Carola Dunn by The Fortune-Hunters Read Free Book Online

murky liquid.
    “Lucky woman if she does not,” he said gloomily. With her admonitory gaze fixed upon him, he braced himself and gulped the foul stuff down. “Ugh! No wonder it made poor Uncle Horace bilious.” He shuddered.
    “I would not drink it for the world,” she admitted, “though it cannot possibly taste as horrid as it smells.”
    “That’s what you think. You are mistaken, I assure you.” In a mood for revenge, he happened to catch sight of the tongue-tied young lady he had danced with last night, just entering the Pump Room with her chaperon.
    It would, in truth, have been difficult to miss her, since her green gown was embellished with a profusion of scarlet bows. However, far from making an effort to attract attention, Miss Pearson walked with head bowed, perhaps in contemplation of the ornate ruby brooch pinned to her bodice. Not to be foiled, for the second time that day Matthew ignored the gentlemanly code. “Miss Franklin, have you met Miss Pearson?”
    Before she could respond, he led her up to the girl and her chaperon, a stout woman with an old-fashioned air. Startled, Miss Pearson cast him a nervous glance and curtsied as he performed the introductions.
    “Miss Franklin, allow me to make you known to Miss Pearson and Mrs. Partridge.”
    “Woodcock! The Honourable Mrs. Woodcock,” that lady corrected him sharply.
    “I’m happy to make your acquaintance,” said Jessica with aplomb. “I saw you at the Upper Rooms yesterday, I think. Did you enjoy the ball?”
    Miss Pearson murmured something in which only the word “kind” was distinguishable.
    “If it were not for Mr. Guynette’s kindness, I should not have had a partner all evening, but it is sadly disconcerting to find oneself dancing with a total stranger, is it not?”
    The girl raised shy brown eyes to Jessica’s face and nodded eagerly. “I thought I was the only one to feel so, ma’am. How much more comfortable one is with people one knows.”
    “I daresay we shall both have friends aplenty in Bath in no time,” Jessica encouraged her. “I hope you will count me your friend. Perhaps we might walk together in Sydney Gardens one afternoon?”
    “I should like that of all things, ma’am.” Miss Pearson smiled at last.
    Matthew realized that she was really quite pretty, with her soft brown curls and delicate features. She was utterly lacking in countenance and taste, but with her obvious wealth to compensate for those deficiencies, she need not fear a dearth of suitors. Jessica, however, could have no ulterior motive for her kindness to the chit. The more he saw of Miss Franklin the better he liked her.
    Having made arrangements to meet for a walk in the gardens, the young ladies parted.
    “Congratulations, Miss Franklin,” said Matthew. “You extracted more words from her in a couple of minutes than I did in the course of an entire set last night.”
    “Poor child, she is shockingly bashful. It was too bad of you to take her by surprise just now, and you need not pretend you did not have mischief in mind for I saw it in your eyes.”
    He laughed. “I only meant to punish you a little for forcing me to take my medicine. I expected to see you struggling in vain to hold a conversation. Since you succeeded, my plot was an absurd failure.”
    “You are an odious tease,” she said reproachfully, but unable to hide her smile. “Oh dear, I wonder what has become of Aunt Tibby? I cannot wait here for her forever.”
    “If you wish to return home, pray allow me to accompany you, ma’am.”
    “Will that be proper? I am not perfectly conversant with the niceties peculiar to Bath.”
    “Since I am acquainted with your brother and we are near neighbours, I doubt the most ardent stickler will see aught amiss.”
    “Well, I cannot think why I should take your word, sir, after the shocking disregard for propriety you have shown this morning, but thank you, I shall be glad of your escort.”
    Passing by the Abbey again, she