shivered. She could well imagine that Angelstone would have been made coldly furious by Lady Charlesworthy's tactics. "You're quite right, Hester. Lady Charlesworthy does not count as an innocent victim. It was very unkind of her to try to make Angelstone jealous."
"Unkind?" Hester gave Prudence an amused glance. "I expect the poor lady was desperate for some indications of warmth from Angelstone. They say he is made of ice."
"Nonsense. Back to the matter of a name. We're looking for genuine, innocent victims here," Prudence said. "Can you think of even one young woman who was ruined by Angelstone?"
Hester raised a brow. "Actually, no. I can't. Now that I think of it, from what I hear, Angelstone tends to pass over the fledglings in favor of the more worldly sort of female."
Trevor was irate. "The man's got a reputation, I tell you. Everyone knows it."
"Not for ruining innocent young women, apparently," Prudence said. "So you will in future kindly refrain from interfering in my social affairs, do you comprehend me, Trevor?"
"Now, see here," Trevor shot back, "I'm your brother. Got a responsibility toward you."
"I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
"Don't be so certain of that. Truth is, you don't know that much about men, Prue. You ain't a good judge of ‘em. Keep in mind what happened three years ago."
Hester clapped loudly for attention. "Enough, my dears. If you wish to wrangle, you may do so someplace other than my drawing room. We have other business to attend to."
"What other business?" Prudence asked, more than willing to change the topic.
Hester chuckled. "Why, the little matter of deciding which invitations we shall be accepting this week. Prudence, my dear, you are very much in demand. We shall have a busy time of it, I fear." Hester reached for a silver tray littered with cards. "Now, then, let's go through this little lot. Can you believe that all of these arrived just today? I don't think we can possibly manage to squeeze in everything."
"You make the selections," Prudence said. "I don't really care which parties we attend. They all seem the same, somehow. The rooms are too crowded and too hot and there is so much noise it is difficult to converse."
"One must make sacrifices when one is moving in Society." Hester picked up a card. "Ah, yes, we shall most definitely put in an appearance at the Thornbridges' ball. The new Lady Thornbridge is causing talk."
Trevor swallowed his cake, looking interested. "How's that?"
Hester gave him a knowing smile. "She's quite a bit younger than her lord. And very beautiful. Word has it Thornbridge is mad with jealousy these days. Should be interesting to see if there will be a scene or two at their ball."
"It sounds rather unpleasant to me," Prudence observed. "Who wants to see a jealous husband make a fool of himself over a young wife?"
"Most of the
ton
, my dear," Prudence assured her cheerfully.
The door of the drawing room opened again at that juncture. Hester's butler, chosen for his imposing air, appeared in the opening.
"A Mrs. Leacock to see you, madam."
"How lovely," Hester said. "Show her in, Crandall."
A birdlike woman with silvery white hair, dressed in an expensive mourning gown of black crepe, was ushered into the drawing room.
"How kind of you to call, Lydia," Hester said. "Do sit down. You know my dear friends Trevor and Prudence Merryweather?"
"Yes, of course." Mrs. Leacock's bright little eyes darted nervously from Hester to Prudence. "Actually, this is not precisely a social call, Hester. I have come to consult with Miss Merryweather."
"Have you, indeed?" Hester picked up the teapot. "Don't tell us you have a ghost you want investigated?"
Mrs. Leacock alighted on a silk-cushioned chair. "I am not certain. But something rather odd has been happening of late in the west wing of my house. The incidents have begun to affect my nerves and I fear for the consequences. My doctor has warned me that I have a weak
"Unkind?" Hester gave Prudence an amused glance. "I expect the poor lady was desperate for some indications of warmth from Angelstone. They say he is made of ice."
"Nonsense. Back to the matter of a name. We're looking for genuine, innocent victims here," Prudence said. "Can you think of even one young woman who was ruined by Angelstone?"
Hester raised a brow. "Actually, no. I can't. Now that I think of it, from what I hear, Angelstone tends to pass over the fledglings in favor of the more worldly sort of female."
Trevor was irate. "The man's got a reputation, I tell you. Everyone knows it."
"Not for ruining innocent young women, apparently," Prudence said. "So you will in future kindly refrain from interfering in my social affairs, do you comprehend me, Trevor?"
"Now, see here," Trevor shot back, "I'm your brother. Got a responsibility toward you."
"I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
"Don't be so certain of that. Truth is, you don't know that much about men, Prue. You ain't a good judge of ‘em. Keep in mind what happened three years ago."
Hester clapped loudly for attention. "Enough, my dears. If you wish to wrangle, you may do so someplace other than my drawing room. We have other business to attend to."
"What other business?" Prudence asked, more than willing to change the topic.
Hester chuckled. "Why, the little matter of deciding which invitations we shall be accepting this week. Prudence, my dear, you are very much in demand. We shall have a busy time of it, I fear." Hester reached for a silver tray littered with cards. "Now, then, let's go through this little lot. Can you believe that all of these arrived just today? I don't think we can possibly manage to squeeze in everything."
"You make the selections," Prudence said. "I don't really care which parties we attend. They all seem the same, somehow. The rooms are too crowded and too hot and there is so much noise it is difficult to converse."
"One must make sacrifices when one is moving in Society." Hester picked up a card. "Ah, yes, we shall most definitely put in an appearance at the Thornbridges' ball. The new Lady Thornbridge is causing talk."
Trevor swallowed his cake, looking interested. "How's that?"
Hester gave him a knowing smile. "She's quite a bit younger than her lord. And very beautiful. Word has it Thornbridge is mad with jealousy these days. Should be interesting to see if there will be a scene or two at their ball."
"It sounds rather unpleasant to me," Prudence observed. "Who wants to see a jealous husband make a fool of himself over a young wife?"
"Most of the
ton
, my dear," Prudence assured her cheerfully.
The door of the drawing room opened again at that juncture. Hester's butler, chosen for his imposing air, appeared in the opening.
"A Mrs. Leacock to see you, madam."
"How lovely," Hester said. "Show her in, Crandall."
A birdlike woman with silvery white hair, dressed in an expensive mourning gown of black crepe, was ushered into the drawing room.
"How kind of you to call, Lydia," Hester said. "Do sit down. You know my dear friends Trevor and Prudence Merryweather?"
"Yes, of course." Mrs. Leacock's bright little eyes darted nervously from Hester to Prudence. "Actually, this is not precisely a social call, Hester. I have come to consult with Miss Merryweather."
"Have you, indeed?" Hester picked up the teapot. "Don't tell us you have a ghost you want investigated?"
Mrs. Leacock alighted on a silk-cushioned chair. "I am not certain. But something rather odd has been happening of late in the west wing of my house. The incidents have begun to affect my nerves and I fear for the consequences. My doctor has warned me that I have a weak
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