Free The Duchess by Bertrice Small

fortunate.”
    “Am I not fortunate also, Papa?” Allegra asked him. “After all, I am to be a duchess, the wife of the man with the bluest blood in all of England.”
    “You are fortunate, Allegra,” Lord Morgan assured his daughter. “Quinton Hunter has no stain upon his reputation. He will be a good husband to you, my dear. See that you are as good a wife.”
    “I will be, Papa. After I get used to the idea of it,” she amended her promise.
    “Wear one of your prettiest dresses tonight,” Lord Morgan advised her. “And, I shall see that both you and Sirena have beautiful wedding gowns and trousseaux. You have both done very well for your families and I am proud of my pair of girls.”
    “Ohh, Papa, what will you do without me?” Allegra wondered. Then she brightened. “Why, Papa, you must marry Aunt Olympia!”
    Lord Morgan flushed beet red. “God's mercy, Allegra, whatever made you say a thing like that?”
    Allegra looked hard at her father whose features borea distinctly guilty look of sorts. “Perhaps,” she said, “I say it because I realize that you and my aunt suit. She is a respectable widow, and you the injured party in a divorce settled years ago. Do you really want her to go back to that tiny dower house at Rowley? Would she not grace your table once I am gone, Papa? Be a most amenable companion?”
    “You are too clever by far, you minx,” he replied. “I will admit to you that I have considered marrying again. Do you not think, Allegra, that if I choose your aunt there might be gossip?”
    “If I have learned one thing this season, Papa, it is that there will always be gossip, even of the most innocent situation. You and my aunt are perfect for one another. I shall, of course, say nothing of our conversation, Papa, but I should not be unhappy if you wed Aunt Olympia one day.”
    “It pleases me that I have your blessing,” he replied dryly.
    Allegra laughed. “I had best decide what to wear to Almack's this evening,” she said, kissing his brow. Then she hurried from the room and ran upstairs to her aunt's rooms where she knew Sirena and Ocky would now be. “Are you pleased, Aunt?” she asked as she entered Lady Abbott's apartment. “Sirena has bagged herself a lovely viscount.”
    “Allegra!” her aunt cried, flushing, for that was exactly what she had been thinking. She could barely wait to tell Augustus.
    “Do you really think I'm lovely?” Viscount Pickford asked, chuckling. “I don't think I've ever been called lovely before.”
    “Definitely lovely,” Allegra responded. “I think my cousin most fortunate, as are you, Ocky. May you have many happy years.”
    Sirena burst into tears. “Ohh, if only you would find the same happiness that I have found,” she sobbed.
    “The richest girl in England must settle, dearest coz, for a splendid title, and I will. True love is most rare as we all know, Sirena. You and Ocky are among the more fortunate.” Then Allegra turned to Viscount Pickford. “Ocky, will you allow Rupert Tanner to stay with you? Papa feels gossip might ensue if he remained here, especially as Papa turned down Lord Ackerly's proposal for my hand. He's a very nice fellow as I am certain you have already ascertained.”
    “Of course he may stay with us,” Viscount Pickford replied.
    “Thank you, Lovely,” Allegra responded mischievously. “I must go and choose a gown for Almack's tonight. Lord, for all their pretensions it is a dreary place. The rooms are quite unattractive, and the dance floor dreadful. As for the supper, we shall not even mention it, but then one does not go to Almack's to eat, but to be seen.” Blowing them all a kiss she departed her aunt's chamber.
    “She can be so outrageous,” Lady Abbott said weakly. “I don't know what you must think of her, Octavian.”
    “I think she is charming, madame,” the viscount responded. “And as Sirena loves her so dearly, that is good enough for me.”
    The subject of their conversation