Free A Lady of Letters by Andrea Pickens Page A

the lucky lady?"
     
    "Er, well." Ashford tugged at the collar of his shirt, then lowered his voice to a near whisper. "Miss Denton does not seem adverse to my attentions and though I've not spoken as yet...." His words trailed off as he watched the lady in question turn a graceful figure in the current set. "Is she not a veritable angel?" he exclaimed in a hushed tone suitable for church.
     
    "An angel," repeated Augusta, with a tad less reverence. "I wish you luck in ascending to heaven, Jamie. Truly I do." On watching the diminutive blonde lower her heart-shaped face and bat her eyelashes at her current partner, she had a feeling her friend was going to need it.
     
    "Then you aren't... upset?" ventured Ashford.
     
    "Don't be a gudgeon, Jamie. I have told you, we are much better suited as friends."
     
    He breathed a sigh of relief. "Come, you must promise me the next dance, so that I may tell you all about Cynthia."
     
    She did not have the heart to tell him that even a close friendship had its limits, and so, with some reluctance, she allowed herself to be led out.
     
    It was a waltz. The bows of the violins fairly danced over the strings, the notes from the piano lilted to a crescendo but somehow, her own pulse did not quicken in the quite same way as when she had previously matched her steps to the melody. Ashford's enthusiastic ramblings required little response, giving her a chance to think on what she had just heard.
     
    Ludlowe. It was one of the six names still on her list. She searched her memory to recall what she knew of him, then finally remembered he was the gentleman who had rented the old Trilling estate last Michaelmas quarter. Few in the neighborhood were actually acquainted with him, as he seemed rarely to visit the place.
     
    She glanced toward her sister, who was still in conversation with him as she sat out the waltz. Though his back was to her, Augusta could see he was above average in height, with a fitted coat of hunter green superfine and fawn pantaloons that bespoke the sure hand of Weston. He wore the clothes well, showing shoulders that needed no wadding or buckram to exaggerate their breath and strong muscular legs that were no doubt the envy of his less athletic friends. His auburn hair was cut short and artfully arranged in the latest style, and when he turned to bow over her sister's hand, she caught a glimpse of a profile that might have been sculpted by the creators of Lord Elgin's marbles.
     
    "Are you acquainted with Ludlowe, Jamie?" she asked as her friend's flood of praise finally showed signs of ebbing.
     
    It took him a moment to abandon the subject dear to his heart. "Oh, er, not really. Spends most of his time in Town and runs with a bit different crowd than I am used to."
     
    Augusta darted another quick look at the gentleman in question. "What do you mean?"
     
    He shrugged. "Oh, you know I much prefer the quiet life of the country. Ludlowe is said to enjoy the pleasures of Town. Word is, he's a bang up horseman, extraordinarily lucky at cards and a convivial host, which no doubt he can well afford to be, considering his expectations. What makes you ask?"
     
    "No real reason," she snapped, unable to hide the pinch of irritation in her voice. Her present mode of investigating was unearthing precious little information of use. She was going to have to resort to some other method, and soon!
     
    Ashord's brow wrinkled in consternation. "Why—" he began, then his own gaze fell on the conversing couple. "Oh, I see. Is the fellow paying particular attention to Marianne, then?"
     
    "No more than half the eligible bachelors in Town, along with a good deal of unsuitable ones as well," she remarked dryly.
     
    Ashford grinned. "Perhaps the Goddess of Greenfield has a new acolyte kneeling at the altar of her beauty."
     
    "Pray, don't let her hear you repeat that moniker lest you wish her to toss a vase filled with her latest offerings at you."
     
    "And well I know how good her