Colors of a Lady Read Online Free PDF Page A

Earl of Sheridan,
Lady Emma Wren sat down to tea. In the back parlour with its airy
lavender walls, Emma broke the news carefully to Miss Helena
Mallory and Miss Lettice Devine. She poured them each a cup a tea
and they reacted as only they could.
    Lettice's eyes were shining with thoughts of
true love. That was the only way Lord Hartwell would ever rebuke
Caroline in favour of Emma. He must have fallen in love with her
during their fated dance. To Helena though, she was repulsed at the
sacrifice her friend was making. He may be handsome as the devil,
but arranged marriages rarely provided any level of contentment for
those involved.
    “This is magical,” Lettice crooned, hands
clasped together in awe at this beautiful miracle. This love was
true. Her prayers had been answered. Helena, however, remained
unconvinced. She found the idea of love as believable as unicorns.
Love was simply not their lot in life. They were brood mares to
their husbands and fathers. These protestations did not stop the
sweaty palms that plagued her whenever she was around a certain
blond earl.
    “This is absurd,” she countered, eyes
narrowing at her cup of tea. “Did you put sugar in this?”
    Emma shook her head. That would have been a
disaster. Helena hated sweetness, preferring spicy flavours that
numbed her lips. Last time Emma had absently put sugar in her tea,
the redhead had made quite a dramatic show of herself. Most took
Helena to be a fun-loving, rambunctious debutante, but there was a
stoic quality to her personality. It displayed itself readily as
she remained firmly against any nonsense such as true love.
    Emma nibbled on a biscuit. She would have
loved to devour all the tiny desserts presented on the tray. Her
current mood was that of despair only to be quenched by food.
Gaining pounds before her wedding would not help entreat her
husband to her. But, she could not let these treats go to waste.
She raised her shoulders, a helpless action.
    “It is rather soon, I must admit.” She
glanced towards the door of the parlour and leaned forward towards
her friends. “Caroline is not happy at all. She will not talk to
me, neither will my mother. Because of this, my father's sister,
Aunt Lucille, will be taking me to outfit me for my marriage. She
will be arriving from Italy soon. I do hope you two can come along
as well.”
    “Of course we will,” Helena replied. She
looked over to Lettice for her to agree. Instead, the blonde's
hands were shaking as she slammed the delicate teacup on the
tray.
    “The females in your immediate family are
utterly ridiculous!” The outburst was so unlike the normally
complacent girl that it drew the complete and undivided attention
of Emma and Helena. She crossed her arms beneath her chest and
scowled, the expression disrupting her pale beauty. “They need to
learn to be gracious and accept defeat when it confronts them,” she
said, her voice suddenly low. It is bad manners to disparage them
in their own home.
    “On the other hand, your Aunt Lucille is a
lovely woman and will be of the utmost help to you. Though
unmarried, I am sure she will offer you great advice instead of
neglecting you due to her own pitiful sense of pride.” She drew a
breath and continued.
    “If only your sister had been more mindful
of how she appeared to whom really mattered in the ton: our
parents. Then perhaps she would be married as we speak with a baby
boy and a man discreetly on the side. Your mother could be out
visiting her dearest daughter and you would have been able to come
out as the belle of the ball as you had hoped.” She reached for her
cup and took a long gulp to calm her nerves and then sat it down
quietly.
    Helena looked to Emma, their faces similar
masks of surprise. Lydia reached up her hand to smooth her shiny
hair and smiled at Emma sincerely.
    “My dear, I do believe that Lord Hartwell
must have seen something in you that made him leave your sister.
That is love at first sight in its truest