The Hopeless Hoyden Read Free Page B

to try to look out for his reputation.  "No, you're right, Freddy.  But truth to tell, this house party wasn't my idea.  Cecil put it together, more or less, then informed me after the fact."
                  “Never say so!"  Freddy's moon-shaped features registered shock, appearing even rounder.  "That’s poor ton, for sure." 
                  “Yes, very poor," seconded Gabriel with a chuckle.  "But the deed is done, so you and I might as well make the most of it."
                  “Noticed a lot of females around.  Might do for you, if you’re on the hunt, but puts me on edge."  Freddy shook his head sadly before taking a good sized gulp of his brandy.
                  In turn, Gabriel almost choked on his own brandy.  "By Jove, Freddy, rid yourself of any such notion.  I've no intention of getting caught in parson's mouse trap.  I simply meant we could do some fishing and hunting, those kinds of sport."
                  “That's a relief, Gab.  Feared for a moment you might be hanging out for a wife.  Think Deborah and Sylvia think so too."
                  “Let them think what they like.  I have a completely different agenda.  The last thing I want is some dewy-eyed female making demands on my life."
                  “Lady Spivey’s coming with one of her nieces, you know?"
                  “That dowager's got a slew of eligible nieces.  Heard the last one she tried to pop off was a real hoyden."
                  “Pretty chit, actually," commented Freddy, his brow creased from the exertion of recalling the girl.  "But a romp.  Hadn't gotten the Patronesses' permission to waltz.  Someone spotted her at Lady Addington's do, out in the hall by herself, twirling all about.  Got carried away by the music.  Ended up knocking over a cabinet full of Lady Add's Chinese porcelain.  Antiques, every last one of them.  They all broke.  'Course, she offered to pay for them."  Freddy gave his cousin a wise look, his chin pulled down on his chest.  "Word was, Lady Spivey packed the chit off that next morning.  Totally disgraced."  His last words sounded almost like a death knell.
                  “Hardly sounds all that bad," commented Gabriel, amused even though he could sympathize with Lady Addington over loosing her valuable collection.
                  “Wasn't all the chit did," continued Freddy in that same morbid tone.  "Galloped in Hyde Park.  Told Harry Chesterfield at Drury Lane to shut his trap so she could hear that fellow Hamlet moan and groan on stage.  Even insulted the Beau at Almack's, no less.  Called him a pompous ass."
                  “Sounds like a paragon of trouble," laughed Gabriel even as a fleeting image of his wood sprite came to mind.  "By the bye, what's Chesterfield up to these days?" 
                  “Told me he'd be here.  Begged him to when I heard Lady Raines was coming."
                  For some time, the gentlemen continued along this vein, catching up on news of old friends before calling it a night.  Once in his room, Gabriel reflected how, throughout the evening, he'd been distracted with a vision of the saucy young lady with the countenance of a wood nymph, a heart-shaped face framed with wild, honey-colored tresses.  Though the young woman had come close to unmanning him for life, he couldn't help chuckling over the whole incredible incident. 
                  One troubling thought remained, however.  She never said who had been chasing her, or why.  He’d seen her cut her eyes to the horses before making that wild dash across the drive, a foolhardy act, to say the least.  So why had she been willing to risk life and limb, cutting in front of his high stepping team?
                  Well, there was only one way he was likely to get an answer.  Early