The Roguish Miss Penn (14 page)

“He is that pleased we are to have Miss O’Neill. Did you know that she was given five hundred pounds’ worth of diamonds after her last season in London? These few months with the Norwich Company will be her last, I expect. She ought to go on to higher and better things.”

“With her dragon of a father as well?” Katherine had been amused at the story of Eliza O’Neill and her protective father. Katherine was not so green that she hadn’t heard tales about actresses and their gentlemen friends.

“I think he has some maggoty notion of splicing her to a peer. As if anyone connected to the theater would have such a chance,” Teddy scoffed.

Katherine nodded her agreement, rather bleakly, had Teddy taken notice. He didn’t. Instead, he straightened and sauntered toward the gate, saying, “I will toddle on now. Must check on those costumes again. That Mrs. Cheney is a great gun, Kitty.”

“That she is,” Katherine replied, although she doubted her brother heard her, for he was already through the gate and most likely setting off toward Fairfax Hall by now.

The gate remained ajar because Amelia Bonner had passed Teddy and decided to pay her respects to Katherine.

“Such a lovely day, is it not?” Amelia inquired in her high, fluting voice. She drifted across the grass to stand at Katherine’s side, her newest walking dress of pale-blue India mull displayed to advantage in the soft afternoon sun.

Katherine stiffened, then rose, brushing down her skirt as best she could after removing her gardening gloves. “How nice to see you. Fine weather for a walk.” She stayed where she was, not wanting to bring Melly into the house on a Saturday when the cleaning was in progress.

“Does your father preach at the Fairfax church on the morrow?”

Not really surprised at the question, Katherine nodded. “He has been asked to fill the pulpit again. The need is still there.”

To say that Amelia was surprised was mild. She provoked Katherine, even as she admitted Melly had reason to feel as she did.

“I should think Lord Ramsey might have any person he wished to speak there.”

Katherine smiled, nodding graciously at her longtime friend and combatant. “You are absolutely correct.”

This left Amelia with little more to say on that subject. “I shall attend chapel tomorrow. They have a shorter service, no sermon, and good music.” There were usually a large number of handsome young men there as well.

Katherine made no reply to this teaser, so Melly launched into a series of bits and scraps of gossip while Katherine reflected that Melly was wasted on Cambridge. She ought to be in London with the ton at her disposal. What a hash she would make of that elite group in a trice.

“How do matters proceed at the hall?” Melly whispered, looking about her as though a spy might be lurking in the shrubbery.

“Well enough. I have heard them read their lines and can but pray all will be well. The man who plays the evil count is an impossible nodcock. I hope that Teddy will cope with him before the fourteenth of September, when we are to open.” The words made her shiver with dread of that event.

“It is not long, is it,” Amelia replied brightly.

“You sound as though you wish us ill, Melly.”

“Never,” replied that young woman judiciously. “I only hope you understand what a revelation of this rather scandalous undertaking will do your chances of being Mrs. You-know-who.” She bestowed a virtuous look on Katherine, then took leave of her, much to Katherine’s relief. Melly in long doses was too much for a body to survive right now.

How lowering to her spirits to realize that Melly was undoubtedly right. Mr. Weekes would look elsewhere for a bride, someone who could bring money, name, and spotless reputation to him. Neither could she dream of an alliance with Lord Ramsey. He was of higher birth, greater wealth, and could well manage to find a young lady of unexceptional background. Of course, he might offer Katherine a slip on the shoulder, This thought so enraged her that she pulled up a marigold before she realized what she was doing.

Disgusted with her stupidity, she tossed the weeds and the lone marigold away, then entered the house after picking a few flowers. Mrs. Moore and the daily maid had the place as neat as a pin. Katherine sought a vase, then arranged the hastily chosen bouquet of daisies and China asters she had selected.

“Katherine, love, do you recognize that young man in front of the house?” Cousin Sophia inquired in puzzled accents. “I vow, there is something familiar about him, but I cannot place it at the moment.”

She peered around the sheer curtain in the front room to where a gentleman of fashionable dress and elegant manner paid the driver of a hackney. Katherine hurriedly joined her, disapproving of the act even as she looked.

