The Wrong Woman by Kimberly Truesdale Read Free Book Online

woods now, Miss Masters. Is it not the same? I do wish to hear you recite something.”
    “Oh, don't get her started on woods, Mr. Shepherd!” cried Cat. Miles could not help but join in the general spirit of teasing and enjoyment. He even found himself eager to join in somehow.
    “The same!” Miss Masters exclaimed. “Not at all. These orderly sets of trees here are not woods, Mr. Shepherd. These trees are too straight.”
    “Too straight?” Miles asked. “How can a tree be too straight?”
    “Lord Revere,” she spoke as if exasperated to have to explain herself to him. “The trees run in straight lines right down this path. And they grow straight up and down. Never do they stray from those lines. They are carefully cultivated things, pampered and shaped by expert gardeners.”
    “And you do not like them?” Miles had never heard a woman speak like this before. He rose to the defense of his favorite place in the park.
    “No, I do not,” Miss Masters spat the words at him.
    He looked at her as she stood there. She had drawn herself up to her full height, though she still stood a good foot shorter than he, and was almost seething with emotion. Miles had the feeling he had done something terribly wrong. Why could he not appease this woman? Would she find fault in everything he did or said? He felt the tension built as they all sensed something unexpressed in Miss Masters' words.
    “We have a lovely wood by our house,” Miss Catherine broke the growing silence.
    “And what is it about the wilderness that so appeals to you?” Jack asked.
    “I prefer the trees to grow as they might in every which way. I feel more at home seeing branches hanging here and there and living things making their homes in them. I am comfortable there.”
    “But if you made your home there, you would surely miss society!” Jack said.
    “Not by half. Society has only ever given me the gift of a hated nickname. I believe I can live without that quite nicely.”
    They had reached the end of the lane as Miss Masters uttered this biting remark. Jack offered her his arm and they turned back toward the barouche.
    “I begin to see your point, Miss Masters. The woods seem charming through your eyes.”
    “Miss Catherine, shall we walk together?” Miles offered his arm. She began to talk of the weather and the lovely things to see in the park. It was entirely unremarkable, but had the effect of drawing his attention away from the unsettled feeling he was experiencing at Miss Masters' last remark. Miles had never considered what sort of damage his laughter or ridicule might do its object. But clearly her venom had been aimed at him.
    Miles was feeling even more unsettled thinking that silly teasing from a decade ago might ruin his plans for wooing Miss Catherine now. He might stall before he had really started.
    The innocuous conversation with Miss Catherine continued until he dropped her back at her front door. As he and Jack started home, his brother leaned back and sighed happily.
    “I quite like your Misses Masters. I cannot remember a drive in the park that I have enjoyed more. You were right. Miss Catherine is beautiful. But I do like her sister, too. You painted her as an ogre, but I found her to be very agreeable. I should quite like to know her more, especially to talk to her about poetry, since you will have none of it.”
    Jack continued his enthusiastic chatter all the way to their own door. As they climbed the stairs, Jack laughed heartily and declared, “I like both the women very well. You should watch out, brother, I may decide to fall in love with one of them.”
     
     

Chapter 7
    The next three days brought only brief social visits from Lord Revere and Mr. Shepherd. It gave Isobel, Cat, and Aunt Hetty time to pore over all that had happened so far. With a young girl’s delight at her first serious courtship, Cat listed over and over again all that Lord Revere had done and said. The dances, the compliments, the flowers,