Pride & Passion. Charlotte Featherstone

Читать онлайн.
Название Pride & Passion
Автор произведения Charlotte Featherstone
Жанр Историческая литература
Серия Mills & Boon Historical
Издательство Историческая литература
Год выпуска 0
isbn 9781408943762



Скачать книгу

think your friend would like it if I were not to attend,” he drawled, making Lucy’s face flame.

      “Oh, Adrian, do not tease. Lady Lucy means nothing of the sort … she only seeks to remind you of the obvious. Tonight is lodge night.”

      “Ah, yes, but one only has these special opportunities arise so infrequently. The lodge can wait, I believe. Yes,” he murmured thoughtfully as he watched her. “I think I shall send word around to Mrs. Sumner that the three of us shall be attending. If you’ll excuse me, ladies.”

      And that was the end of it. Of course, Mrs. Sumner would be ecstatic to receive the Duke of Sussex. The man was a paragon in society, and every matron swooned at the thought of having the duke attend their gathering. There was no possible hope for it now. She was committed to an evening out with Sussex. And she knew very well what everyone in the ton would be speculating come the morning—that she and Sussex had an understanding.

      Blast him for so easily commanding the upper hand!

      “You are in for it now,” Isabella whispered into her ear. “Here is the end of your avoidance of his grace.”

      Refusing to acknowledge Isabella’s outrageous, but truthful, claim, Lucy stared out the window, wondering what dreadful illness she might concoct to relieve her of the night’s invitation.

      “I cannot say how excited I am,” Lizzy said with a smile that was beaming. “I adore music. One doesn’t need the gift of sight to enjoy it. And it’s been such an age since I left the house to do more than shop, or visit Isabella. Thank you, Lucy, for inviting me. What wonderful friends you and Isabella have become.”

      How could she do this, deny Elizabeth an outing? Lizzy was a good friend, and Lucy was being a poor one, thinking of nothing else but her own discomfort. No, she could not do this, hurt Elizabeth. One insufferable night with his grace. She could tolerate it, if for nothing else but the enjoyment of her friend.

      “Lucy and I feel very much the same, Lizzy,” Isabella added.

      “Well, then,” she said, while checking the door. His grace had left for his study, and Lucy wanted to be far, far away if he decided to return to the salon. “Shall we go upstairs and choose your gown for the evening?”

      “Oh, yes, yes, of course. You and Isabella have such a way with descriptions. I can almost see when you two are around.”

      Lucy dearly wished her knack with descriptions worked with words of denial. Because she truly wished she would have found the right words to say to make the duke leave before their conversation had even started.

      “But first, Lucy, I think you must take a few minutes to peruse the conservatory. We had planned on it during your last visit, and time got away from us, if I recall.”

      The idea of a few stolen moments of silence and solitude lured her to agree. That was what she needed, a moment or two to gather her spiraling thoughts, and set herself to rights.

      “If that would be agreeable, I would love to. There was a beautiful, bright pink flower that needs further investigation, I believe.”

      “Oh, the lily. Yes, yes.” Lizzy nodded. “And wait till you smell them. Gorgeous scent—heady and exotic. I’ve asked Sussex for an accurate description, but I shan’t bore you with what he told me.”

      “Well, then I am convinced that I shall give you a better description, Lizzy. I won’t be long, however.”

