The Elusive Heiress Read Online Free PDF Page B

very kind letter to Mama after he died. She even offered to give me a London season once I was out of mourning. Mama refused, we could not afford it, but when it was decided I should claim my inheritance Mama wrote asking her if she would house me whilst the business was settled. She thought such a course would be more suitable since Cousin Randal is a bachelor, but we did not receive a reply before I left home.’
    Given the difficulties of sea transport this silence on Lady Edgeworth’s part did not daunt Kate. She had sent a note round to Abbey Square as soon as she had removed her bonnet in the Hop-Pole’s best bedchamber. In spite of Mary’s gloomy prediction that her ladyship might be away from home, a pageboy had brought round a reply within the hour.
    Kate was invited to call after breakfast and correctly deducing that Lady Edgeworth would not expect her before eleven, she partook of coffee and rolls in a leisurely fashion before beginning a toilette designed to impress her supposed godmother. Once she had bathed, she sat patiently in her wrapper while Mary brushed her dark curls until they gleamed to rival seal’s fur and dressed them in a simple chignon, leaving just a few loose tendrils to frame her face.
    ‘Nearly ten o’clock. Time you was dressed. We don’t want to start off on the wrong foot by being late.’
    ‘Oh no!’ Kate let out a mock groan. ‘Dearest Mary, you aren’t going to make me wear all those? Can’t I just wear the petticoat?’
    Mary ignored Kate’s plea. ‘Proper young ladies always wear drawers and stays,’ she said inexorably, handing Kate the pair of flesh coloured pantalettes she held.
    ‘I had forgotten what a restricted life I used to lead. Heavens, I shall be baked alive!’ Smothering a sigh, Kate slipped the long drawers on and then allowed Mary to lace her into the corset a la Ninon , which was at least soft and lightweight enough to be fairly comfortable.
    Mary had pressed her gown while Kate had breakfasted and it lay on the bed waiting for her, a snowdrift of pure white muslin, its only ornamentation a narrow row of pale blue embroidery about the flounced hem.
    Kate had refused to wear it yesterday.
    ‘I don’t care if it makes me look demure. The green is more eye-catching and I want to make an impression!’
    Well, she had certainly made Randal Crawford sit up and take notice! The only trouble was, he’d decided she was an adventuress!
    Damn the man! She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him. Last night she had lain awake for hours, going over their interview again and again, trying to decide where she had gone wrong.
    Had she really just imagined that insistent tug of attraction?
    ‘Thank you, Mary.’ Annoyed at not being able to exercise more self-control over her thoughts Kate scrambled into the white gown with a haste that made Mary mutter in protest.
    ‘I look hideous!’ Kate complained, regarding her reflection with distaste.
    ‘Fiddlesticks!’ Mary retorted. ‘You would look good in sackcloth and ashes, Mrs Devlin, and well you know it!’
    Kate grinned at her and flung up the palms of her hands in an extravagant gesture of defeat. ‘All right, I admit I was fishing for compliments but, truly, I don’t believe white to be my colour.’
    ‘Be that as it may, just you remember what Miss Kitty told us. This dress is an exact copy of the one she described.’
    Kitty had been forced to leave Ireland with nothing but the gown she stood up in. Kate was tempted to think this misfortune no great loss after hearing the younger girl describe her wardrobe. Her own tastes ran to something more sophisticated. She liked rich fabrics and glowing colours to set off her exotic looks and at the advanced age of four and twenty she felt entitled to discard virginal muslins. It was going to be distinctly irritating to have to wear the pastel shades deemed appropriate for a young unmarried girl again.
    Mary handed her a pale blue spencer to put on.
    ‘Still,