The Perks of Being a Beauty by Manda Collins Read Free Book Online Page A

When he didn’t, she was quite upset. Then she did the same thing to Deveril’s now wife—she actually ridiculed the girl in public. Of course when it was revealed that Lady Deveril had lost her foot in a terrible accident, Amelia looked even worse.”
    Quentin shook his head in shock and dismay. He couldn’t imagine the Amelia he’d offered his heart to all those years ago behaving in such despicable ways. When she’d told him earlier that she’d done things she wasn’t proud of, he’d expected the transgressions to be the typical little sins that everyone commits from day to day. Not serious cruelty.
    “The last,” Wilkes continued, “came when the Duchess of Winterson and Lady Deveril’s cousin announced her betrothal to the Earl of Gresham. I suppose Amelia must have seen him as her last possible chance for marriage to a peer. And she simply lost her head. She began shouting and complaining that it was supposed to be her he married. It was dashed uncomfortable to see such a thing. And I’ve been to some of the Devonshire’s entertainments.”
    “On the plus side,” Carstairs interjected, “ever since the Gresham betrothal debacle, Amelia seems to have turned over a new leaf. I believe shortly thereafter she actually got the courage to go to the cousins and apologize to them all for making their lives so difficult.”
    “And since her mother’s death, she’s been employed by the Smithsons and seems to have truly become a pattern card of propriety,” Wilkes said. “Really quite admirable of her. I mean most ladies are just respectable from the beginning and stay that way. I say it must take more bottle to curb one’s tendencies and walk the straight and narrow after one has kicked up a dust.”
    “She’s duller,” Wallace said mournfully, “that’s for sure. Won’t even dance the waltz when I ask her anymore.”
    Quentin finished his drink and leaned his shoulders up against the mantel. The stories of the other men certainly explained some of the things Amelia had told him earlier. About reforming. And trying to atone for her past wrongs. But he was saddened to think of her so desperate for a place in society that she was willing to step on anyone to achieve it. She was worth ten of the average society chit, and she didn’t even realize it. She certainly must not have realized that she’d been clutching at men who were simply not right for her. How could they be if they could even think twice about another woman while in Amelia’s presence?
    “Thank you for the information,” he said to the three men before leaving his snifter on the sideboard. “And thanks for not drawing my cork when I attacked Wallace.”
    “It was only Wallace, old man,” Carstairs responded with a shrug. “Think nothing of it.”

Chapter Four
    Having washed her face and refreshed herself after luncheon, Amelia was preparing to join the other ladies in the garden with their paints when she realized it was raining. She looked around and found Harriet tucked up in a corner of the drawing room in the window seat staring out at the downpour.
    “Why ever are you hiding in here?” Amelia demanded of the girl. “This is your own party, you should be enjoying your friends and flirting with gentlemen!”
    If Amelia had been given the chance to throw her very own house party at Harriet’s age, she’d have expired from excitement. Not so, Harriet.
    “The rain is ruining my party,” Harriet said glumly. “I heard Miss Charlotte Hume say so to Miss Fotheringham. And her painting is ruined. She said that Papa had enough money to control the weather if he wished and that the fact that he did not do so today only shows that he doesn’t really care about my party.”
    Amelia stopped just short of rolling her eyes at the girl’s foolishness. It was cruel of Miss Hume to say such a thing, of course, but it was hardly something to be taken seriously. She had hoped that Harriet was smarter than that.
    “Dear Harriet,” she