      Together they rose, and Lucy watched as her cousin escorted Lizzy from the room, grateful for a few minutes of peace to gather her thoughts.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4STHRXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgADAEAAAMAAAABAfQAAAEBAAMAAAABArwAAAECAAMAAAADAAAA ngEGAAMAAAABAAIAAAESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEVAAMAAAABAAMAAAEaAAUAAAABAAAApAEbAAUAAAAB AAAArAEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAExAAIAAAAgAAAAtAEyAAIAAAAUAAAA1IdpAAQAAAABAAAA6AAAASAA CAAIAAgADqYAAAAnEAAOpgAAACcQQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIENTNiAoTWFjaW50b3NoKQAyMDE1 OjA4OjEyIDE3OjIzOjMwAAAEkAAABwAAAAQwMjIxoAEAAwAAAAH//wAAoAIABAAAAAEAAAXcoAMA BAAAAAEAAAg0AAAAAAAAAAYBAwADAAAAAQAGAAABGgAFAAAAAQAAAW4BGwAFAAAAAQAAAXYBKAAD AAAAAQACAAACAQAEAAAAAQAAAX4CAgAEAAAAAQAAI0EAAAAAAAAASAAAAAEAAABIAAAAAf/Y/+0A DEFkb2JlX0NNAAL/7gAOQWRvYmUAZIAAAAAB/9sAhAAMCAgICQgMCQkMEQsKCxEVDwwMDxUYExMV ExMYEQwMDAwMDBEMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMAQ0LCw0ODRAODhAUDg4OFBQO Dg4OFBEMDAwMDBERDAwMDAwMEQwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAz/wAARCACgAHID ASIAAhEBAxEB/90ABAAI/8QBPwAAAQUBAQEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAwABAgQFBgcICQoLAQABBQEBAQEB AQAAAAAAAAABAAIDBAUGBwgJCgsQAAEEAQMCBAIFBwYIBQMMMwEAAhEDBCESMQVBUWETInGBMgYU kaGxQiMkFVLBYjM0coLRQwclklPw4fFjczUWorKDJkSTVGRFwqN0NhfSVeJl8rOEw9N14/NGJ5Sk hbSVxNTk9KW1xdXl9VZmdoaWprbG1ub2N0dXZ3eHl6e3x9fn9xEAAgIBAgQEAwQFBgcHBgU1AQAC EQMhMRIEQVFhcSITBTKBkRShsUIjwVLR8DMkYuFygpJDUxVjczTxJQYWorKDByY1wtJEk1SjF2RF VTZ0ZeLys4TD03Xj80aUpIW0lcTU5PSltcXV5fVWZnaGlqa2xtbm9ic3R1dnd4eXp7fH/9oADAMB AAIRAxEAPwCntcDyfvK5rrlpb1W6l7yA+lkGSNdntXaHDd2VXE6NiZ+Vl5ppOTfTWPRpYJseKnVU Wvb7XubXS23f+jb69v8Ag1W5HKBOWSR9EI+r9LWXywjH96Xqdb4tUcEYAeucxwj5dIj1TlL9GMfQ +dNusbEvdEQdTIPiu96aHfs7EduJmivuf3Qi53SMG630mFrqrWs+zvJbYHWWBhsa22uG242K71Gs vx6v0/8ApP0SL0Wlt2CKmN2uw3OxLBz7qtJn87cxzFJzuWGTGPblfBL1CQ4SOL/Ckw/CpEZZjJHh Mo+mjxA8J/uwWh/7x+9MfUj6Tp+JWozp7jyPwU/2cO4WdbrnJFyWi135x+8ooqf4k/MrUb0zaAS0 gHie6r5t2FgaXu/SEbhU0S6P3nfm1s/l2Jp4joAsOWA1JararDpLvvKI3Bt3NdD9COCexWZd9bMK g7vsj3snkPAJHi39G5q2OifWDE6rUX4gsrcPa6t5mPg9vtd7UJ48ojxEGlo5nGTwxIJd6y9xaYJ+ k1Pbe8XV6n6A7+ZR2YTrWllUOcC0kbgNBzyU+ThlmRXv0Dmw0ggzHuPBUEo5ALo13a4yYrrTY6fR 5duRaOu5BLj9Np5P7jVmYOY+v6yZZLjDrW9z+6xq3MnALesWns57Pwa1czU5rvrBkQObh+Rqlxm+ L+4Pt9LJIQkBXX9rc+1f8I7x5KSp7h+EpKemH2w//9DY9MTyuey+sdJ6TknpuRZZi349rsurIra4 tf6wa+ovNbvUrysP30UP9K+h+M+3f/PLqzWCddwHeWELnc76w/VjDzn4/WunizNa1m/1MDGsfxW9 n6Y2W+ox9P0fd+f+YsjkZkynGpSBGsMfz6fLP/BdX4kYyjCx6gTUiNB+9H/CaNv1p+q1jbH2Wfrd rT61tWObKLCPz68Sy3H+zZNu2ne9vp03WU/zeP8Azi6H6p9LGP0Sm5zjbd1AnOuef3rw1zW6fuVC vd/wnqLmrPrb9UXWSzpWPtMRV9gxpnj+dj853u/m/wDg/wDhl231Ub1DLw3ZeRV9nxbW1fYKgK2N FLWn31UY7nNorsc72sf71Z5oEQNQnjEiL9z9Lh2jFp8vIQkCSCQCBW+raGKS3zT14fvG7UTrOq1G 40dlV6j1LpHSWB/U8urFkS1r3e8jxZU3dY/+yxVYWSANfJsS5i7aXW2dRbhWO6Z6LMnQVfaH7awJ 9ziXbm+pt9lTfoLy02ZOdlWYVjQzqm9xvbkO2t3Atrbtf/h7X7t37mz+aXV/Wf8Axj9Or9FnRwM7 H3TlF4dW2xvHoMedt1X+k9Viu5PVfq/ndDd1foOHVVmZABtqLGte5zT+lre6P56p53ss/wAIrYjK MDIgWdr0LHGQlIRNuLhfUmrGa/J6vcMy2t7vs+OJrpe4fRc58bvpI/TcnDGT+0OodPyemWM3VV2Y x9Oq4ACt1t9Lvf6mJu9n0/p/4WtZNf1/yTS7GyaWG4SG2Ebmg8Ts+kul+rmI7K6LZlZOQ3JtyCa6 aGP3Npr7vvpY70qsq+d30P5n/riZIT1M+38qZwcYjQvf7WXU/rT0nFpAx2+vba4OfewllkiP0rbG 7XMs9q43qP1pz39QGbjZlgpLbWVsdG5rt2529g/wTnOarHWqMfD6oGY9tbfSaXk3mGbmNc/Z/XdH 6P8A4RchdluteXFrWO8K518XPku3J+PCJCyLvuiWUQ20e9+p/W83q/VbRkGWM2HbzBja73INNY/5 x5MD2i8f9S1B/wAWQm7II+k57BPlCutaB9ZcoDg5A/6lir5YiGTIIigI1/0WTDIzAJ66tP03/u/m /ikr2z+R+bCSPGzcL//R9AZ0ugd1551b6j531k+v+eBuxulY/wBnbkZcan9BSfs+NuG2y93/AG3j /wA5b/gabvU4ChVdXc0uZqGucw/Fp2OWby9cvIyjXFKJj5M05zmPUSQHgPrd/i1xPszc/wCrmOK8 rFYGnDaTtta0bA9m8/0pv/s1/wAeun+pRLvqp0oOEOZjMY4HQgtGza5H6v1HMxbcerErbYbXH1S4 /RAgN/znPROn5udaGi7BNIPLg5sf1tspx5njAxTJIgbB+bdPsSEPc09X9YA1G/0UX1m69jfV7o93 Uby0OH6PHa6Yfa6fSZtb7ncepZt/wTF4P1fr2Tn5VmRY82W3HdbY8DcT4fnbWt/NqZ+jq+gux/xy dVN3VMTpjHezCq9ayD/hLjDW/wBf0q27f+MXm8q1hxxEbHVYTQ8