Catch a Falling Heiress: An American Heiress in London Read Online Free PDF

summers she could want with a man she knew and understood, a man who came from the same world she did and wanted the same things she did, a man who cared for her, not her money, a man of whom she was genuinely fond.
    Fond.
    She grimaced a bit at the word, remembering several of the men in London who had described their feelings for her in such a way. Her affection for Frederick went deeper than that, of course, for she’d known him all her life. And was romantic passion any better a guarantee of happiness than the affection she felt for Frederick? She thought of Conrath, and she decided it was not.
    “Linnet?” Her mother’s voice, low but urgent, called to her, and she came out of her reverie with a start. She glanced around and realized the object of her thoughts had disappeared.
    “What happened to Frederick?” she asked, as her mother bustled over to her side. “He was talking to you a moment ago.”
    “Frederick?” Helen Holland’s round face creased into a bewildered frown, showing that although that particular man might be dominating Linnet’s thoughts, her parent’s mind was on something else altogether. “He’s wandered off somewhere,” she added, waving a hand toward the French doors onto the terrace. “Never mind Frederick. We’ve something much more important to discuss.” She pulled her daughter slightly away from the group of her friends. “Linnet, there are three British peers here tonight.”
    Linnet groaned. “Oh, Mother, not again.”
    Helen, of course, ignored this admonishment. “To think, after doing London with no success, you have another chance. Look over there.” When Linnet didn’t move, Helen gave an impatient sigh, put an arm around her shoulders, and turned her toward the three men Frederick had already pointed out to her, and she could only thank heaven that at this moment none of them were looking in her direction. “Don’t stare, of course,” her mother murmured in her ear, “but aren’t they handsome?”
    “For goodness’ sake!” Without bothering to consider the question, Linnet shrugged to dislodge her mother’s arm from around her shoulders, then turned to face her. “I don’t want to marry a British lord. How many times must I say it?”
    Helen’s face creased again, this time with disapproval. “That is a most unladylike tone,” she said with injured dignity. “The gentlemen are standing a dozen feet away at most, and if they heard you speaking to me this way, they might decide you would not suit as a peeress and dismiss you from consideration.”
    “If so, then I hope they would also believe I mean what I say and set their sights elsewhere.”
    “And if they do, where will you be?” Helen lifted a hand to indicate the assemblage around them. “You want to marry one of our own, but you’ve known these men all your life, and love hasn’t bloomed for you with any of them. Will it ever? You’re twenty-one, Linnet, and time is going by. Most of your friends are already married. Another year, maybe two, and you’ll be an old maid. Is that what you want?”
    Linnet lowered her head, pressing one gloved hand to her forehead. She’d hoped that in coming home, this topic would be laid to rest, at least for a while, but now she realized her mother’s relentless campaign to marry her off would never stop, not until she’d walked down the aisle and said her vows.
    “Now, about these three gentlemen,” Helen resumed, mistaking Linnet’s silence for acquiescence, “they are staying here at The Tides, so Mrs. Dewey was able to tell me all about them. The blond one is quite good-looking, don’t you think?”
    Linnet didn’t bother to lift her head. Her mother didn’t notice.
    “He’s the Earl of Hayward,” Helen chirped on, “son of the Marquess of Wetherford. Still, I’m not sure he’ll do for you.”
    Linnet didn’t ask why, but, of course, she didn’t have to.
    “He’s shorter than you, and it’s never good for a man to be shorter than