Clarissa and the Poor Relations Read Online Free PDF Page B

he knew of the scandal of the broken engagement and when he had applied at her home to find her he had met with the squirming equivocations of her brother. He had seen at a glance that young Petersham had behaved in some scoundrel-y fashion to his sister and it was only his breeding that had prevented him wringing out of him Oriana’s direction. Not whilst a guest in his house, but Grandiston had not yet finished with Fitzroy Petersham. Now barely two weeks later, Oriana Petersham lay upstairs in her bed, more beautiful and desirable than ever. He knew where she was bound, and like the General that his friends in the Regiment had called him, he slowly considered his strategy in this next campaign.

 
 
 
 
 
Chapter 4
The Word Spreads
     
     
    Sir Fitzroy Petersham received his sister’s letter with annoyance. He had tried to forget her existence in the year since her dreadful disobedience and the short-lived scandal of the broken engagement. That there would never have been a scandal had he not put the announcement of the marriage into the Morning Post without first consulting the prospective bride, he did not consider at all. As usual his sister, favourite of his late father and mother, had humiliated him. Oriana’s dashed popularity in her London season had meant that much of her acquaintance had continued to inquire after her and he had been obliged to prevaricate as to her whereabouts, passing it off as a visit to friends abroad. He could not well say that his sister would rather teach in a girl’s school than live with him and he worried that the daughter of one of his friends might one day be taught by his sister. However, most members of the ton had ignored the school which promised to educate young ladies in Latin and Greek and other subjects unnecessary, indeed, undesirable, for fashionable young ladies. He had suffered the visit from Grandiston and now he had to worry what next she would do. Would his friends accept a story of Oriana lending her companionship to a friend? Perhaps this might actually take the pressure off him; he could furnish her friends with her new direction.
    He was a handsome young man of athletic build like his father, but without any strength of character on his dark good looks. He had been pleased to accede to his father’s dignities at the age of twenty- three, but apart from spending a great deal of money he had changed very little. He had taken to ordering the servants with all of his father’s imperiousness, but without his fairness, and knew himself to be despised by them. He fancied himself to be a sporting gentleman, but he was too craven in the saddle to attempt the heroics of his father or sister. His mother had indulged his sulks and he missed her greatly. He had many acquaintances, but no close friends, and he would have welcomed Oriana’s presence in his great empty house, if only so that he could bully her and allow her to run the estate as she always had. He was tired of his agent asking him to make decisions about his dashed tenants. Her contempt, however, he could not have borne. The servants, at least, could not display theirs’.
    He had determined to go to London, but hoped to avoid another uncomfortable conversation with Grandiston. What concern of his was Oriana’s welfare? He behaved as though she had been consigned to his care. It was for her brother to decide upon her future. Yet again, Oriana had pre-empted his control of her and he did not like it but he could not well decide upon the right course of action.
    As chance would have it, he was accosted in Albemarle Street by the Honourable Charles Booth, nattily attired in blue long-tailed coat and a yellow waistcoat.
    ‘Ah, Petersham.’
    ‘Booth. I thought you would be out of town at this season.’ Petersham had not given it any thought at all, for Booth was not one of his intimates and he was a trifle surprised to be hailed by him.
    ‘Visiting my mother. She’s been kept in town by an outbreak of