The Accidental Marriage Read Online Free PDF

menu, and when she promised to help, saying she would assist the maids with the tedious preparation, while the cook could demonstrate her skills with the more difficult aspects, the woman had been mollified.
    Julia just had time, before the first guests arrived, to change into the new evening gown Fanny had insisted on buying for her. It was of a delicate apricot-coloured silk, the skirts gored and wider than had been fashionable. The neckline was low, but Julia had seen others, including Fanny’s own, far lower. Instead of ruffles round the hem and the edges of the puff sleeves being of a darker shade, which is what Julia would have expected, hers were a pale cream, and she had pale cream sandals, plus a gauze scarf in a darker shade of apricot. Julia put on her only jewellery, a gold chain and simple gold earrings, and decided she did her sister proud. Would Sir Carey think so?
    Fanny wanted the girls to display their singing before the buffet, so that they could go to bed at their normal time. When the guests were assembled, all drinking champagne, Frederick called for silence, and Julia led the two little girls, dressed in pretty white dresses trimmed with artificial flowers, into the salon. She took up her position at the pianoforte, and giving a nod of encouragement to the girls, began to play.
    Alice was to sing first. Julia thought that her example would encourage Paula, who was far more nervous. After a false start, during which Julia heard a quiet titter which she suspected came from the Countess Tania, Alice managed to sing Oranges and Lemons, without getting any of the names incorrectly, and retreated, blushing furiously, at the generous applause she received.
    ‘Now Paula,’ Frederick announced.
    Paula stepped forward, and Fanny moved to hold her hand, to give encouragement. The child was gulping nervously, and when Julia played the opening notes of Baa Baa Black Sheep, she turned away and hid her face in Fanny’s lap.
    ‘Try again,’ Julia whispered, and Paula glanced up at her, bit her lip, and once more faced the audience.
    She managed the first few words, and Julia, to encourage her, sang softly with her. It wasn’t enough. Suddenly the child turned and weeping hysterically, ran from the room. Fanny jumped up but Julia was before her.
    ‘I’ll go to her. You must stay with your guests,’ she said hurriedly, pushing Fanny round.
    Over her sister’s shoulder she glimpsed Frederick’s furious face.
    The guests had begun to talk to cover the momentary awkwardness, but Julia heard yet another titter. Furious, she stalked from the room, followed by a nervous Alice, and went to find and comfort Paula.
    It was some time before the child, exhausted by her weeping, fell asleep. Julia considered going to bed herself, but knew Fanny would need her support. The buffet, which had, she was told by a nervous Fanny, been much appreciated, was finished, and Julia thought longingly of the delicacies she had intended to sample.
    Some of the guests were getting ready to leave, but Sir Carey, who had been sitting at the far end of the salon while the girls had been performing, came up to Julia and smiled.
    ‘Your own voice should have been entertaining us,’ he said. ‘It is very accomplished. You could earn your living with it if you had to.’
    ‘It would certainly be preferable to grooming cats,’ Julia said, laughing.
    ‘Little Paula will overcome her shyness in time. She is too young to face so many strangers and be expected to perform.’
    ‘That was what I told Fanny,’ Julia said, ‘but Frederick was determined to show them off.’
    And furious, she discovered when all the guests had departed. The last one had barely left the apartment when he turned on her and, ignoring Fanny’s pleas to let it rest, berated her for Paula’s exhibition.
    ‘You should have prepared her better!’ he raged. ‘What a fiasco! What do you think our friends thought of such a display of temper?’
    ‘Temper?’ Julia