Penelope by MC Beaton Read Free Book Online Page A

considered quite fashionable enough. But I am enjoying the novelty of having pretty clothes and… oh… every sort of comfort.”
    “Are you not used to comfort?” asked the Earl, reining the carriage to a halt under the broad shade of an oak tree.
    “Not really,” said Penelope slowly. “Until recently I was an articled pupil at a seminary in Bath and, no, it was vastly
un
comfortable. But I would rather talk of pleasanter things. You must tell me about Almack’s since it is highly unlikely that I shall ever be allowed past its hallowed portals.”
    The Earl looked down at her, quickly masking his surprise. Miss Vesey appeared to have no interest at all in attaching his affections. It was a novelty which should have been pleasant, but he felt strangely piqued.
    He collected himself in order to reply to her question. “Almack’s, Miss Vesey, would not be rated above half were it not so exclusive. Everyone fights to get in and when they are there, they are blessed if they can see what all the fuss is about.
    “The balls at Almack’s are, as you no doubt know, held on Wednesdays. The lady patronesses are the Ladies Castlereigh, Jersey, Cowper, and Sefton, Mrs. Drummond Burrell, the Princess Esterhazy, and the Countess Lieven. Let me see—the most popular is Lady Cowper. Lady Jersey, on the contrary, goes on like a tragedy queen and while attempting the sublime, she frequently makes herself simply ridiculous. She is very rude and often illbred. Lady Sefton is kind, the Countess Lieven is haughty and exclusive, Princess Esterhazy is amiable, and Lady Castlereigh and Mrs. Burrell are very
grandes dames
. The female government of Almack’s is sheer despotism, and they rule their gossiping, dancing world with a rod of iron.”
    “I believe the mazy waltz is being danced there,” said Penelope. She had heard from the rich young misses of the Bath seminary that the waltz was a very
fast
dance indeed.
    “It’s catching on,” said the Earl laconically. “But we have the celebrated Neil Gow from Edinburgh conducting the orchestra so we mostly still perform Scottish reels and English country dances. Ah, but I forgot. There is a
new
dance. It is called the quadrille and is danced by eight persons. In the first quadrille ever danced at Almack’s, there was Lady Jersey, Lady Harriet Butler, Lady Susan Ryder, and Miss Montgomery. The men were the Count St. Aldegonde, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Montague, and Charles Standish.”
    He paused and then said idly, “Would you care to go to Almack’s, Miss Vesey?”
    “Yes,” said Penelope slowly. “Yes, I would. But it is not possible.”
    “Why?” asked the Earl abruptly. “Why do you wish to go to Almack’s?”
    Penelope sighed. He was being remarkably obtuse. “Why, my lord, does any female wish for a Season? Why does any young woman worth her salt wish to attend Almack’s? To find a husband of course!”
    “I have only known you a short time, Miss Vesey,” said the Earl severely, “but somehow I would have thought you above the petty bartering of the marriage mart.”
    “Then what else do you suggest I do?” said Penelope reasonably. “A comfortable home of one’s own is a better prospect than being employed as a drudge at some seminary. Besides, I should like children of my own. Marriage is the only career open to a lady in this day and age.”
    “And does love not enter into your calculations?” demanded the Earl with a hint of a sneer.
    Penelope looked vaguely across the summer picture of the park. “Oh, love!” she said at last. “No, my lord, I have no money of my own. Love is a luxury I cannot afford.”
    She looked quickly up at his face and surprised the look of contempt in his eyes. “Why do you look
so
?” she demanded angrily. “It is easy for you to prate on about love, my lord. You have only to drop the handkerchief and any woman—with the exception of myself—would be glad to pick it up.”
    “So I do not enter into your marital