Lord Will & Her Grace Read Online Free PDF Page B

properly," William
said. "I am afraid the tailor shall be housed here to take care of
my extensive needs."
    She glanced at him with surprise. It was
obvious she thought him a hopeless dandy—only concerned with
maintaining the first blaze of fashion. But, perhaps, this would
play to his advantage given her skittish nature and distaste of
fortune hunters.
    "But I suppose I could spare him part of the
morning if—"
    Like a fish grabbing the bait, she reached.
"If what?"
    "If you would return here for the
fitting." He unfolded his napkin and placed it on his lap with
elegant gestures. "Alas, while I'm most willing to lend the talents
of my tailor to a desperate female, I cannot spare him above a half
hour. You may consider it penance for your prior sin of
dishonesty."
    Her cheeks became pink, her muted green eyes
sparked, and her bosom, ah, well, it was most becoming when she
took a deep breath in indignation, as she did now.
    "A desperate female? Outrageous. But, then
you are not content unless you are just so. I see your methods.
But"—she smiled—"I'll not give you the pleasure of an argument. I
accept your offer and shall return here tomorrow morning to meet
your tailor, which you so kindly offered for precisely one
half hour."
    Miss Anna Mornington intruded in their
exchange. "I would like a share in your conversation, if you
please," she insisted petulantly. "The seating tonight is very
inconvenient. Miss Somerset, do tell us the sorts of amusements you
favor. We simply must organize some diversions or Felicia and I
will go mad being away from London in the middle of the
Season."
    "Well, actually, I enjoy walking. This area
has an extraordinary stark beauty to it, especially the paths along
the shoreline."
    Mornington's sister took on a peevish
expression. "I was hoping you might choose to have a dinner and
some dancing one of these evenings. It has been ages since we have
been to the villa. Not since before Mama's and the duke and
duchess's deaths."
    "Anna, that was ill done of you," said
Mornington. "Now you have put Miss Somerset in the uncomfortable
position of feeling obligated to abide by your wishes."
    Fortune was smiling on him today, thought
William. All eyes focused on Miss Somerset.
    "No, no, that's quite all right, Mr.
Mornington. I would be delighted to devise an evening at Villa
Belza," Miss Somerset said. "I am afraid it is long overdue."
    "My cousin was saying just yesterday, when we
received your kind invitation"—Miss Mari Owens cleared her
throat—"that she longed to arrange the sorts of
entertainments favored by the former duke and duchess."
    The petite Welsh cousin was a skilled liar if
he was forced to hazard a guess. Mornington had not seemed able to
tear his eyes away from the dark beauty all evening. Now William
would not even be able to count on Mornington for rational
conversation. Indeed, his friend wore the same lovesick mooncalf
expression his sisters wore on Will's behalf.
    "Shall we say Saturday, next? My cousin and I
would be honored if all of you would join us for dinner and perhaps
some music, if any of you play," said Miss Somerset, hiding her
reluctance.
    "Oh, how wonderful!" Miss Anna Mornington
clapped her hands together. "Felicia and I would be pleased to
perform for you."
    Oh dear God, thought William, not another
evening of screeching and sonatas missing a number of notes.
    Suddenly, the familiar sound of a scrambling
dog whose nails were failing to catch on hard flooring preceded the
appearance of a sausagelike dab of tan and black. An oath not fit
for the polite world escaped a nearby servant's lips when the
creature dodged the man's hands and leapt into William's lap.
    Mrs. Tickle carried a shoe between her teeth,
a newly tooled calf shoe, his shoe . She dropped it in his
lap, panted and looked up for approval.
    The high-pitched garble of Jack Farquhar in
the hall followed before the man himself made an appearance.
Farquhar, bless his heart, was all done up in his most