Free Scandals of an Innocent by Nicola Cornick Page A

known him forever and treated him like a brother. Miles had not, she realized now, said that Nat felt the same way. And everyone knew that Lord Waterhouse was yet another impecunious fortune hunter out to snap up a rich prize.
    “How do you feel about that, Lizzie?” she asked.
    “Oh, it is none of my affair if Nat chooses to throw himself away on a featherbrained heiress who will bore him silly within a se’nnight!” Lizzie said crossly. “I could not care one iota!”
    Alice exchanged a look with Lydia. “I expect you told him that, too,” Lydia said.
    “Of course!” Lizzie wriggled impatiently. “But I need not concern myself because it will never happen. Nat could not be so stupid as to marry that henwit. He will see sense before the knot is tied.”
    Once again Alice’s eyes met Lydia’s. Lydia raised her brows slightly and Alice shook her head. Both of them knew that Nat Waterhouse was eminently capable of going through with such a marriage for money and that if he had already made Miss Minchin an offer he could not now, in honor, back out. There was no point in telling Lizzie that, of course, for she was in no mood to listen.
    “Flora Minchin is a sweet-natured girl,” Alice said.
    “Only because she is too stupid to be anything other than agreeable,” Lizzie snapped.
    “I don’t think she is anywhere near as stupid as you think, Lizzie,” Lydia said surprisingly. “I think you misjudge her.”
    “I don’t care about Flora,” Lizzie said impatiently. “The problem is that now I do not even have Nat’s escort to the ball at the Granby tomorrow, for he is to accompany Flora and her family!”
    “How thoughtless of him,” Alice murmured. “Well, we shall both have to make do with my brother, Lowell. He has promised to escort me and I am sure he will be happy to do the same for you, Lizzie. Besides, you are seldom short of admirers.”
    “I like Lowell,” Lizzie said, brightening. “That will be delightful.”
    “He likes you, too,” Alice said dryly, “but he is wasting his time. You would make a terrible farmer’s wife.”
    Lizzie laughed, her good humor restored. “With my fortune he could be a gentleman of leisure. It is worth a thought….”
    “No, it is not,” Alice said quickly. The idea of Lizzie and Lowell making a runaway match was, she thought, the worst scheme since Lizzie’s last bad idea about robbing the gown shop. Lizzie would run rings around Lowell. She needed a firm hand and Lowell was far too easygoing. “Lowell likes working for a living,” she said. “I know that may seem strange but some of us require occupation.”
    “Oh, do not worry.” Lizzie yawned. “I know Lowell prefers to work morning, noon and night. We would see a great deal more of him here at Spring House if it were not so. Last time we met I told him how very tedious and bourgeois it was of him!” She slewed around in her seat so she could look at Alice properly.“And do not think that I have not noticed how restless you become when you feel you have little to do, Alice. You are the same.”
    “Bourgeois,” Alice said. “I know.”
    Lizzie had the grace to look a little ashamed. “I did not mean that. It is merely that you prefer to keep occupied.”
    This, Alice thought, was true and well observed of Lizzie, who could sometimes surprise with her insights. “Leading the life of an heiress bores me dreadfully,” she admitted. “I need to be active. It is a pity that Mama does not feel the same. She sits here each day waiting for genteel callers who never arrive and then she feels most dreadfully snubbed.”
    “Now that you plan to start a charity for destitute servants, you will be very busy indeed,” Lizzie said. “I am surprised that Mr. Churchward agreed to advance you the money for it. I hear he is very proper and some of those girls are fallen women.”
    “Most of them have done nothing more than make a mistake,” Alice said carefully, wishing that Lizzie were not quite so