Enchanted Summer: (Regency Romance) Read Free Page A

many times.”
    Both Fred and Bella had been tutored by Celia, for there had never been any funds for tutors or governesses in their household, nor to send Fred to school.
    "Are we to get new clothes, Celia?" asked Bella. Excitement had brought a high color to Bella’s porcelain complexion and she looked more beautiful than usual. Celia wanted nothing more than to see her sister safely married. Bella was of a rash, impulsive nature, a nature that had been the cause of many sleepless nights for Celia.
    Later on at dinner, the family remained absorbed in the subject that was changing their lives. And Mrs. Bundy, safely in the midst of her favorite family while a storm raged outside, beamed with pleasure.
    "So, Celia," said Fred, his mouth full, "tell us about Caroline—the ice queen."
    "Fred, dear," said his mother, "Celia's unfortunate impression of Caroline may be mistaken. After all, she met her at her mother's funeral. Caroline most probably was overcome with grief.”
    "I saw very little of that grief," said Celia, "and instead saw her completely absorbed in an unseemly pursuit of Lord Merrick, who was present at the service."
    "Are you going to paint over there?" asked Fred, intent on making mischief for his sister.
    "You must indeed leave the paints behind, dear," said her mother excitedly. "That sort of nonsense has no room in a fashionable place like Rook's End. It will be an embarrassment."
    "An embarrassment?" laughed Celia, "Hardly. In fact, I’m certain it will go quite unnoticed by a group of people who seemed to be unnaturally self-absorbed."
    "You will be held in contempt by society," insisted Mrs. Meade.
    “I will not give up my interest in art merely to conserve a good opinion I frankly do not crave."
    "Take care, Celia," warned her mother.
    "And what of Sylvia," Fred went on, buttering a piece of fresh bread from Mrs. Bundy's pantry, "Celia says the chit is talented at the pianoforte."
    "I hope not too talented," laughed Celia. "A female Bach would be quite despised by the gentlemen – not to mention by the older matrons," she added with a glance at her mother.
    "It seems to me," Celia went on, as everyone became concentrated in the excellent food brought by Mrs. Bundy and to which they were unaccustomed, but yet listened to what she was saying, "that any talent a young girl displays is stamped out quite early, not so much by the father, who hardly has time for his children – other than to give his edict – but by the mother, who carries out the father's edict with obsessive industry. In this regard they are their daughter's foes, and not by any intent to harm, but from a badly understood idea that convention is the only safe route for their daughters.”
    "I hope you’re not thinking I’m your enemy, Celia," said Mrs. Meade, who for once had understood the underlying meaning in her daughter's words.
    "I was speaking theoretically, Mama, do not concern yourself with it," said Celia.
    "Our Celia," said Fred proudly, "is quite ahead of her time," and added, "Mr. Pratt told Harold he'd marry you next Tuesday if you'd leave off the paints and the fancy words, Celia; says he feels dumb when he speaks to you."
    "Mr. Pratt's single bliss is safe from me," answered Celia calmly, "for I have no intention of acting dumb with him so he can lay claim to intelligence."
    "Celia marry a storekeeper?" Mrs. Meade almost choked on her ham. "What cheek!"
    "Mr. Pratt's lack of social status would not be a consideration, Mama, if Mr. Pratt himself were not such a fool," said Celia softly.
    Fred leaned over and took hold of Celia's hand and squeezed it in an uncharacteristic display of feeling. Celia, surprised, put her hand over his, her eyes full of love for her brother.
    “Celia,” said Mrs. Meade, turning to Mrs. Bundy, “gets all these outrageous ideas from Mrs. Wollstonecraft, who does not know her place.”
    “On the contrary,” said Celia with a smile. “She knows her place very well.”
    * * *
    The day of