Free Lady Whistledown Strikes Back by Julia Quinn

Easterly said, after a polite
nod to Tillie. “I knew that she suspected me. She has made that much
abundantly clear. But she had not yet gone so far as to accuse me
publicly.”
    “She has now,” Peter said grimly. Beside him,
Tillie nodded. “I’m sorry,” she said. She turned to Lady Easterly and
added, “She’s rather horrid.” Lady Easterly nodded hi return. “I would
never have ac cepted her invitation had I not heard so much about the chef.”
    But her husband was clearly uninterested in the chef’s renown. “Thank you for the warning,” he said to Peter.
    Peter acknowledged the thanks with a single nod, then said, “I must return Lady Mathilda to the party.”
    “Perhaps my wife would be a better escort,” Lord
Easterly said, and Peter realized that he was returning the favor. The
Easterlys would never mention that they’d found Peter and Tillie quite
alone, and furthermore, Lady Easterly’s impeccable reputation would
ensure that Tillie was not the subject of scurrilous gossip.
    “You are more than correct, my lord,” Peter said,
pulling gently on Tillie’s arm and steering her toward Lady Easterly.
“I will see you tomorrow,” he said to Tillie.
    “Will you?” she asked, and he could see in her eyes that she wasn’t being coy.
    “Yes,” he said, and much to his surprise, he realized he meant it.
     

Chapter 5
    As there are no new developments to report in the Mystery of the Disappeared Bracelet, This Author must content herself with her more ordinary subject matter, namely the day-to-day foibles of the ton, as they proceed in their quest for wealth, prestige, and the perfect spouse.
    Chief among This Author’s topics is Mr. Peter Thompson, who, as anyone with an observant eye will have noted, has been most assiduously courting Lady Mathilda Howard, only daughter of the Earl of Canby, for more than a week. The pair were quite inseparable at the Hargreaves’ Grand Ball, and in the week since, Mr. Thompson has been known to call upon Canby House nearly every single morning.
    Such activities can only attract attention. Mr. Thompson is known to be a fortune hunter, although to his credit, it must be noted that until Lady Mathilda, his monetary aspirations had been modest and, by the standards of society, unworthy of reproach.
    Lady Mathilda’s fortune, however, is quite a prize, and it has long been accepted by society that she would marry none less than an earl. Indeed, This Author has it on the highest authority that the betting book at White’s predicts that she will pledge her troth to the Duke of Ashbourne, who, as all know, is the last remaining eligible duke in Britain.
    Poor Mr. Thompson.
     
    LADY WHISTLEDOWN’S SOCIETY PAPERS, 10 JUNE 1816
     
    Poor Mr. Thompson, indeed.
    Peter had spent the past week alternating between misery and bliss, his mood entirely dependent upon whether he was able to forget that Tillie was one of the richest people in Britain and he was, to be quite blunt about it, not.
    Her parents had to know of his interest in her. He’d called at Canby House nearly every day since the Hargreaves ball, and neither had sought to dissuade him, but they also knew of his friendship with Harry. The Canbys would never turn away a friend of their son, and Lady Canby in particular seemed to enjoy his presence. She liked talking to him about Harry, hearing stories of his final days, especially when Peter told her how Harry could make anyone laugh, even while surrounded by the worst degradations of war.
    In fact, Peter was quite certain that Lady Canby liked hearing about Harry so much that she would allow him to dangle hopelessly after Tillie, even though he was, as was patently obvious, a most unsuitable prospect for marriage.
    Eventually the time would come when the Canbys sat him down and had a little chat, and Peter would be told in no uncertain terms that while he was an admirable, upstanding fellow, and certainly a fine friend for their son, it was quite another thing