The spinster and the wastrel Read Free Page B

until it roared. Ashes swirled from her vigorous efforts, and she coughed as one lodged in her throat.
    "What are you doing?" Lucille asked. "Why are you making the fire so high?"
    "Starting as of now, we never have to be cold again." Annette held her hands out to the blaze, feeling its heat clear to her bones. She shivered with delight and turned back to her friend. "How wonderful it will be to never fear the collier, or the butcher, or the apothecary, or anyone else again."
    Lucille clapped her hands at the prospect. "Yes! Oh, Annette, what are you going to do with all that money?"
    "Why, I had not considered it." She blinked as she tried to order her thoughts. "Most important, of course, is to pay off all the tradesmen's bills."
    "Pooh! Why must you always be so practical! This is your chance to gain what you have always wanted. Picture something more—your heart's deepest desire."
    "Paying off the tradesmen is one of my deepest desires." Yet a picture of a village school sprang into her mind. At Lucille's frown, Annette added, "What did you have in mind?"

    The other woman tittered. "My wishes are of no concern because it is not my money."
    Uncertain, Annette slowly sat on her chair. For one of the few times in her life, she was confused. All of her upbringing had taught her to stretch a penny, not manage pounds. "You are my dearest friend. Certainly your wishes are my concern. I do not know what to do, and I need your help."
    "Help you spend the money?" Lucille exclaimed. "Gladly! Have you never wanted to travel? Go to London? Buy new dresses?" She twitched her skirt with a disdainful air and shook her head at her friend's dress. "We can begin with that right now."
    The prospect tempted Annette, but she continued to hesitate. "It sounds so frivolous to spend the money that way."
    "You have not had enough frivolity in your life to enable you to enjoy it when the opportunity appears," Lucille replied tartly. "This is your chance."
    "I thought opening a school for the local children would be a more worthy cause."
    Lucille threw up her hands. "Why must you only spend the money on some type of charity? If you want a worthy cause, use it to find yourself a husband."
    "Buy one, you mean."
    The other woman defiantly met Annette's gaze. "Why not? You are thirty years of age."
    "Yes, and passed the age of marrying." Annette picked up her teacup and sipped from it. The tea was cold, just like her prospects for falling in love and marrying.
    The widow sighed. When she spoke again, her tone had lost its stridency. "You did your duty when you cared for your mother throughout the years of your maidenhood.

    Lo
    Perhaps this inheritance i you can still have a husb
    Annette tried to smik dren were her deepest de When I was younger, I v tract any man willing to mother's care. Now I do money. I want love and \
    "You could pretend," her teacup.
    Annette pretended no) her inheritance, a small science. Her good fortun thought the money shoul fort."
    "The new baronet?" continued, "It is plain tlu opinion of his heir. You s as 'that wastrel.' Was the
    "Yes," Annette answe
    "No surprise there," L
    The Spinster and the Wastrel
    She tried to explain the mystery to Lucille. "I what I had expected for someone known to be a
    "I have never seen a wastrel."
    "Neither have I, but he looked far better ths have thought one did."
    Lucille brightened. "Is he handsome?"
    Resting her chin on her hand, Annette c "Handsome seems the wrong word. He was notit though he ignored everyone else in the drawing were aware of his presence."
    "Naturally, since he is a new face in the area if he will attend any of the local Assemblies."
    "We are likely too provincial for him. Remei used to London society."
    "Pooh! With your money, you can now affon into society." She snuggled deeper into her hugged her wool shawl closer as she contempla hire.
    Unwilling to disillusion her friend, Annettt was only a noncommittal, "Perhaps."
    She believed it took more than money to ent

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