The Dangers Of Deceiving A Viscount by Julia London Read Free Book Online Page B

Mrs. Frederick,” Alice said with a roll of her eyes. “If they think their Elizabeth has the slightest chance of marrying my brother, they are sadly mistaken.”
    “That will be for his lordship to decide,” Addison said briskly, and gestured to the workroom. “Shall we?”
    Alice sighed as if she were being asked to mount the gallows, and walked with great deliberation into the room. Jane straightened her gown and followed her sister.
    Addison’s smile faded a little as he noticed Jane’s torn sleeve and mussed hair. “Oh dear, Lady Jane! What has happened?”
    “Nothing!” she exclaimed, wide-eyed. “Why should you think anything has happened?” she asked as she swept past him and into the room.
    Addison looked at Phoebe; Phoebe shook her head. He clamped his mouth shut and marched into the room, the tips of his ears blazing red.
    Once inside, however, he did try to put a bright face on it. He introduced them all, and before she fell grace-lessly onto a chair, Lady Alice Summerfield inquired of Phoebe, “Aren’t you to curtsy?”
    She was not going to care for Alice, that much was plain, but Phoebe forced herself to curtsy.
    “Lady Alice and Lady Jane are preparing for their coming-out,” Addison said with false cheer. “Lady Alice is eighteen years old, and Lady Jane will be seventeen in two months’ time.”
    “Both excellent ages for a debut,” Phoebe remarked.
    “How would you possibly know?” Alice asked coldly. “Did you come out?”
    “Lady Dupree makes gowns for debutantes, Alice,” Jane said pertly. With dark gold hair and green eyes, Jane was smaller and prettier than her sister. Or perhaps she only seemed prettier because she smiled.
    “That hardly makes her an expert,” Alice said petulantly.
    “Lady Alice,” Addison said, smiling tremulously at Phoebe, “his lordship expressly bade you to be cooperative.”
    “Oh, his lordship, his lordship!” she exclaimed angrily. “He bids me constantly!”
    “You mustn’t pay her any mind,” Jane said with a sigh. “She is in a snit because she—”
    “Hush, Jane,” her sister snapped.
    “I won’t hush. I have just as much right to speak to Lady Dupree as you.”
    “Madame Dupree, you silly child.”
    “Madame is the same as Lady in English,” Jane retorted.
    “It is not the same, it is vastly different, which is why you will never make a match, Jane, for you are so silly!”
    “Ladies!” Mr. Addison exclaimed, his eyes wide with horror now, his ears cherry red. “I beg of you, please!”
    Alice pressed her lips together, but she shifted a cold gaze to Phoebe, taking in her gown and her hair.
    “I am certain Madame Dupree is eager to be about her work,” Addison said, and glanced nervously at Phoebe. “His lordship would like to know if there is anything you might require in order to do your work here?”
    “He has been very kind to make Frieda available to me, sir.”
    “Very good,” he said, already backing toward the door. “If there is nothing else?” He’d already stepped through the door. Phoebe could hardly fault him—but the moment he was gone, she felt outnumbered.
    She looked uneasily at her charges. Alice was sprawled in a chair like a beggar. Jane was twisting a lock of hair around her finger like a little girl. How could the daughters of an earl possibly be so ill-suited for society?
    “Shall we get on with it, Madame Dupree?” Alice drawled. “I have better things to occupy my time than being fitted.”
    “Heavens, Alice, you are always so cross!” Jane said with a huff. “It’s as if you blame Madame Dupree for keeping you from Mr. Hughes.”
    Alice instantly colored. “Hush, Jane!”
    “Why don’t we take some measurements?” Phoebe tried.
    “I won’t hush,” Jane said haughtily, ignoring Phoebe and glaring at her sister. “Alice is in love with Mr. Hughes,” she said in a singsong voice. “But he is the son of a blacksmith and Will says that he is not the sort of match the daughter