Lady Alex's Gamble by Evelyn Richardson Read Free Book Online

modulated than her brother's, but it took a good deal of practice to get it to her satisfaction.
    "However, as he is foxed a good deal of the time, all I really need do in order to offer a reasonable approximation of his speech is to mumble and sprinkle it liberally with damns and no one will be the wiser," Alex remarked as the three of them sat sewing in the upstairs sitting room, which offered the best light during most of the day.
    Althea sighed and laid down the shirt she was stitching. "I do wish you would reconsider, Alexandra, for clever as you are, I do not see how you will be able to pass yourself off as Alexander for such a considerable length of time."
    "Never fear," her sister reassured her. "I shall be accompanied by Tony, whom I mean to let do most of the talking. I shall confine myself to the gaming tables; contriving to appear as castaway as possible, which should serve me in well. I shan't be paid close enough attention to put my disguise to a complete test, and I shall not strike anyone as being an opponent worthy of serious consideration." 47
    Lady Alex's Gamble
    by Evelyn Richardson
    "But it is all so"—Althea searched in vain for the proper words to express her discomfort with the entire scheme—"so very unladylike. I do not mean to be ungrateful, as you know, Alex, but..."
    Alex chuckled. "Such a concern would weigh a good deal more with me if I had ever been ladylike in the first place. Now that I have the opportunity to enjoy a masculine existence, I fully intend to do so."
    Althea shook her head. "I must say I do not understand you in the least. Why would anyone wish to be a man? Men have to do all the difficult things in life: provide for and protect their wives and children, hunt, go into politics, become soldiers. They cannot have babies or wear lovely clothes or..."
    Her sister laughed. "That is one way of looking at it, I suppose. But what freedom they have! They can be anything they wish to be while we, poor creatures, are considered to be fit only for drawing rooms and tea parties, with no greater ambition than to be wives and mothers. I know. Ally, dear, that to you that is the most anyone, male or female, could ask of life, but I, for one, should like the chance to go into politics or off to defend my country. Furthermore, a man can go anywhere he chooses, whenever he chooses. If I even venture into Norwich without a maid or, at the very least a groom, my reputation is likely to be shattered. Take Alexander, for example. He has caroused about the countryside this age, causing no more comment than the odd remark that the young earl is a wild one indeed. I, on the other hand, remain quietly at home and am considered not a 48
    Lady Alex's Gamble
    by Evelyn Richardson
    little odd because I do not waste my time haunting the shops in Norwich in search of gewgaws, or gracing the assemblies—
    in short, doing all the things that would procure me a husband and turn me into a respectable person." Althea sat silent, a thoughtful expression on her face. What her sister said was true. The gossips in the surrounding countryside were far more likely to comment on her sister's determined spinsterhood than on her brother's reckless disregard for his person or the family fortunes. Why, not a week ago Althea had encountered Lady Meacham and her daughters in the village on one of their never-ending quests for just the right trimmings for their bonnets. They had inquired most politely after her sister, but Althea had not missed the sly, superior smile of Susanna, the youngest and prettiest of the Meachams, who had remarked that it was a great deal too bad to have missed Lady Alexandra at the latest assembly, but obviously Lady Alexandra had no need of such amusements. The deceptively sweet tone of commiseration had not been lost on Althea, who had no trouble in interpreting its implication that she was unfortunate to be related to someone who was odd enough to run the risk of becoming an ape-leader.
    Though she