Free Once Upon A Dream by Grace Burrowes Mary Balogh Page A

he said, "Miss Thompson would be as surprised to hear the news as I am."
    She looked hard at him while Miss Everly changed hands to smooth out the other glove. "Perhaps, Lord Staunton," Lady Connaught said, "it is time for
some
announcement to be made. Or perhaps it is in your nature to procrastinate. You still seem not to have made up your mind to send your daughter
    to a school where her shocking behavior will be taken in hand before it is too late. And you still have not taken the step the whole of the beau monde has
    been expecting any time since Easter. I am a patient woman, but where my daughter is concerned my patience has its limits."
    And Michael knew in a flash that his conscience was clear. Yes, he had singled out Miss Everly during the Season, but never to such a marked degree that
    his interest would be generally seen as a courtship. Several times when they had been in the same theater or picnic party it had been none of his doing,
    just as the fact that they were together here had had nothing to do with him. He had admired the young lady, he had even considered her as a possible wife,
    but he had never come even close to declaring himself or compromising her. He had never been alone with her and had never so much as kissed the back of her
    hand if memory served him correctly. Rather, he had been pursued, persistently and relentlessly. He glanced at Miss Everly, who was looking off toward the
    cricket game, an expression of faint scorn on her face.
    "Miss Everly is fortunate to have a parent so devoted to her wellbeing, ma'am," he said. "As a parent myself I can well understand. Giving due
    consideration to decisions that will affect the whole of the future of one's child is not procrastination in my vocabulary, however. My dearest wish is to
    do the right thing for the future happiness of both my children, but it is not always easy to know just what that right thing is. Until I do know, I will
    not act. As for any expectations the
ton
may have of me, ma'am, I do not know what they might be and do not normally allow my actions to be
    dictated by others anyway. I am a widower with two children, and those children's happiness must always come first with me, even before my own inclination
    if there should ever be a conflict. Fortunately, I do not believe that has happened yet."
    "I believe, Lord Staunton," Lady Connaught said, "you have made yourself perfectly clear. My daughter has been much in demand this year. After this house
    party is over, we will be on our way to that of the Marchioness of Borgland. Her son the marquess—his father died two years ago, you may
    recall—made a special request of her that we be invited. I believe it will be a more exclusive and refined gathering than this, with
    children—if there are any—confined very correctly to the schoolroom and the care of their nurses. We accepted the invitation here only because
    the Duchess of Bewcastle was insistent, but her humble origins have been apparent all week, have they not? There has been much that has bordered upon
    vulgarity. One can only pity the poor duke."
    Robert was still in the thick of the cricket crowd, Michael saw at a quick glance, and Georgette was seated on the grass beside Lizzie, Attingsborough's
    baby, now awake, on her lap. He had a fistful of her hair in his chubby hand and she was grimacing and laughing. Miss Thompson and Bewcastle were back from
    their walk and were making directly this way. Michael stood aside to include them in the group.
    "Ma'am, Miss Everly," Bewcastle said, addressing both ladies, "it has ever been my observation that young children are able to express their exuberance
    only in shrill shrieks and squeals. It is remarkably gracious of you to have come out here with the rest of the company to have your ears murdered. Have
    you attempted the wilderness walk yet? It is not as arduous as it may look, and it offers a number of very pleasing prospects and a measure of peace and
    quiet. It would be my