Free The Pretenders by Joan Wolf Page B

Reeve’s, peered shrewdly into mine. “It’s a love match then?”
    It is very seldom that I find myself at a loss for words, but I was at a loss now. Did she know about Bernard’s ultimatum? Should I say anything about Reeve’s debts?
    Desperately, I looked across the room for help.
    “It is a love match, Aunt.” Reeve said firmly.
    Mama put down her cup of tea as if the saucer had suddenly scalded her hand.
    Everyone looked at me. I could feel my cheeks grow pink.
    Damn Reeve for getting me into this
, I thought.
    Then I remembered that I was the one who had insisted that we come to Sussex. I sighed and tried to look sweet, like a maiden in love.
    I heard Reeve cough and knew he was covering up a chuckle.
    Lady Sophia said to him, “Well, I’m sure that Bernard is hoping that this marriage will put an end to your roguery, but I’ve always had a soft spot for a rascal.” She turned to Lord Bradford. “Unfortunately, you have always been a dead bore, Bernard.”
    He looked as if he had heard this castigation a thousand times and had ignored it for a thousand times as well.
    “Yes, ma’am,” he said, his square face never changing its expression.
    Mama gave him a sympathetic look. She had such a soft heart.
    Lady Sophia turned back to me and began a relentless interrogation that lasted for the remainder of teatime. The rest of the party sat in wooden silence while they learned that I was twenty-one (“Almost at your last prayers, aren’t you, Missy?”); that I lived in a cottage in the village next to Ambersley; that I played the pianoforte indifferently; that I was a poor needlewoman; that I knew nothing about running a house the size of Ambersley; that, in the eyes of Lady Sophia, I was totally unsuited to be the wife of the Earl of Cambridge.
    “Young men,” she said maliciously, “they make their choice of a wife with their eyes and live to rue it.”
    Reeve said, “Deb has the best seat on a horse of any girl I’ve ever seen. There aren’t many men I know who can ride as well as she can, as a matter of fact. Who cares if she can’t play the pianoforte? I don’t like the pianoforte. I like to ride.”
    Bernard said to me, “Housewifely virtues cannot be ignored, Miss Woodly. As the mistress of an establishment such as Ambersley much will be expected of you.”
    Since I would never be the mistress of Ambersley, I was not overly worried about this, but I bowed, smiled, and nodded my agreement, assuring him that I was sure I would be able to learn what I did not already know.
    Lady Sophia sniffed loudly, clearly in doubt of my abilities.
    Dreadful old woman
, I thought.
    Reeve’s eyes caught mine across the room, and he read my thought unerringly. He winked.
    A few minutes later the tea party broke up. We would all reassemble again for dinner in a short while, and at that realization I suppressed a groan.
    Oh well, Reeve had warned me, I thought, as I followed Mama upstairs to our rooms, where we were supposed to rest until dinner. It was only for a few weeks, after all. I could endure it. I had to.
    Unfortunately.

Chapter Six
    ONCE RULES OF POLITENESS RESTRICTED LADY Sophia to conversation with the persons who sat on either side of her, dinner was not quite as nerve-shattering as tea had been. Reeve was seated to the right of his aunt, but instead of being the target of her barbs he appeared to be charming the old lady with his most seductive smiles.
    I remembered her comment that she liked a rogue. Well, she had certainly found one, I thought sourly.
    Mama and I sat on either side of Lord Bradford, I who told us all about the activities he had planned to amuse us during our visit. There would be a dance for the local gentry, some excursions to local sites of interest, and a large summer fair organized by the local villagers. Reeve would probably complain that Lord Bradford’s offerings were a complete bore, but in truth, it sounded to me as if our visit might be rather enjoyable.
    We were having