no notice of the countess groaning at the other end of the table. 'Really Sis, could you not have desisted until after the dinner? There will be pandemonium now. Cook will be furious if you keep him waiting for the next course.'
Venetia rose to her feet, her alabaster skin glowing in the candlelight, her pale lemon muslin dress blending with the blond curls. 'Hush Horace that is most unkind, how can you talk about Chef when your mama swoons?'
'Exactly Venetia.' Isabella glared, her jade eyes glittering, as she rose to help her mother. 'Trust you Horatio, all you care about are your food, gaming tables and pugilism.'
Raising his eyebrows, the young man looked at Alex. 'It seems it's over to you now Alex, what a dastardly mess dammit.'
As the footman exited in search of an abigail to assist the countess, Isabella pushed back her mother's chestnut locks to see a beady violet eye glance up at her. She knew the lady was acting out, but then it was a shock, the fourth year of arranging a lavish wedding only to have it cancelled once more. The news of a hurried wedding was just too much for the lady to bear.'
Picking up the long ostrich feathered fan, she waved it over her mother's head. 'Mama, I am truly sorry, but it is forced upon us. Alex cannot decline the honour , and I must needs marry him to accompany him to Brussels. La, who knows what Napoleon will do. If there is war, how long will it last? Why I could be too old to bear children at this rate.' To drive her point home, she added, 'As you rightly say, many of our friends already have children and are younger than I.'
Venetia smiled. 'You have given me pause to think Isa. Why Horatio and I have been betrothed some two years now, and I too must think about the future.'
Horatio's face paled. 'Egad sis, you've whipped up a hornets nest here.'
Narrowing her cornflower blue eyes, his fiancée said, ' Maybe we should make this a double wedding, for I too, could then accompany you to Brussels.'
Isa jumped, as her mother shrieked, ' Oh no - oh dear, where's the abigail? My head - my head. I cannot bear it.'
Unperturbed with the maid rushing to his wife's aid, the earl on finishing the beef, cut another slice of venison. Before putting it in his mouth, he said to no one in particular. 'Well I see no reason why Isabella should not wed immediately. These are troublesome times; the little Corsican may mount an assault on Brussels; we must needs stop him.'
Wiping her mouth on a napkin, Isa said, 'Papa, mama has lost her senses, she cannot pay heed to you.'
He turned his head to the countess, as she lay sprawled against her chair, her gaze heavenward, with the abigail waving the harts' horn under her nose. Without so much as blinking, his eye, he raised his voice, as he addressed his swooning wife. 'My dear I know this is too much for your delicate constitution to bear, and therefore, I needs must speak for you. We all have to make sacrifices if there is war. We shall call upon the vicar in the morning; give the fellow time to make the arrangements. Shall we say five days for the wedding?'
Isabella nodded her head. 'Yes papa, the General instructed Alex to be ready to sail in six days.'
The countess groaned pushing away the hart's horn. Undeterred, the earl continued, 'Alex has the honour, I repeat the honour of being in the First Foot guards, demme, I know the Duke of Ferring paid as much as £25,000 for his command of the Nineteenth Lancers. I see no reason why Alex and Isabella should not wed. Therefore, let us have an end to this.' Putting the venison in his mouth, he began chewing.
The countess sat up, abruptly, her violet eyes glowering, as she said, 'Isabella, you have many choices; Alex should bear that in mind. Why you only have to crook your little finger for a suitor to come running.'
'Mama - how impolite and in front of Alex.'
'Alex knows what I imply. I have a headache; I need to lie down - Annie assist me.'
With her head held high, and with much aplomb, she
Venetia rose to her feet, her alabaster skin glowing in the candlelight, her pale lemon muslin dress blending with the blond curls. 'Hush Horace that is most unkind, how can you talk about Chef when your mama swoons?'
'Exactly Venetia.' Isabella glared, her jade eyes glittering, as she rose to help her mother. 'Trust you Horatio, all you care about are your food, gaming tables and pugilism.'
Raising his eyebrows, the young man looked at Alex. 'It seems it's over to you now Alex, what a dastardly mess dammit.'
As the footman exited in search of an abigail to assist the countess, Isabella pushed back her mother's chestnut locks to see a beady violet eye glance up at her. She knew the lady was acting out, but then it was a shock, the fourth year of arranging a lavish wedding only to have it cancelled once more. The news of a hurried wedding was just too much for the lady to bear.'
Picking up the long ostrich feathered fan, she waved it over her mother's head. 'Mama, I am truly sorry, but it is forced upon us. Alex cannot decline the honour , and I must needs marry him to accompany him to Brussels. La, who knows what Napoleon will do. If there is war, how long will it last? Why I could be too old to bear children at this rate.' To drive her point home, she added, 'As you rightly say, many of our friends already have children and are younger than I.'
Venetia smiled. 'You have given me pause to think Isa. Why Horatio and I have been betrothed some two years now, and I too must think about the future.'
Horatio's face paled. 'Egad sis, you've whipped up a hornets nest here.'
Narrowing her cornflower blue eyes, his fiancée said, ' Maybe we should make this a double wedding, for I too, could then accompany you to Brussels.'
Isa jumped, as her mother shrieked, ' Oh no - oh dear, where's the abigail? My head - my head. I cannot bear it.'
Unperturbed with the maid rushing to his wife's aid, the earl on finishing the beef, cut another slice of venison. Before putting it in his mouth, he said to no one in particular. 'Well I see no reason why Isabella should not wed immediately. These are troublesome times; the little Corsican may mount an assault on Brussels; we must needs stop him.'
Wiping her mouth on a napkin, Isa said, 'Papa, mama has lost her senses, she cannot pay heed to you.'
He turned his head to the countess, as she lay sprawled against her chair, her gaze heavenward, with the abigail waving the harts' horn under her nose. Without so much as blinking, his eye, he raised his voice, as he addressed his swooning wife. 'My dear I know this is too much for your delicate constitution to bear, and therefore, I needs must speak for you. We all have to make sacrifices if there is war. We shall call upon the vicar in the morning; give the fellow time to make the arrangements. Shall we say five days for the wedding?'
Isabella nodded her head. 'Yes papa, the General instructed Alex to be ready to sail in six days.'
The countess groaned pushing away the hart's horn. Undeterred, the earl continued, 'Alex has the honour, I repeat the honour of being in the First Foot guards, demme, I know the Duke of Ferring paid as much as £25,000 for his command of the Nineteenth Lancers. I see no reason why Alex and Isabella should not wed. Therefore, let us have an end to this.' Putting the venison in his mouth, he began chewing.
The countess sat up, abruptly, her violet eyes glowering, as she said, 'Isabella, you have many choices; Alex should bear that in mind. Why you only have to crook your little finger for a suitor to come running.'
'Mama - how impolite and in front of Alex.'
'Alex knows what I imply. I have a headache; I need to lie down - Annie assist me.'
With her head held high, and with much aplomb, she