ice just when I am thirsty. It is the most worrisome thing, as you may imagine!"
"Quite," agreed Belle on a chuckle. She surveyed the ballroom for faces that she recognized. There were several young ladies as well as gentlemen whom she had previously met. "It is a very nice company this evening."
"Yes," agreed Clarice eagerly. "We shall have our dance cards full in a trice, Belle. It will be such a merry romp."
"I suspect that Mrs. Drummond would frown on a romp," said Belle with a quick smile.
Clarice shuddered. "Oh! Isn't Mrs. Drummond simply too frightening? I am all tongue-tied in her presence. I much prefer Lady Jersey or dear Lady Sefton."
Belle agreed. She looked around. "Is Angus here with you tonight? Oh, Clarice, pray do not tell him that I said so, but his ode was so utterly ridiculous," she confided.
"Of course Angus is here. Papa made him come. He told Angus that if he had to dress up like a stiff rump, then Angus could very well keep him company," said Clarice mendaciously.
Belle gave a peal of laughter, but Clarice did not heed her. Instead her eyes suddenly widened. She clutched her friend's arm. "Belle! I have just remembered. You will never believe what I heard today from Angus."
"What has your brother done now?" asked Belle with amiable curiosity. She liked Angus Moorehead, and his antics never failed to astonish and amuse her. She had never had a brother; but if she had, she would have wanted him to be much like Angus Moorehead.
"Oh, not anything. That is to say— But that isn't what I wished to tell you at all! Belle, Angus told me the most amazing thing, and it concerns you!" exclaimed Clarice.
Belle looked at her friend in surprise. "Me! Why, what did he say?"
"Oh, there is Lord Hawthorne." Clarice bowed politely toward the gentleman. Through her friendly smile, she said, "His lordship has known me since the cradle, and he always sends me a very nice present for my birthday. I mustn't cut him or Mama will have my head."
"Clarice, what about Angus?" asked Belle.
"Oh! I almost forgot. Belle, it is the most amazing thing!"
"Yes, you said that," said Belle patiently.
'Then you've heard already? I wished to be the first to tell you," said Clarice, disappointed.
"Clarice, sometimes I could simply shake you. What did Angus say about me?" said Belle.
"Oh, that! Well, Angus told me this afternoon that he heard that you have earned a sobriquet. Everyone is calling you the 'Belle of London.' Now isn't that simply too amazing?" said Clarice.
Belle was taken aback for a moment before the humor of it hit her. "A pun! How extraordinary!"
"Yes, isn't it?"
The deep, merry voice came from one side.
Belle and Clarice both turned in their chairs. "Angus! You startled me!" exclaimed Clarice, fluttering her fan.
"Caught you gossiping, didn't I?" The tall, gangling young gentleman came to stand beside them, the flash of his attractive smile lighting his freckled face. His flaming red hair was several shades brighter than his sister's deep copper locks. His attire was correct hut rather careless. He bowed with an easy grace. "How are you, Miss Weatherstone?"
Belle put out her gloved hand. "Very well indeed, Mr. Moorehead."
Angus held on to her hand for a moment while his blue eyes laughed at her. "Did you receive my last billet, Belle?"
"Indeed, I did. It—it was a very pretty poem, Angus," said Belle handsomely. She felt badly for the falsehood, but she didn't wish to hurt her friend's feelings.
"It was pure drivel and well you know it, Belle," said Angus cheerfully.
Belle was taken aback by his frank admission, and she laughed. "Well! That is a fine admission, I must say."
"If it was so bad, whyever did you send it to Belle?" demanded Clarice with a quick frown.
"It's become fashionable to admire Belle," said Angus matter-of-factly. "Ask anyone. Ask Roland. He'll tell you it's true."
"I suppose I must thank you, Angus. So you admire me simply because it is 'fashionable'?" asked Belle
"Quite," agreed Belle on a chuckle. She surveyed the ballroom for faces that she recognized. There were several young ladies as well as gentlemen whom she had previously met. "It is a very nice company this evening."
