The Byram Succession by Mira Stables Read Free Book Online

last. I had it from Kit Grayson. Skirlaugh is to dine with him tonight. I want you to send him a card for my cousin’s party.”

 
    FOUR
    No argument would persuade Tina that it was quite impossible for any self-respecting parent to submit to her demand. Invite a gentleman whom she had never met to her party? And to a party so intimate and so important as a coming-out? No lady of principle would do so. The fact that the gentleman was heir to a duke only made matters worse. It would be to incur accusations of tuft-hunting and toad-eating, even from her friends. Worse! They might even suspect her of trying to entrap such an eligible matrimonial prize for her daughter’s benefit. Had Tina not thought of that?
    Tina had. It was, she coolly announced, the very object that she had in mind. Did not Mama think that she would make a delightful duchess? As for never having met Lord Skirlaugh, did Mama not recall that he had been present at the ball that the Graysons had given for Marianne?
    “But I did not go to the ball,” moaned her afflicted parent. “And I wish I had not permitted you to attend, and you only sixteen. Only they were old friends and close neighbours and you teased me so.”
    Tina smiled. “As I shall tease you again, dear Mama,” she promised sweetly. “He was not particularly eligible then,” she explained kindly. “His brother was still alive. And married. Nor did he pay me a great deal of attention, being still besotted about Elinor Coutance. She jilted him, you know, when the brother’s son was born. How she must regret it now! I believe she eventually married a mere nobody. Wealthy, of course, but what is the use of wealth alone when one wishes to cut a figure in the world?”
    Thinking of a daughter’s dress bills, Mrs. Newton might have said that it was a good deal of use. But the clock, at that minute chiming the quarter, she rang for Hebe, saying that it could serve no useful purpose to set Papa all on end by being late for dinner, and shooed her daughter away to her own hurried toilet.
    Dinner began uncomfortably. Uncle Matthew was a trifle out of temper during the first course, glancing pointedly at the clock when his wife hurried downstairs and irritably enquiring the reason when his daughter made her even later appearance.
    “Hetty had to wait on my cousin first,” explained that young lady with aplomb.
    “And Alethea’s arrival was delayed,” supplemented Mrs. Newton swiftly, and launched into an animated account of the incident which had caused the trouble.
    By the time that she had dealt faithfully with this absorbing tale her spouse was sufficiently mollified by the succulence of a portion of duck that he was consuming and the smoothness of the burgundy that accompanied it to remember his duties as host. He addressed one or two civil remarks to Miss Hetherstone, charging her with several messages for her employers and expressing the hope that her return journey would not be marred by any such unfortunate incident as had caused today’s delay. He then turned his attention to his niece, hoped that she would be comfortable under his roof and said he had no doubt she was longing to sample the attractions of London’s shops, coupled with a playful warning not to draw the bustle too freely.
    Alethea assured him that she had been bred to habits of economy and would, moreover, have her aunt’s guidance to check any foolish extravagance. That provoked a slightly satirical smile, but he listened kindly enough as she told him how eagerly she had looked forward to this visit and how much she longed to see the famous and beautiful buildings which her father had described as being steeped in history. When the ladies rose to leave him to his wine he actually patted her hand and told her that she seemed to be a sensible little thing and not wholly given over to fashionable frivolities, a remark which his daughter took in bad part.
    “Doing it a little too brown, cousin,” she said coldly, as