The Headstrong Ward by Jane Ashford Read Free Book Online

she turned away from him. “Good day, Lady Anne. I am so pleased to have met you. We are leaving for London in three days, but I shall see you there, of course.”
    Anne had also risen, though Mariah kept her seat. “Yes indeed, I shall look forward to meeting again soon.”
    Lydia bowed her head majestically and departed, her mother and Laurence close on her heels.
    â€œUnpleasant girl,” said Mariah, reaching for another piece of bread and butter. “It was plain she knows nothing at all about roses.”
    â€œPerhaps you were a little harsh, however,” suggested Anne.
    Mariah fixed her with a disconcerting twinkle. “You mean rude. Well, I warned you. I told Charles I wouldn’t make a proper chaperone. This is the sort of person I am, and you must make the best of it.”
    Anne, returning to her seat and pouring out another cup of tea, thought that that might be more difficult than she had first thought. She also wondered whether Laurence could really be in love with Lydia and, uneasily, whether Bishop Branwell was accompanying his wife and daughter to London.

Four
    At dinner that evening, Lord Wrenley forever alienated his second cousin Mariah by informing her that he had no interest in trenching and did not care a fig how it was done in his park. When he referred her to the head gardener, Anne knew that all was lost, but Charles seemed blandly unaware of Mariah’s outrage, as of her eccentricities, which he ignored. Anne had been curious to see how he would respond to her unconventional chaperone, but she was disappointed. Whatever his thoughts, he kept them to himself.
    Near the end of the meal, he turned to her and said, “I had planned to go up to London next week, but since Miss Postlewaite-Debenham has arrived, I see no reason to delay. I suppose you are ready to go?”
    â€œYes indeed. I am eager.”
    â€œGood. The season will not really get started for another two or three weeks, but you will be able to fill your time, I imagine.”
    â€œI have several friends in town for their come-outs,” she agreed. She eyed him. “And I can call on Miss Branwell, of course.”
    â€œI heard she had been here. By all means, call upon her.”
    Anne sensed mockery, though she could see no signs of it in his face. She became even more interested in his opinion of Laurence’s fiancée. “Miss Branwell seems a very sincere girl.”
    Lord Wrenley raised one blond eyebrow, his gray eyes glinting. “How well you put it. She is, isn’t she?”
    Confident that he shared her doubts, Anne replied, “Do you think she and Laurence will suit? Really, I mean?”
    He shrugged.
    Thinking he hadn’t fully understood her, Anne added, “I was wondering, that is, whether he will be truly happy with her.”
    â€œI think it extremely unlikely,” answered the viscount in an indifferent tone.
    The girl’s gray-violet eyes widened. “You sound as if you didn’t care.”
    â€œIt is none of my affair if Laurence chooses to saddle himself with a simpering, self-righteous wife. I shan’t see much of her, you may be sure.”
    â€œNone of your affair? Your brother’s happiness?” Anne was both astonished and outraged by this indifference. And she could not quite believe it, even of Charles. Though she had always understood that the Debenham brothers cared little for her , she had thought they loved each other.
    Her emotion seemed to amuse Charles. “Laurence is a grown man. He is not, any longer, my responsibility. He must make of his life what he can.”
    â€œBut you are older, more experienced. You should help him!”
    The viscount’s mouth turned down. “How do you suggest I do so? Tell him my opinion of his fiancée? I assure you he would not listen. In fact, he would be extremely annoyed.”
    â€œNot if you spoke to him properly.”
    Lord Wrenley sighed. “You have