Love for Lucinda Read Free Page B

Mays. It was really no wonder that her parents deemed the match to be a good one. Besides his other advantageous worldly attributes, Lord Potherby was eminently steady of character. Not a breath of scandal attached to his name. He would indeed make a welcome change when one compared his lordship to Lucinda’s unlamented departed husband, Sir Thomas and his good wife agreed.
    It was a pity that Lucinda did not this time agree meekly to her parents’ judgment.
    “Papa, I have no intention of marrying Lord Potherby,” said Lucinda. “You and Mama might as well give up this unfounded hope that I shall, for my mind is quite made up. We simply would not suit.”
    “You are not getting any younger, Lucinda,” said Sir Thomas. He quite conveniently forgot that he had stated not many minutes before that she was too young to be let go to London by herself. “You are practically on the shelf. You cannot hope to compete with the fresh crop of young misses that are coming out each year.”
    “Really, Papa! You are too absurd,” said Lucinda, laughing. “Why, I would be a nodcock indeed if I thought to make myself out to be an ingénue. No, the young misses may have free rein of the marriage mart and with my goodwill. I am too experienced in the ways of the world to desire to go that route again!”
    An unwelcome thought occurred to Sir Thomas. With a lamentable lack of tact, he said, “I hope you have not taken a silly notion in mind to set your cap at some experienced buck this Season, Lucinda. I fear that you will be rolled up at that game. A widow cannot command the same pristine reputation as an unmarried girl, and that is what these gentlemen are looking for.”
    “I am not going up to London to find myself a husband!” said Lucinda, pardonably ruffled. “It is just as I have told you. I intend to indulge in a little gaiety. That is all! How could you think that I would behave with such ... such desperation?”
    Sir Thomas appeared not to be convinced. He was frowning. “Every woman wishes to wed, Lucinda. It is ingrained in them.”
    “That is absurd. Why, I know of any number of women who have not wed,” said Lucinda.
    “No doubt you are speaking of the lower orders, Lucinda. One of your quality always wishes to wed. It is bred into your very bones,” said Sir Thomas solemnly.
    “Papa, I did not think you were so gothic in your notions,” said Lucinda, staring at her parent in disbelief.
    Sir Thomas drew himself up. “Not at all, daughter. I know whereof I speak. No, the more I think about it, the more I see that this scheme of yours will not do after all.”
    “Papa!”
    “Enough, Lucinda. You must be guided by me in this. I would spare you the mortification of being left at the altar. That, is, even if you were able to bring some buck up to scratch,” said Sir Thomas. As a clincher, he added, “Best to marry Lord Potherby right away and then go up to London for amusement.”
    Lucinda was torn between exasperation and laughter at her father’s idiotic notion that she was planning to entrap a husband over the Season. However, she knew it would do little good to try to reason her father out of an idea once it had taken hold of his intellect. She was forced to be satisfied with a skirmishing hit. “I could scarcely expect to find amusement as Lady Potherby!”
    Sir Thomas took her point at once. He nodded reluctantly. “Lord Potherby can be a bit of a slowtop on occasion,” he admitted. “But that should scarcely weigh against the many advantages of the match.”
    “Lord Potherby is a crashing bore,” said Lucinda, not mincing the matter.
    “His lordship is a very worthy man. He would make you an excellent husband,” said Sir Thomas reprovingly.
    Lucinda threw up her hands. “Papa, I think that we should leave off this conversation if I am not to come to cuffs with you. And I do not in the least wish to quarrel when we are shortly to part from one another.” Dropping her napkin beside her plate