"Yes," agreed Clarice eagerly. "We shall have our dance cards full in a trice, Belle. It will be such a merry romp."
"I suspect that Mrs. Drummond would frown on a romp," said Belle with a quick smile.
Clarice shuddered. "Oh! Isn't Mrs. Drummond simply too frightening? I am all tongue-tied in her presence. I much prefer Lady Jersey or dear Lady Sefton."
Belle agreed. She looked around. "Is Angus here with you tonight? Oh, Clarice, pray do not tell him that I said so, but his ode was so utterly ridiculous," she confided.
"Of course Angus is here. Papa made him come. He told Angus that if he had to dress up like a stiff rump, then Angus could very well keep him company," said Clarice mendaciously.
Belle gave a peal of laughter, but Clarice did not heed her. Instead her eyes suddenly widened. She clutched her friend's arm. "Belle! I have just remembered. You will never believe what I heard today from Angus."
"What has your brother done now?" asked Belle with amiable curiosity. She liked Angus Moorehead, and his antics never failed to astonish and amuse her. She had never had a brother; but if she had, she would have wanted him to be much like Angus Moorehead.
"Oh, not anything. That is to say— But that isn't what I wished to tell you at all! Belle, Angus told me the most amazing thing, and it concerns you!" exclaimed Clarice.
Belle looked at her friend in surprise. "Me! Why, what did he say?"
"Oh, there is Lord Hawthorne." Clarice bowed politely toward the gentleman. Through her friendly smile, she said, "His lordship has known me since the cradle, and he always sends me a very nice present for my birthday. I mustn't cut him or Mama will have my head."
"Clarice, what about Angus?" asked Belle.
"Oh! I almost forgot. Belle, it is the most amazing thing!"
"Yes, you said that," said Belle patiently.
'Then you've heard already? I wished to be the first to tell you," said Clarice, disappointed.
"Clarice, sometimes I could simply shake you. What did Angus say about me?" said Belle.
"Oh, that! Well, Angus told me this afternoon that he heard that you have earned a sobriquet. Everyone is calling you the 'Belle of London.' Now isn't that simply too amazing?" said Clarice.
Belle was taken aback for a moment before the humor of it hit her. "A pun! How extraordinary!"
"Yes, isn't it?"
The deep, merry voice came from one side.
Belle and Clarice both turned in their chairs. "Angus! You startled me!" exclaimed Clarice, fluttering her fan.
"Caught you gossiping, didn't I?" The tall, gangling young gentleman came to stand beside them, the flash of his attractive smile lighting his freckled face. His flaming red hair was several shades brighter than his sister's deep copper locks. His attire was correct hut rather careless. He bowed with an easy grace. "How are you, Miss Weatherstone?"
Belle put out her gloved hand. "Very well indeed, Mr. Moorehead."
Angus held on to her hand for a moment while his blue eyes laughed at her. "Did you receive my last billet, Belle?"
"Indeed, I did. It—it was a very pretty poem, Angus," said Belle handsomely. She felt badly for the falsehood, but she didn't wish to hurt her friend's feelings.
"It was pure drivel and well you know it, Belle," said Angus cheerfully.
Belle was taken aback by his frank admission, and she laughed. "Well! That is a fine admission, I must say."
"If it was so bad, whyever did you send it to Belle?" demanded Clarice with a quick frown.
"It's become fashionable to admire Belle," said Angus matter-of-factly. "Ask anyone. Ask Roland. He'll tell you it's true."
"I suppose I must thank you, Angus. So you admire me simply because it is 'fashionable'?" asked Belle
Similar Books
Pleating for Mercy
Melissa Bourbon
Billi Jean
Running Scared
Immaculate Deception
Warren Adler
Scrubs Forever!
Jamie McEwan
Tales From Earthsea
Ursula K. Le Guin
Zig Zag
José Carlos Somoza
Sarah
Marek Halter
A Taste of Seduction
Bronwen Evans
The Green Face
Gustav Meyrink
Next Time You See Me
Katia Lief