The Devil's Waltz Read Online Free PDF Page B

more interested in Christian Montcalm.”
    â€œI’m not certain I like you seeing him, missy,” Josiah said. “I’ve heard rumors that he’s not quite the gentleman he should be, and I expect you can do better. Perhaps we don’t have to aim as high as a viscountcy…”
    â€œTitles are overvalued anyway,” Hetty said with a suddenly hopeful look in her blue eyes that Annelise found interesting.
    â€œNot to me,” Josiah said flatly. “And if we don’t go to dinner soon we’ll be late for Lady Bellwhite’s. I had to go to a great deal of trouble to get us an invitation, and it wouldn’t do to arrive late.”
    â€œActually,” Annelise said gently, “it would be even worse form to arrive early. About an hour after the event is scheduled to begin is usually the optimum time to arrive. That way a great many people are already there to appreciate the lovely entrance your daughter makes, and yet it won’t seem careless or rude.”
    â€œNot everyone follows your silly rules. Christian Montcalm often shows up at the very end of the evening,” Hetty said.
    Annelise smiled faintly. “My point exactly.”
    â€œThen we’ll arrive precisely at ten o’clock,” Mr. Chipple announced.
    â€œAnd leave before the very end of the evening,” Annelise added, only to catch Hetty’s glare.
    â€œAnd I’ll be a lucky man, squiring two such pretty ladies,” Josiah said gallantly.
    The sound Hetty made was almost a snort, but herfather had already started toward the door. He paused to confer with the butler, and Hetty sidled up to Annelise. “You didn’t tell him about the park, did you?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œAre you planning to?”
    â€œNot at this moment. I’m certain you saw the error of your ways. A young lady’s reputation is of paramount importance.”
    â€œYou are such an old maid!” Hetty said. “Do you spend your entire life lecturing? Don’t you get tired of it?”
    Indeed, she did. There was nothing more tedious than pointing out social lapses to a spoiled little girl, and lecturing always suggested an air of superiority, which Annelise never felt she could quite carry off. “I’m here to help,” she said stiffly.
    â€œAnd besides, my reputation doesn’t matter. It’ll be gone to the devil when I marry Christian Montcalm anyway,” she said cheerfully.
    â€œYour language, missy!” Josiah Chipple rumbled, with sharper ears than Annelise would have thought.
    â€œYes, Father.” And she stuck out her tongue at Annelise as she sailed by, making her feel very old and tiresome indeed.
    Â 
    Josiah was a man of his word—they arrived at Lady Bellwhite’s town house at precisely ten o’clock in the evening. The street was already crowded with carriages, the noise and the music from the elegant little mansion spilled out into the streets, and Annelise groaned at the thought of another crowd. At least there’d be suitors, shetold herself, already less than enamored of this particular visit.
    And she was right. By the time they reached the ballroom they’d passed by three rather weedy young men, four elderly widowers, an earl with a weak heart and a bad reputation, and a bevy of other possible contenders for Hetty’s delicate hand. And no Christian Montcalm, to Annelise’s relief.
    At the last minute Annelise had donned one of her discarded lace caps. It flapped down around her face, and while it was irritating, at least it gave her a dubious sense of protection. A woman in a lace cap was proclaiming that she was beyond the age of marriage and that the only gentleman importunate enough to ask her to dance was Mr. Chipple.
    He was easy enough to dissuade and Annelise settled back in her corner amidst the chaperons and widows, gossiping pleasantly as she sipped the glass of punch Mr. Chipple had thoughtfully