In The Prince's Bed by Sabrina Jeffries Read Free Book Online Page A

nice Mr. Jackson asked about you earlier. And I’m told that the new Earl of Iversley was watching you, though I’m not sure which man he is. Do point him out, so I can get you introduced—”
    “Mama!” Katherine protested, asSydneyflushed a dull red. “I have no desire to meet Lord Iversley. You know what they say about him.”
    “I know that Lady Jenner claims his income is—”
    “Sydney,” Katherine broke in, “would you be a dear and fetch me some punch? All this dancing has me parched.”
    Flicking his gaze between her and her mother, he released her arm and gave a gentlemanly bow. “I’ll be Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html happy to fetch whatever you wish.” Then to her shock, he seized her hand and brushed a kiss to it. When he straightened, his smile was tremulous. “I’ll count the minutes while we’re apart.”
    As he hurried off to the refreshments room, Katherine gaped at him. HadSydneyactually kissed her hand? Was he finally realizing how he’d neglected her?
    “Very nicely done.” Mama’s gaze followed the baronet as he disappeared beneath an arched doorway festooned with an entire tree’s worth of cherry blossoms. “Shall I assume that Sir Sydney has finally—”
    “Don’t assume anything, Mama.Sydneyisn’t… quite ready to discuss marriage.” She added brightly,
    “But as soon as his mother feels better—”
    “His mother, bah! Time for you to relinquish your fancy for Sir Sydney and look elsewhere. You’re too old to waste any more years waiting around for him.”
    “Yes, any minute now I shall fall off my rocking chair and break a hip. And then where will I be?”
    Mama frowned at her. “You’d best watch that clever tongue of yours, missy. Men don’t like impudent women, as my father should have told you when he was filling your head with all his nonsense about books and numbers.”
    Katherine tipped up her chin. “Some men like a clever woman.” Lord Iversley seemed to, anyway. Not that his opinion mattered in the least.
    “You mean Sir Sydney, I suppose. But he hasn’t offered for you, has he? So give some other man a chance. If you can’t bring Sir Sydney to the point, he won’t serve your purposes.”
    Katherine set her shoulders. “You mean your purposes.”
    Mama shrugged. “Yours. Mine. The family’s. Same thing.” She dropped her voice to the supplicating purr that had never worked on Papa, but still roused Katherine’s guilt. “I only want what’s best for all of us, dearest. Your brother simply must go toEton, and your sisters must be able to spend every season here in town until they marry—”
    “ I never did,” Katherine pointed out.
    “Because you haveSydney. And we had no money for more than one season.”
    True. And Papa had never wanted his wife and daughter to be in town while he was behaving like a bachelor.
    Not that she’d minded all that much. Her quiet life inCornwallwas good enough for her… really, it was. And whenever she tired of supervising her sisters and remaking her gowns to save funds, she hadSydney to discuss poetry with. When he wasn’t dancing attendance on his mother, that is. He’s too much a coward to stand up to his mother.
    A pox on that cursed Earl of Iversley, with his criticisms and sly remarks. Not to mention his inappropriate, unwise, and—dare she admit it— thrilling kisses, which had cast doubt on all her hopes for a future with Sydney. Even Mama’s cynicism had never managed that. Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    “Stand up straight, Katherine,” Mama hissed. “Our hostess is headed this way. We’re lucky she invited us. All the best people come to her affairs and…”
    As Mama droned on, Katherine cast a longing glance in the directionSydneyhad gone. If he would only hurry, she might escape the spectacle of Mama licking Lady Jenner’s boots… er… dancing slippers.
    “… oh, dear, but she has that