Free Patricia Veryan - [Sanguinet Saga 07] - Married Past Redemption by Patricia Veryan

it so
dreadful to have borrowed from him?"
    Mrs. Van Lindsay muttered a miserable, "His mother was well
born, but his sister Leith is of very low repute. And his papa was
caught… cheating at cards!"
    "Yes! Yes!" said Lisette, gripping her hands in her eagerness.
"Assuredly you would not wish me to marry into so wretched a house!"
    "Oh, he's a good enough catch," asserted Mr. Van Lindsay,
hurriedly mending his fences. "Half the ladies in the
ton
are dropping the handkerchief for him!"
    "And it is quite a different matter to accept so eligible a
bachelor as a bridegroom than to have it known he made us loans,"
Philippa decreed regally. "His lineage is not so bad, I expect—just
that wretched father. And his sister, but you'd likely seldom see her."
    "I hear the Leiths reside in Berkshire pretty much all year
round," said Humphrey, treading closer. "Strand's not a
muckworm,m'dear, I'll give him that. Likely he'd agree to a magnificent
settlement!"
    Her brief hope shattered, Lisette stared blankly before her.
Whatever had happened to all her hopes—her dreams of becoming the bride
of a splendid fighting man like Tristram Leith? Camille Damon's quiet
words seemed to echo in her ears: "There is a time for pride…" For the
sake of her loved ones, she must swallow her own. But she would not
think of it now. Surely something must happen to save her. Surely some
valiant gentleman would appear to rescue her from this horrid fate.
Meanwhile… "Very well," she said dully. "If Justin Strand offers, I—I
will accept."

Chapter 4
    Justin Strand did not call in Portland Place next
day, nor did he appear during the following week. Lisette's
nervous fears eased a little; to all outward appearances she was bright
and happy, delighting the beaux who had sorely missed her during her
"indisposition." The most assiduous of these was James Garvey. He
called at least once each day and was quick to notice that his
reception, at least from the senior Van Lindsays, was cooler than had
been accorded him previously, and that his fair Lisette occasionally
seemed a trifle preoccupied. Mr. Garvey was a shrewd gentleman; he had
waited a considerable time before contemplating so binding a step as
matrimony. In Miss Van Lindsay, however, he thought to have found the
ideal mate, and heiress, for everyone knew that her penny-pinching
grandmama was rich as Croesus. He had thought to have a clear field,
but the changed attitudes in Portland Place caused him some unease, and
he proceeded to pursue his chosen bride with single-minded
determination. Judith formed the habit of waiting for the florist's
cart to arrive on the street each day, whereupon she herself would bear
the current offering to her sister. It was usually impressive, and on
the following Wednesday morning consisted of an enormous bouquet of
white roses.
    "Just like a wedding," she sighed, delivering the flowers to
Sanders and the card to Lisette. "I doubt you'll need a shawl, dearest.
It's warm out."
    Tying the pink satin ribbons of her fetching little bonnet,
Lisette admired the roses, smiled at the message Mr. Garvey had
inscribed on the card, and said, "How lovely. And how nice to see the
sun. Have you your books? Is Norman to accompany us?"
    "No." Judith giggled. "Mr. Worth is taking him to see the
Elgin Marbles. He was grumpy as a bear when he heard Miss Lovell has a
bad cold and will not come for my lessons today."
    "If you was to ask me," Sanders volunteered, "Miss Lovell
should have never been allowed to go daily. A young lady needs a
governess until she has made her come-out."
    They all knew that Miss Lovell now lived at home and only came
from ten until four each day because the Van Lindsays could no longer
afford a resident governess. With a pang, Lisette thought that when she
was wed Judith would be able to have a proper governess again. Aloud,
she said, "I would think Mr. Worth might have offered to take you with
them, dear."
    "Go to a history lesson with my brother and his