Bath Scandal by Joan Smith Read Free Book Online Page B

well acquainted that accounts for my confusion.”
    “I wondered at your choosing me for the honor of chaperoning Gillie,” she said frankly. The speech, in its polite way, demanded an explanation.
    “Deborah felt you were the very one. Deborah Swann, my fiancée, and an old friend of yours, Mrs. Searle.”
    “Old fr—yes, I have known her for eons, though not well. Gillie told me of the betrothal. I must congratulate you.” And more particularly, Deborah, she added to herself. “The only mystery remaining,” she lied affably, “is that Deborah could not smarten Gillie up herself.”
    “They don’t rub along, for some reason. Pity.”
    “That is strange, for I find Gillie extremely biddable and friendly.”
    “And Deborah, of course, usually gets along with everyone. She failed with Gillie, but she is looking after the rest of us at Elmland in excellent fashion.”
    “You would be easy work after the royal princesses,” she replied.
    Mrs. Carrington joined them and invited Lord Southam to join her party for dinner. Her pleasure at meeting Gillie’s brother and her invitation seemed genuine, so after a polite hesitation, he accepted.
    “I shall run along to the inn and change,” he said.
    “Breeches and silk stockings,” Mrs. Carrington reminded him. “They are very strict at the Upper Rooms.”
    “So my valet told me. He has packed them, I believe.” He made his bows and left.
    “A new beau, Bea?” Mrs. Carrington asked archly.
    “A connection only, through Leonard. Southam is betrothed to an old school acquaintance of mine, Miss Swann.”
    “Pity,” Mrs. Carrington said.
    “Yes,” Bea agreed.
    “That is always the way, is it not? The best ones are already taken.”
     

Chapter Five
     
    Although Mrs. Searle was placed at Southam’s right hand for dinner, no meaningful conversation was possible. A dozen young belles and beaux, even if they are well-bred, will always fill the air with merriment when they are anticipating a ball. Bea gave Southam brief histories of the youngsters during those periods when he was not talking to the hostess on his other side. Before leaving the table, she inquired, “Will you be joining the dance, Lord Southam?, or will you go to the card parlor?”
    “I’m not much of a hand at dancing,” he replied, yet he resented the suggestion that he was past it. It had been a long time since he had gone dancing with anyone but Deborah. She approved of assemblies for what she called the youngsters, but her own participation in them, and Southam’s, was usually limited to opening the dance, then removing to the card parlor.
    “Hand? Surely ‘foot’ is more to the point.” She laughed. He remembered that laugh—light, silvery. What an attractive lady she was, for her age. “Why do you not come with Mrs. Carrington and myself? Give your little sister a chance to show you how popular she is here in Bath. Tannie does not usually attend these dos, but because of this dinner party, he is coming this evening. It will be an opportunity to know him better. He improves on longer acquaintance. One learns to duck and dodge his unintentional assaults.”
    “I should like to know him better.” Glancing along the table, he was gratified to see that Gillie was as pretty and lively as any of the other young debs—and as popular. Mrs. Searle had done a remarkable job of trimming her into line. “Yes, I’ll join you.”
    Quizzing glasses were raised around the room when Mrs. Searle and Lord Southam led the party of youngsters into the assembly. “You are causing quite a stir, sir,” Beatrice informed him. “This being Bath, within sixty seconds the quizzes will have figured out that you are Gillie’s brother.”
    Unaccustomed to so much attention, Southam was uncomfortable with it. He noticed, though, that Mrs. Searle was in her element. She sailed through the room like a frigate in full rig, nodding and smiling to her friends, and with her fingers laid proprietarily on his