Free The Impossible Ward by Dorothy Mack Page A

of. She certainly has breeding, and if you had the wit to see beneath the admittedly dowdy exterior, you would know that she is a handsome girl at least, perhaps even a beauty.” To her son’s speechless surprise his gentle mother continued in severe tones. “I have never known you to be so harsh in your judgment before, Justin. I know I am going to love having Marianne here, and you shall regret those unkind words when I have finished with her. Her complexion is very brown to be sure, but it is beautifully clear and when the effects of too much sun and wind have faded will be one of her strongest assets, I am persuaded. Her eyes are magnificent, her features good, and her smile simply lights up her face. I cannot quite tell about her figure yet, swathed as she was in that disguising dress, but the right clothes will make a difference.”
    Justin could have told his mother that there was nothing at all wrong with his ward’s figure, but prudently remained silent. Her next words aroused him however.
    “That awful cap must go of course, and we shall have to arrange for her to have a fashionable crop. I shall—”
    “No!” The single syllable was short, sharp, and quite definitive.
    The marchioness blinked. “But, dearest, she is too young for a cap, even a pretty one. It would set her amongst the spinsters, and long hair is unfashionable these days. Look at Caroline Lamb, not that I mean to hold her up as a model of feminine beauty, but you cannot deny that the shorter styles are a la mode at the moment.”
    “Her hair is her best feature. It is long and smooth and black as night. I won’t have it cut. Surely she does not have to conform to fashionable dictates in every last particular?”
    If her ladyship wondered how her son could so explicitly describe his ward’s hair when the girl apparently kept it constantly concealed, she did not allow her curiosity any vocal expression.
    “Well, perhaps we may devise some attractive style without cutting,” she temporized. “She will need a complete wardrobe of course. It is most unfortunate that she is in mourning; black is so unflattering to a fading suntan, but we shall contrive something.”
    “Black? Must she be garbed completely in black?” Justin looked both startled and displeased.
    “Well, she is in mourning, you are aware. If she wore colors it would set up people’s backs, and that would never do. She will be the cynosure of all eyes anyway, thanks to Perry’s ill-considered and selfish actions.”
    “You are correct of course, Mama. When she appears in public she must wear black for a time, but surely here in the house she may be permitted more latitude. In fact,” he continued with some reluctance, “she may prove difficult on this point. She told me she could not mourn a man she never knew existed. One must concede there is some merit in her stand, and less hypocrisy than to appear wrapped in black from head to toe.”
    His mother heaved a deep sigh. “I can see there might be some unexpected problems ahead of us, but,” she went on more optimistically, “I do believe Marianne will allow me to be her guide in matters of social custom.”
    Her son was staring at her with a rather enigmatic smile. “I wish you success, of course, Mama, but for my part, I have not found Lady Marianne to be at all biddable.”
    The marchioness permitted herself the tiniest of smiles before saying gently, “Yes, it has struck me that you two do rather rub each other the wrong way.” She fought back a giggle. “Like two strange cats meeting on neutral ground.”
    “It is always an object with me to provide you with entertainment, of course, Mama,” he said smoothly, and grinned engagingly when the giggle refused to be suppressed any longer. His mother was wearing her mischievous imp expression which had been completely absent for four years. For the first time he felt in his heart that there would be some benefit to having Perry’s daughter foisted on them. He