A Magnificent Match by Gayle Buck Read Free Book Online

your mother that you are to be seated beside the son at dinner. I expect you to talk up the jumpers to him. You know the sort of thing.”
    “You may rely on me, sir,” said Megan, stifling a sigh.
    “I know that I can rely on you, Megan,” said Lord O’Connell with a paternal smile. “You at least have some understanding of what is required. Sophronia is worthless at that sort of thing. Colin intends to desert me when I need him most, drat him! As for Celeste, she is a disappointment to me tonight. My son-in-law informs me that she will not be down for fear of becoming ill and making a scene before my guests. He thought it would not set the right tone.”
    “There is truth in that,” said Megan, willing to risk a stiff setdown in order to uphold her brother-in-law. She was surprised by her father’s reaction.
    Lord O’Connell snorted. “Quite right! I never thought to hear anything so sensible come out of that windbag Patrick’s mouth.” He patted Megan on the shoulder and started off toward his quarry.
    Megan had to bite back a wide smile. Patrick Kennehessey had actually managed to excuse his wife’s indisposition without incurring Lord O’Connell’s wrath. That was a feat indeed and Megan thoroughly appreciated her brother-in-law’s ingenuity. It was the brightest spot in the whole conversation with her father. Megan was still smiling when her brother Lionel descended upon her.
    “So, did Father tell you that I am to be in charge?” he asked condescendingly. He looked at her with a knowing curl of the lip.
    Megan raised her brows slightly. “You may have the run of the stables with my goodwill, Lionel,” she said.
    She walked away, leaving her brother smiling in a satisfied way. Megan saw no reason to tell him that she did not care what he did since she would not be there to see it. Let Lionel realize it for himself, she thought. She would not demean herself by coming down to his petty level.
    Megan’s attention was at once claimed by Lady Mansfield, a dowager built on formidable lines. Her ladyship’s autocratic face and commanding figure hid a placid nature, however, and Megan was not at all adverse to obey her penetrating summons. “My lady, you wished to speak to me?”
    “I have been put in mind of something, my dear. I wish to know if it is true that Captain O’Connell is betrothed?” said Lady Mansfield, not bothering to lower her voice.
    Megan glanced around, aware that there had been a ripple of interest at her ladyship’s question. She shook her head, smiling. “No, he is not. Not to my knowledge, at any rate. Why do you ask, dear ma’am?” She drew the lady courteously over to a settee, which chanced to be a little removed from the crowd.
    “A rumor passed on to me by m’sister in London,” said Lady Mansfield, sitting down heavily. “She wrote me something about Captain O’Connell making up to some chit or other and the parents taking rare exception. I thought it might be a mistake. Your brother is not known for cutting a dash among the ladies.”
    “I should hope not! But I have heard nothing of this,” said Megan. “Certainly Colin has never mentioned anything of the sort.”
    “Daresay m’sister might have gotten her stories confused, she often does, and it wasn’t Captain O’Connell at all,” said Lady Mansfield.
    Megan agreed to it and introduced another topic. However, she could not but wonder whether her brother had indeed stirred up some sort of gossip about himself. Her eyes sought out her brother’s tall figure. He was leaning against the mantel in a casual pose, a smile on his face as he listened to another gentleman. There was no denying that Colin was devastatingly attractive, especially in his military regimentals, Megan thought. It would not be surprising to learn that he was the object of some young woman’s admiration, nor that he had entered into a light flirtation. But what Lady Mansfield had related was of a more serious nature. Megan could only