Lady Phillipa's Peril: Regency Romance Suspense Series ( Book 3) (Lords of Sussex 4) Read Free Page B

grey dress pursed her lips, ‘My dear I think it is quite inappropriate; tis a time for prayer and quiet contemplation. I am sure the dear vicar would agree, tis not the ballroom you should occupy, but a pew in a blessed church.’
    ‘Yes Mrs Simpkins, tis for each to search their own heart as to what they would deem necessary.’ Vicar Thompson replied, putting his hand over his mouth to cover a belch.
    Lord Tenbury, sporting the high pointed collar, could not  turn his neck and so stiffly moved his whole body to face the lady at his side, ‘I  know not what is worse, dancing ‘til dawn and then being too fatigued to go to battle, fight, or praying on a cold church floor, and ending up with the ague in one’s knees. Either way, one ends up with a bayonet in one’s gut.’
    ‘Ooh  my lord, don’t, I fair swoon at the thought of it.’ A rather fetching lady, in pink satin, waved plump hands. ‘What pictures you conjure up sir.’
    ‘Nay, cavil not, Mrs. Rawlings. Tis the truth.’
    ‘Where’s my vinaigrette?’ the lady whispered, her pale face now paler than the table cover.
    ‘Swooning? Come dear lady I sought not to upset you,’ he said, smiling indulgently.
    Mrs. Simpkins shook her turbaned head, her thin face wrinkled with concern. ‘How rude, where are your manners sir? Here my dear, I have some hartshorn, tis more acrid and works fast.’ Scowling at the man she said, ‘Pray sir, desist you are in  a pique and fair fit to burst a blood vessel, tis not a bayonet you’ll see but the inside of your coffin.’
    ‘Lord Tenbury,’ Horatio laughed, ‘each to his own. I for one prefer the ballroom and a lovely lady’s smile, there is nothing more uplifting than to gaze into a pair of bright eyes and to take a beloved’s handkerchief into battle.’
    Seated up the table from Lord Tenbury, a plump lady in violet muslin with a parure of pearls giggled. ‘La methinks of times of old, of the king on his dais and the ladies seated around, of the jousts and the knights in armour, so romantic, far better than these cold modern times.’
    Lady Tennant shook her head, the ostrich feathers sweeping across Demetrius’s nose. ‘How can you say that, we have such comforts now, with the Palladian houses, ice boxes to cool our deserts and ice cream, why we have our streets illuminated with gas lamps and some have it in their houses.’
    Mrs  Simpkins pursed her bloodless lips, and nodded. ‘Yes and of course we have the Castrol stove. Why, my cook can even hang the pots on it, it halves the work for her and the servants.’
    Demetrius tried not to tut, as he politely removed the ostrich feathers from across his nose. ‘Quite so my lady. Speaking as a soldier, I think a game of cards and a fair lady on my lap is the most fitting.’ He just wished it was Phillipa.

Chapter 4
     
    Mrs Rawlings sniffed. ‘Sir, we do not wish to hear any of that.’  With her nose tilted in distaste, she handed back the hartshorn to the dour matron.
    Further down the table, Phillipa espied an elegant young lady in a pale green silk gown, with cream rosebuds decorating her lustrous titian hair. ‘Pray Hector, who is that young lady, seated by the sanguine gentleman?’
    ‘Hah, that is Miss Eloise Templeton, she arrived just over an hour ago with the parents, they are old friends of mama. The gentleman beside her is her papa.  I do not know her too well, as she was away at boarding school for young ladies, quite an esteemed establishment. You may remember her, when we were children, she joined us once or twice when we played in the grounds.’
    ‘No, not really, But on second thoughts, was she not the frail little girl with long ginger braids. Hah yes, I remember you teasing her and pulling them. You were a naughty little boy.’ 
    ‘I never pulled to hurt, though, she was such a little mite, even though she was our age. She was prone to a weak chest and they feared consumption, Hence the boarding school which is situate on