The horse that pulled the hackney was a retired Newmarket racehorse, and the poor animal looked as though he would rather be anywhere else but before the vehicle, even if it gleamed with polishing. He stood impatiently as a small mountain of luggage was removed from the boot and stacked awaiting a servant. Then the visitor turned and Katherine gasped. Here was the handsome count of her play. He looked angelically beautiful, yet capable of intrigue. Evidently of the dandy persuasion, he dressed in the height of fashion, his hat tilted at the precise angle, the proper number of fobs dangling below his elegant waistcoat. Oh, he certainly didn’t belong at the Penn house.

“He must have the wrong address,” Katherine said, giving voice to her thoughts.

“I feel certain I know someone who strongly resembles him. Let me think,” Cousin Sophia insisted while Katherine left the window and crossed to the hall.

Mrs. Moore ushered in the young man and sent someone to fetch his baggage. She brought him down the hall to where Katherine stood waiting.

“Mr. Exton to see you, Miss Penn.” Mrs. Moore flashed a curious look at the newcomer, then disappeared, aware she would find out his identity eventually. Little went on in the house that the servants didn’t know right away, if not beforehand.

“Sidney Exton at your service. I am charmed to meet my Cousin Katherine at last. I have heard much of you from our great-aunt, Harriette Winstanley.” Hat held behind him, he bowed over Katherine’s hand with what she fondly considered an irresistible manner.

Enchanted with his address, not to mention his appearance, Katherine decided she had been mistaken about him. Oh, he might have the requisite looks for the count, but he was far too nice for such evil business. She smiled and bobbed a polite curtsy.

“Please join me in the drawing room. Shall I send for Papa?” She led the way into the room, gesturing toward the sofa, while she took a chair close by.

“Do not disturb him, I pray. I know he must be a very busy gentleman in his high position at the college.”

Much in charity with the visitor, Katherine set about making him welcome. Cousin Sophia entered and Katherine introduced her. She merely nodded graciously, all the while studying Mr. Exton with a keen gaze.

“Cousin Sidney is from London,” Katherine explained to Cousin Sophia.

“Came up here to rusticate, did you?” Cousin Sophia inquired in a less-than-warm tone.

Seeming amused by the older lady, Sidney Exton smiled, shaking his head. “Not at all. I’ve never been to Cambridge, being an Oxford man myself. Thought it my duty to look up my relatives. There are precious few of us left, on my side of the family at least.” He gave Katherine an inquiring look.

She felt obliged to explain. “There is Teddy—that is, my brother, Theodore—and myself. And Papa, of course. Cousin Sophia is residing with us until I marry.”

He looked gratifyingly alarmed at this news. “I am desolate to think you might be lost to me now that I have found you, dear cousin.” One of his dark curls flopped over his noble brow in a charming way, making Katherine’s heart flutter a bit. While it might be true that Mr. Exton was shorter than Lord Ramsey, he was infinitely more eligible. And his eyes were not as close-set as Mr. Weekes’s either.

“Oh, that day is far enough away,” Cousin Sophia declared bluntly.

Katherine thought that the dear lady did not have to make it sound quite such an implausible happening. She turned to their newly discovered relative and said, “I am not without gentlemen friends, you see. One must be selective.”

Cousin Sophia gave a snort of disdain for that nonsense, leaving Katherine longing to box someone’s ears.

“I hope it is not inconvenient for me to visit with you at this time?” Cousin Sidney looked politely anxious.

That explained all the baggage that Katherine had seen piled outside. “Why, no, I suppose not.” Lest her welcome seem cool, she smiled encouragingly at Mr. Exton while she tried to recall if her father had invited anyone to visit during the coming days,

“I thought I might stay for the fair. ‘Tis only a few weeks away, is it not?” Mr. Exton looked first at Katherine, then at Cousin Sophia for confirmation of what any ninny ought to have known.

Katherine gave a faint frown. If this new cousin was installed in the house, there was little she might do to keep her secret.

She glanced at Cousin Sophia, believing she saw a similar concern on that lady’s face. “I do not think it will be a problem.” Inspiration struck. “However, I am busy helping Mrs. Cheney of Fairfax Hall with a project that requires a great deal of my time. And Teddy is on the go every minute, it seems. He is still an undergraduate, you know, due to get his degree before long. And we never know when our dear father may come home with a surprise guest. So you are welcome to stay with us, but I fear we cannot extend our customary hospitality at this moment. I feel sure you will understand.”

