Page 14 of The Truth about the Earl
Norah gave her acquaintance a small smile. “That is a relief, I suppose.”
“Oh, a very great relief!” Lady Adlay replied, looping her arm through Norah’s as they walked through Lord Baxter’s drawing room and made their way to the door. “Lord Jennings is a gentleman who is entirely disinclined toward decent behavior and I have always been loath to remain in his company. I am only glad now that thetonsees the truth of his character.”
Norah smiled to herself, a swell of satisfaction in her heart. That was only her first article and yet the secret she had revealed had brought great relief to many. That was precisely what she intended to do for her next piece, although what it was to be, Norah did not yet know.
“There is Lady Maude.” A slight intonation in Lady Adlay’s voice caught Norah’s attention and she looked at her friend in surprise. Lady Adlay smiled back at her, catching her look. “You have not been introduced to her, then?”
“No, I have not.”
Lady Adlay opened her mouth, then closed it again with a snap, shaking her head as she did so. “I shall introduce you rather than say anything about the lady in question. You may make up your mind about her, I think.”
Willing to accept this, Norah walked alongside Lady Adlay to where the young lady stood. Her first impression was that Lady Maude was a willowy young lady who had a striking appearance. Her figure was shapely, her rosebud lips, alabaster skin, and fine eyes sure to capture the attention of almost every London gentleman. She was, of course, a diamond of the first water and from the slightly cool smile on her lips, Norah was quite certain that the lady was all too aware of just how well she appeared.
“Lady Maude, good afternoon.” Lady Adlay turned to Norah. “Permit me to introduce Lady Essington to you. Lady Essington, Lady Maude, daughter to the Earl of Burnley.”
“Very pleased to make your acquaintance.” Norah dropped into a curtsy and was a little surprised when the young lady only bobbed a very hasty curtsy in return, her eyes drifting away from Norah’s after only a few seconds.
“And yours, of course.” She waved a hand. “And mydearfriend, Miss Patterson.” Lady Maude’s disinterest appeared more than evident, particularly when she made no attempt to further the conversation. Once Norah had greeted Miss Patterson – who remained silent and with a slightly bowed head as though she were in the presence of royalty and did not want to speak until she was spoken to – a silence grew between Norah and Lady Maude. Astonishment gave way to frustration at the lady’s lack of consideration and Norah threw a glance toward Lady Adlay, who merely arched one eyebrow in return.
“And are you enjoying the Season?” Struggling to find something to say that might encourage conversation, Norah waited for Lady Maude to respond, only for her to turn a littlemore to her left, opening her fan and fluttering it gently in front of her eyes.
“Good afternoon, Lady Maude.”
Norah turned a little more, taking in that there were not one but three gentlemen taking turns to bow toward the lady. Her eyes traveled back to the lady in question and saw, much to her surprise, that there was a warm smile on her lips and that her eyes had brightened considerably.
“Evidently, we are unworthy of Lady Maude’s attention,” Lady Adlay murmured in her ear and Norah rolled her eyes, turning back to her friend as Lady Maude began to converse with the first of the three gentlemen in a much more animated fashion than how she had spoken briefly to Norah. “The lady is inclined only toward gentlemen.”
That is something I could write on, is it not?
The moment the thought entered her mind, Norah frowned hard and shook it away. Whilst she might want to write about Lady Maude’s lack of consideration and appalling lack of gentility, that was not something that would be of any use to theton. It would only bring shame to Lady Maude and perhaps a little mockery which, whilst she might do a great deal to improve the lady’s character, was not the purpose of the newspaper articles. Besides, Norah reasoned, she would do so only because she had been injured by the lady’s poor behavior rather than for any other reason and that was no good at all.
“You look as I feel.”
Norah laughed as Lady Adlay smiled. “I confess I was very much surprised by her manner toward me.”
“Ah, but it is so very different when there are gentlemen close by,” came the reply. “My husband does not think well of her nor her mother at all, I confess it, and I quite understand his reasoning.”
Norah nodded, giving her friend a wry smile. “I do not think that I will seek out her again.”
“That would be most wise.” Laughing ruefully, Lady Adlay smiled up at her friend. “Come, there must be plenty of others that we can converse with.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Norah noticed two ladies in deep conversation, with one of them looking directly across toward a gentleman that, as yet, Norah did not know. Her interest piqued, she turned her steps deftly toward them but did so in as nonchalant a manner as she could so that Lady Adlay would not notice.
“You must promise me that anyone you introduce me to next will not speak to me as Lady Maude has done!”
Lady Adlay laughed and, much to Norah’s relief, gestured to the very gentleman the two ladies were looking at with such distinct glances. “Come.”
Norah smiled and allowed Lady Adlay not only to interrupt the gentleman’s conversation but to then introduce her first to him and then to the lady and gentleman he had been conversing with. All the while, however, she tried to overhear what was being said just over her shoulder.
“I do apologize for interrupting your conversation, Lord Rutledge. It was quite my fault for I have begged Lady Adlay to introduce me to some new acquaintances since I am now returned to London.”
“But of course.” Lord Rutledge was a well-looking gentleman, with sharp eyes that glinted in a somewhat dangerous fashion whenever he smiled. Norah had no doubt that many young ladies of thetonwould think him very handsome indeed! “And tell me, Lady Essington, is your time in London thus far all as you hoped it would be?”
She smiled. “It has been much more so, I confess. I was not certain of what my time in London would be given that I am nowa widowed lady but thus far, I have found myself accepted by thetonand have had a very enjoyable fortnight.”
“And you will be spending the remaining months in London also?” the lady asked, and Norah nodded. Lady Adlay began to speak then and the conversation began to flow, allowing Norah to take a small step backward, turning slightly.
“Why will he not look at me? He knows I am here but he will not entertain my company!”
