Augusta stared glumly down at the novel in her lap. Her mind was suddenly filled with visions of
herself lying in disgraceful abandon in Graystone's arms on the floor of his library. She could feel the heat
in her own cheeks and could only pray her cousin would not notice and remark upon it. "What if the
gentleman had been a bit too warm in his advances?" she finally ventured cautiously. "What if he had
more or less coaxed her into allowing intimacies she had not initially even considered allowing?"
"A lady is responsible for her own reputation," Claudia said with a lofty certainty that remindedAugusta a
great deal of Aunt Prudence. "She must always exercise great care to behave with such perfect propriety
that unfortunate situations do not arise in the first place."
Augustawrinkled her nose and said nothing.
"And, of course," Claudia continued gravely, "if the gentleman in question happened to be a man of
excellent breeding and possessed of an unimpeachable reputation for honor and propriety, that would
make the case even more clear."
"It would?"
"Oh, yes. One could certainly see why he would have been led to believe certain promises had been
made. And a gentleman of such dignity and refined sensibilities would naturally expect the lady's implied
promises to be kept. Her own honor would demand it."
"That is
Similar Books
