Lord Blackwood's Valentine Ball: An Authentic Regency Romance Read Free

dominating character that she had decided what Patience should and should not wear and who was suitable to come courting. Alas, her forceful personality had put off several interested young men who might have proposed if given enough encouragement. Now, Patience resigned herself to never finding anyone. It was too late for love and certainly too late for her to find a man who would propose to her. Men wanted young, fresh beauties. Spinsterhood beckoned and Patience had accepted her fate.
    She sighed. “I’m thirty.”
    “You’re only thirty,” said Henrietta, who always seemed to have a differing set of decided opinions. “Still young enough to attract the right man and old enough to know what’s good for you and what’s not.” She picked up the invitation. “So what are you going to do about this?”
    “Nothing,” said Patience in another sudden show of confidence. “My duty is to my friends. Lorna’s parents have asked me to chaperone her during her sojourn in London. Her mother also asked that I try to help Lorna meet a number of nice young men. I have written to several of Mama’s acquaintances, and they have been most gracious in extending courtesies to both of us. Lorna has received many invitations.”
    “Well, I hope you haven’t been going out wearing that sack !” Henrietta cast yet another disparaging glance at Patience’s dress. “Life is not just about Lorna, you know.”
    “I don’t think about myself,” said Patience, “and I have given up on ideas of marriage and children.”
    She didn’t explain that she had given up because her lack of experience with the opposite sex was only too painfully apparent when she met eligible men. It could also be that Lorna was so vivacious and charming that her spirited good looks quite cast Patience into the shade when they went out together. She did not begrudge Lorna her social success. After all, Lorna was young and just starting out in life. She deserved to make an excellent match. She already had half of London’s most suitable bachelors eager in pursuit of her.
    “Don’t talk such nonsense. That’s rubbish!” Henrietta snorted. “I can name five men at least who might be interested if you made a tiny bit more of an effort with your clothes and hair. You simply look too lacklustre to gain their attention, and it’s no wonder Lorna gets noticed first. You may be thirty, Patience, but you don’t look it. Why—” she gave an airy wave “—you could even be like Mrs. Salford and marry a younger man. They say Cornelia Salford is thirty-five if she’s a day, and her husband is at least eight years younger than she is. Quite besotted with her, too!” She stared at Patience. “However, I still think a mature man like Lord Blackwood is the right age for you.”
    “Lorna’s parents want her to make a brilliant match, and I think Lord Blackwood would be the right man for her,” said Patience in a dogged tone. “He would calm down her boisterous ways, and I believe he is so wealthy that her mama would be gratified Lorna had made such a good marriage. Lorna is young; she has time to learn more mature manners.”
    Henrietta uttered an angry squawk. “And you don’t have much time on your side, my dear, in the way she does. Make haste before your pretty looks fade. You don’t want people saying, ‘Poor Patience Cherwell. She never had a chance to meet the right man. She wasted her life.’”
    Patience looked away. She could not explain things to Henrietta, whose mind was focused on one idea: Lord Blackwood!
    “So, you’re not even going to try to attract Lord Blackwood?” Henrietta sounded aggrieved.
    “No I am not! He doesn’t even notice me, and anyway, the number of times Lorna has received invitations from him to drive in the park and to go on excursions just proves to me that she has captivated him. They’re off somewhere right now, in fact.”
    Henrietta’s rosy hue faded a little. Her eyes widened and her eyebrows rose.