The Bride Hunt by Jane Feather Read Free Book Online

sisters’ company. Besides,” he added, silencing her incipient protest with a finger on her lips, “I’ve missed them too, and I should certainly pay my respects to your father.”
    Constance considered this, then shook her head in resignation. “Very well, but there’s no need to hurry your business at Downing Street.”
    “I won’t. I merely intend to bring myself back into the Prime Minister’s sights, just in case I slipped his mind during the summer recess.”
    “I doubt you did that,” Constance declared. “Once met, Max, you could never slip anyone’s mind.”
    “You flatter me,” he returned with a dry smile. He kissed her mouth, his lips lingering for a moment despite the fact that they were standing on the open street. Then reluctantly he raised his head. “I’ll be back in two hours.”
    Constance turned to the steps leading up to the house. “Don’t hurry,” she said, blowing him a kiss over her shoulder as she walked quickly to the door.
    He watched as she used her own key to let herself in, and when the door had closed on her he returned to the motor and drove off towards Westminster and the Prime Minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street.
    Constance had barely closed the door before Jenkins appeared from the shadows of the staircase. “Why, Miss Con . . .” He coughed. “Mrs. Ensor, I should say.”
    “No, no, Jenkins, I couldn’t get used to anything but Con,” she said, coming towards him with swift step and kissing his cheek. “How have you been? It seems I’ve been away an eternity. Is Mrs. Hudson well?”
    “Everyone is well, Miss Con,” the butler stated, his delighted smile belying the formal tone. “Miss Chas and Miss Prue are in the parlor upstairs.”
    “No, we’re here,” Chastity’s light and cheerful tones chimed. “Con, we didn’t dare to expect you so soon.” She came flying down the stairs, followed with as much haste by Prudence.
    Constance disappeared into their embrace and Jenkins nodded his satisfaction as he watched the three heads of various shades of red bob and blend in the way he knew so well. “I’ll bring coffee to the parlor,” he announced.
    “Oh, and some of those almond slices that Mrs. Hudson made yesterday,” Chastity emerged from the tight circle to call after him as he walked back to the kitchen.
    Constance hugged her. “I didn’t expect you to have lost your sweet tooth in six weeks, Chas.”
    Her youngest sister gave an exaggerated sigh. “No, I’m a lost cause. And I seem to be getting rounder.” She pulled a comical face as she traced the swell of her breasts beneath her muslin blouse and plucked at her hips that curved voluptuously beneath the wide belt of her striped grosgrain skirt.
    “Sometimes, sister dear, I think you suffer from the besetting sin of vanity,” Prudence stated, even though she was laughing. “You know perfectly well it suits you.”
    “For the moment,” sighed Chastity. “But soon it will turn to fat, and then, alas, what shall I do?”
    “Give up cakes,” Constance said, linking arms with her sisters. She looked closely at Prudence and saw that she had a drawn look about her eyes. She looked again at Chastity, and realized that the light banter had merely masked a similar unquiet air.
    “Let’s go upstairs,” she said. “I want to hear everything that’s happened since I left.”
    “First we want to hear everything about your honeymoon,” Prudence said as they went upstairs. “Your telegrams were so brief. Did Max really take you to the pyramids?”
    “Yes, but we visited them on horseback, not by camel. Could you imagine Max on a camel? And we went down the Nile on the most luxurious riverboat all the way to Alexandria.” Constance opened the door to the parlor and gave an involuntary smile at the welcome familiarity of the room. “Oh, I’ve missed home,” she said.
    “We’ve missed you,” Prudence said, hugging her. “But I have to say, Con, that there is nothing Egyptian