as your town house is rented, Derwent.”A steely eye was directed at his nephew as he spoke. “As soon as the bride’s family have terminated their brief visit, that is to say.”His black head turned toward the visiting ladies, and their hearts clenched.
Sally felt her insides quake at the venom in that glance. Her mother said, “Oh, my dear!”in a falling voice while her shoulders slumped.
Any show of weakness was anathema to Sally. She stiffened her spine for combat. “Yes, the house is only rented for two months. After that the newly weds will be going to Gravenhurst, and we will return to Ashford.”
Monstuart felt a ripple of rage scamper up his spine at her bold attitude. He hadn’t a doubt in the world that she was the prime mover in this affair. The rest of them rolled together hadn’t the gumption to cross him. He crossed his arms, leaned back in a bellicose manner, and counted to ten quietly to himself. “You are taking advantage of this opportunity to make your bows, are you, Miss Hermitage?”
She nodded. “As you suggested I should do, milord. You were quite right. We are all looking forward to attending Drury Lane this evening, as well.”
Monstuart’s dark gaze flickered to his nephew. “I hope you have had the foresight to book a box for the night, Derwent, or the ladies will find themselves on the outside, looking in.”
“Ronald is not so remiss as you imagine,”Sally said. Derwent’s Christian name came without thinking, from some instinctive knowledge that her using it would annoy the uncle. “He has taken a box for the Season.”
One would not have thought it possible for Monstuart’s back to become any straighter. It was more a convulsion than a straightening that occurred as he directed a glare at Derwent, who blanched visibly under that unflinching stare. “May your guardian inquire what you are using for blunt? This pretentious and unnecessarily large mansion must have pretty well cleaned you out.”
Derwent gulped and charged in. “I want to talk to you about that, Monty. Now that I have a wife to keep ...”
“And the wife’s family,”Monstuart added without bothering to glance at them.
“Yes, well, you know what I mean. You rented my house. We must live somewhere.”
“I strongly advise you remove to Gravenhurst. It is the only spot you can afford.”
“Deuce take it, I have fifteen thousand a year!”
Monstuart’s jaws worked with the effort of keeping his temper in check. “No, Cawker, you have two thousand a year, till I decide you are capable of handling more. I see no signs of it at the present. I know you had run through the half of that sum before ever coming here. Don’t think I mean to turn your fortune over to you to be squandered by your relatives. Till you show some signs of maturity, I keep a tight rein on the purse.”
Derwent blustered up ineffectively. “If getting married don’t show signs of maturity, I should like to know what does!”
Monstuart caught a glimmer of amusement in Miss Hermitage’s green eyes, and the last vestige of his control fled. “Maturity! I’ve seen more signs of it in a puppy! Sneaking off behind my back like an adolescent miscreant for a hole-in-the-wall wedding engineered by a scheming hussy—”
Derwent was on his feet, turning an astonishing shade of red. “You will answer for that, sir! I will not sit here and have my wife traduced in my own house.”
“Lord Melbrook’s house. Yours is rented. And I did not refer to your wife,”he added with a scathing glare at the wife’s sister.
Sally was the next one to jump to her feet. Her eyes glittered dangerously, and her voice was trembling with fury. “I suggest you take your leave now, Monstuart, before this degenerates into a physical brawl.”Her hands clenched into fists from the effort not to slap that arrogant, hateful face. “You have done what you came to do—namely insult me and confirm your intention of keeping Derwent’s money from him.
Sally felt her insides quake at the venom in that glance. Her mother said, “Oh, my dear!”in a falling voice while her shoulders slumped.
Any show of weakness was anathema to Sally. She stiffened her spine for combat. “Yes, the house is only rented for two months. After that the newly weds will be going to Gravenhurst, and we will return to Ashford.”
Monstuart felt a ripple of rage scamper up his spine at her bold attitude. He hadn’t a doubt in the world that she was the prime mover in this affair. The rest of them rolled together hadn’t the gumption to cross him. He crossed his arms, leaned back in a bellicose manner, and counted to ten quietly to himself. “You are taking advantage of this opportunity to make your bows, are you, Miss Hermitage?”
She nodded. “As you suggested I should do, milord. You were quite right. We are all looking forward to attending Drury Lane this evening, as well.”
Monstuart’s dark gaze flickered to his nephew. “I hope you have had the foresight to book a box for the night, Derwent, or the ladies will find themselves on the outside, looking in.”
“Ronald is not so remiss as you imagine,”Sally said. Derwent’s Christian name came without thinking, from some instinctive knowledge that her using it would annoy the uncle. “He has taken a box for the Season.”
One would not have thought it possible for Monstuart’s back to become any straighter. It was more a convulsion than a straightening that occurred as he directed a glare at Derwent, who blanched visibly under that unflinching stare. “May your guardian inquire what you are using for blunt? This pretentious and unnecessarily large mansion must have pretty well cleaned you out.”
Derwent gulped and charged in. “I want to talk to you about that, Monty. Now that I have a wife to keep ...”
“And the wife’s family,”Monstuart added without bothering to glance at them.
“Yes, well, you know what I mean. You rented my house. We must live somewhere.”
“I strongly advise you remove to Gravenhurst. It is the only spot you can afford.”
“Deuce take it, I have fifteen thousand a year!”
Monstuart’s jaws worked with the effort of keeping his temper in check. “No, Cawker, you have two thousand a year, till I decide you are capable of handling more. I see no signs of it at the present. I know you had run through the half of that sum before ever coming here. Don’t think I mean to turn your fortune over to you to be squandered by your relatives. Till you show some signs of maturity, I keep a tight rein on the purse.”
Derwent blustered up ineffectively. “If getting married don’t show signs of maturity, I should like to know what does!”
Monstuart caught a glimmer of amusement in Miss Hermitage’s green eyes, and the last vestige of his control fled. “Maturity! I’ve seen more signs of it in a puppy! Sneaking off behind my back like an adolescent miscreant for a hole-in-the-wall wedding engineered by a scheming hussy—”
Derwent was on his feet, turning an astonishing shade of red. “You will answer for that, sir! I will not sit here and have my wife traduced in my own house.”
“Lord Melbrook’s house. Yours is rented. And I did not refer to your wife,”he added with a scathing glare at the wife’s sister.
Sally was the next one to jump to her feet. Her eyes glittered dangerously, and her voice was trembling with fury. “I suggest you take your leave now, Monstuart, before this degenerates into a physical brawl.”Her hands clenched into fists from the effort not to slap that arrogant, hateful face. “You have done what you came to do—namely insult me and confirm your intention of keeping Derwent’s money from him.
Similar Books
