Lady Dearing's Masquerade Read Online Free PDF

excuse me.”
    He got up, his face reddening, but his eyelid continued to twitch. No doubt his failure to win her cooperation would result in a dreadful scold from his darling Sophronia.
    “You will not reconsider what we have discussed?” he asked, his voice rising to a squeak.
    “Very well,” she replied. For a few seconds, she assumed a thoughtful expression, then shook her head. “No, I am extremely sorry but I still must decline your kind offer.”
    “You cannot have given it any thought!” he sputtered, dragging his heels as he followed her out of the drawing room and into the entrance hall where her butler awaited with his overcoat, hat and cane. Dear old Thurlow! Always ready to rid her of unwelcome visitors.
    “Perhaps—perhaps if the amount is insufficient—shall we consider increasing it to fifteen thousand—” Adolphus said quickly in a low voice, embarrassed by Thurlow’s presence.
    “Do not distress yourself! There is no sum large enough to persuade me to leave Rosemead.”
    Livvy bit her lip to keep from laughing at her nephew’s appalled expression. He muttered something indistinguishable as Thurlow helped him into his greatcoat, then made an ungraceful bow and turned to leave.
    “Please send my love to Sophronia! And little Walter!” she called after him.
    She smiled wickedly, seeing his back stiffen at her words.
    At least it was his back she was seeing.
    Glancing at the clock on the hall mantel, she saw it was over an hour before the children and their governess departed for their daily ramble in the Park. Excellent! An hour of painting would restore her mood before she rejoined them.
    “Thank you, Thurlow,” she said, smiling at the elderly butler. “Now please see that I am not disturbed for the next hour.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    She hurried to the salon at the northeast corner of the house that she used as a studio, eager to work out the poison of Adolphus’s visit. Despite her relish at having won this latest encounter, she was conscious of a faint sick feeling to her stomach. Adolphus would hurt her if he could. But he could not. Bless Papa for having ensured her financial independence with the most scrupulously worded of marriage settlements! Adolphus could scheme, but he had no power to coerce her.
    As for his mean-spirited remarks, well, such things no longer distressed her. Much.
    She put a smock over her green muslin morning gown, thinking over what he’d said about her fall from grace. The truth was there were times she missed the pleasures of society, though not enough to take up the Debenhams’ offer to try to reestablish her character. Harriet and Julian were dears, but she had gratefully declined putting them in the awkward position of defending her. They had a new baby to occupy them, too.
    It would have been different had she had children of her own, of course. But the children she cared for now would never enter that polite world, and she herself had learned that there was a wealth of meaningful activities to be enjoyed outside the Beau Monde . She’d recreated her life as she willed, and it was nearly perfect as it was.
    Nearly.
    She turned her attention to the canvas. The muddled image on it bore little resemblance to the earthenware jug of daffodils and hyacinths resting on a table by the wall, backed by a scrap of blue velvet. Surely it would improve with some work. She set to painting with a will, relishing the squishy feel of the oil paints, the tactile pleasure of pushing them recklessly around the canvas. Even the sharp smell of the paint was delightful.
    She dabbed her brush into the yellow ochre, then realized she’d overloaded it when a splotch flew to a section of the canvas where there should have been only blue velvet. She smiled at her clumsiness, rather liking the way the golden color contrasted against the deep blue. She flicked another drop of paint against the blue background, then another. Perhaps she would start a new fashion.
    Perhaps not, she