“Merely look upon it as sharing with the family,” Cousin Sophia added dryly.

“I should like that above all things.” The look he sent Katherine from his hazel eyes was enough to make any female feel desirable and pretty. Katherine glowed.

“Why, Katherine, you naughty girl. You did never say a word about having such elegant company coming.” Miss Amelia Bonner entered the room in a flurry of trailing ribbons, not to mention eyelashes aflutter over her pretty blue eyes.

“Miss Amelia Bonner, Mr. Sidney Exton, up from London.” Sidney rose and bowed over Melly’s hand with the aplomb of a diplomat. Katherine believed that his attention to herself had been considerably nicer.

“London,” breathed Miss Bonner as though Katherine had just said Cathay. Her curtsy was a perfection of demure propriety combined with charming flirtation.

Katherine wished she could manage it as well. Melly’s coquetry might earn her a bit of civility from Mr. Exton, but if she thought she was going to walk off with Katherine s prize guest right under her nose, she had another think coming.

“My cousin is to spend the coming weeks with us, until the fair. Is that not lovely?”

Amelia gave Mr. Exton a predatory, rather feline glance. Katherine gave her a bland smile. Never mind that Lord Ramsey put this new cousin in the shade without half trying. Katherine needed someone to boost her wounded vanity and Mr. Exton looked the perfect one to help.

He performed the task admirably. Smiling fondly in Katherine’s direction, he then turned to Melly with a polite face. “I will wish to spend as much time with my cousin as possible, Miss Bonner.

Belatedly Katherine remembered her play. Drat it all, she was going to have to foist her new cousin on Melly, after all. And she knew that young lady would make the utmost of the situation. Still, Katherine consoled herself that Mr. Exton had wanted to spend time with her first.

Heroically Katherine sighed. “I cannot believe I near forgot Mrs. Cheney and the work we do. Perhaps I may rely upon you, dearest Amelia, to show my cousin a few of the sights about town?”

“The Bridge of Sighs?” Melly smiled at Mr. Exton, a dreamy sort of smile that usually turned every male in sight into blancmange. “And a lovely walk along the river? And you will want to view the Round Chapel, of course.”

Mr. Exton looked rather dazed at this turn of events. He cast a bewildered glance at Katherine, who gazed helplessly back at him.

“There is precious little that Miss Bonner does not know about our town.” Katherine thought of all the gossip that could trip off Melly’s tongue, including the business about Katherine’s play, and she clenched her teeth. If Sidney Exton was at all inclined toward tittle-tattle, he would get his ears filled from dear Amelia’s sweet lips without trying.

“I say, Kitty, Ramsey has the greatest new idea." Teddy came to a fast halt inside the drawing-room door. His eyes grew wide at the stranger seated on the sofa with both his sister and Amelia Banner looking like two cats about to pounce on the same mouse.

“Cousin Bertrand is your father, I believe,” Cousin Sophia declared abruptly. “Actually he is a second cousin. He was the Penn who went heavily into the Exchange, did he not? Lost a fortune, as I recall. Down in the hatches, are you, my lad?” She tilted her head as she studied the faintly flushed countenance of the young man across from her. “Could happen to any one, I expect. We are none of us free of the danger of improvident parents.” She glanced benignly at Amelia Bonner when she said this, and Katherine was required to clear her throat of an unexpected obstruction.

Embarrassed by her relative’s possibly wounding remark, Katherine tried to smooth things over. “When we are free, we shall be pleased to escort you about. Theodore, our cousin, Mr. Sidney Exton, has come to visit with us for a few weeks. I told him that I am unfortunately occupied with assisting Mrs. Cheney at Fairfax Hall. And you, poor dear, are up to your ears in lectures and what not. Amelia will help us out, though. Will you not, Melly?” Katherine hoped that that widgeon caught the threat in Katherine’s voice and paid heed to it.

“Do you attend divine services with the family tomorrow, Mr. Exton?” Melly said, her blue eyes flashing coyly and far too flirtatiously at him. “Mr. Penn is such an articulate speaker. You will be simply awed.”

Katherine exchanged grim looks with her brother.

“I should think we would be gudgeons were we to permit him to be on his own. Sunday is a dashed dull day in Cambridge, y’know,” Teddy inserted helplessly. “Besides, we are invited to stay on after services.”