Free Sweet Hoyden by Rachelle Edwards Page A

Hall."
    'Like two felons on the gibbet, my lord?"
    Her sarcasm was not taken amiss, for he laughed delightedly. "What a
fine humor you have, madame. It is a great attribute in a lady. My wife, I may
tell you, is fond of a lark. You would deal well together, I fancy."
    As she moved on to inspect anther exhibit, feel- ing she had wasted
sufficient time on Fanny Courdon's portrait, the earl accompanied her.
"Ah, your wife," she murmured. "I have heard she has had the
misfortune to be obliged to adjourn to the country."
    'Unfortunately so."
    'It couldn't be a worse time, unless, of course, she dislikes the diversions
of town."
    'In fact, she loves them. She will be most disappointed to have missed
today's exhibition, I assure you."
    'Then, let it be hoped she will soon have the means to return." After a
moment's pause Pandora ventured, "I do trust that she will be returning to
town before long."
    'I think not, madame," he answered, to her chagrin. "Her relative
is suffering a long illness, I fear. There is no possibility of a quick
recovery."
    Once again Pandora was obliged to swallow her anger. "That is indeed a
pity, my lord. I should have liked to make her acquaintance."
    'I do not doubt you will yet have the opportunity. You would, I am
persuaded, have a good deal in common." He glanced past her. "It
appears that Her Grace, the Duchess of Melway, desires a coze, so regretfully,
madame, I must leave you for now, but it would please me to have the honor of
driving you in the park on the morrow. Do I dare to hope you will join
me?"
    Pandora swallowed hard, for she recalled easily a similar invitation he had
issued at the start of their courtship. It was evident, however, that the
memory was not so clear to him. But when she smiled behind her flickering fan,
there was no sign of her despondency.
    'I shall look forward to it. Until the morrow, my
lord."
    The moment he had gone Pandora nodded grimly to Jeanne, who had stood aside
during the encounter, and a moment later they were gone.
    SIX
    At the appointed hour Pandora was dressed and ready for her ride in the
park. Even though she was always modishly dressed, on this occasion she had
chosen with particular care a blue velvet gown and a bonnet trimmed with
feathers. Around her neck she wore a sapphire necklace belonging to Rosamond's
French cousin.
    It was unusual that she was ready so early for the appointment. More often
than not Pandora kept everyone waiting, including the earl, who found the habit
irritating and did not hesitate to tell her so. Today, as she awaited his
arrival, she could not help but compare the occasion with the first time he had
ever taken her out in his carriage. Because he had long been pursued by
debutantes and their mothers, for Pandora to be seen sitting up beside him in
his phaeton delighted her and drew a great deal of attention from all of her
acquaintances and his. The fact was soon reported all over town and regarded as
a triumph for her. Today she felt some of the apprehension she had experienced
on that occasion, but little of the pleasure, for his attention had been
something she accepted as her due. Now, in view of his recent behavior, Pandora
acknowledged she should have questioned his character far more closely before
agreeing to marry him.
    To add to her current trials
Nan
was
becoming decidedly restless at being confined to the house and only being
allowed to attend her mistress's toilette. To make matters much more fraught
Frangois had taken violently against the appointment, and after being informed that
she would not be included in the outing, Jeanne had stormed off in a miff, exclaiming,
"Why is it I am only required for the dull outings?"
    Before Pandora could soothe away her anger, Jeanne had rushed out of the
house, jamming on her chipstraw bonnet. Her departure from the house coincided
exactly with Lord Ashville's arrival in his high-perch phaeton.
    As he handed the ribbons to a lackey, he glanced at the flushed girl who had
halted