Amanda Grange The Silverton Scandal (Highwaym

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.The Silverton ScandalAmanda Grange© Amanda Grange 2002http://www.amandagrange.comThe moral right of the author has been assertedNo part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.Nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.This book is a work of fiction.The characters and incidents are either fictitious or are used fictitiously.Any resemblance to any real person or incident is entirely coincidental and not intended by the author.First published in hardback by Robert Hale Ltd.under the title of The Silverton ScandalFor more Kindle books by Amanda Grange, pleasevisit her Kindle page on Amazon UKor on Amazon USAmazon DEAmazon FRAmazon ITAmazon ESPraise for Amanda Grange“Absolutely fascinating” – Historical Novel Society“Hits the Regency language and tone on the head” – Library Journal“Lots of fun” – Woman“Rich atmospheric details” – Publishers’ Weekly“Affectionate” – Washington Post“Sure to delight Austen fans” – Cheshire LifeTable of ContentsChapter OneChapter TwoChapter ThreeChapter FourChapter FiveChapter SixChapter SevenChapter EightChapter NineChapter TenChapter ElevenChapter OneThe sunshine poured into the breakfast room in the autumn of 1810, lighting up the gilded mirrors and the rather battered furniture.Miss Eleanor Grantham sipped her cup of morning chocolate and gave a happy smile.After five years of difficulties, the clouds had finally parted and the future was full of promise.Her younger sister, Arabella, was sitting at the opposite side of the table, opening the morning mail.Arabella was as pretty as a picture, with golden hair and large blue eyes, and she looked adorable in her high-waisted muslin gown, which was trimmed with pink ribbon.Eleanor watched her with more than sisterly pride.Ever since their parents had died, Eleanor had been a mother and father, as well as a sister, to Arabella.The responsibility had been a constant source of worry to her, not because Arabella was difficult, but because Eleanor was too young for such a role.It had aged her, making her feel as though she were thirty-six instead of twenty-six.But today, for the first time in years, she felt light-hearted and carefree.Arabella would soon be married, to the kind, good, charming Charles, and Eleanor would be able to live her own life – whatever that might be.The delightful feeling lasted for a full three minutes before Arabella’s face took on a look of horror and she let out a cry.‘Oh, no!’She turned cornflower blue eyes to Eleanor.They were limpid with distress.‘What is it?’ asked Eleanor.‘I cannot believe it,’ said Arabella, looking down at the mail she had just opened.‘I thought those silly letters must have been lost or thrown away years ago.’‘Letters?’Arabella blushed, an even pink colour spreading delightfully over her smooth, clear skin.‘Yes, you remember, the ones I sent to Thomas.’‘Ah, yes! The ones where you told him he was a knight in shining armour, and promised to love him until your dying day.’Arabella looked mortified.‘Well, I was only sixteen, and he had written me some very pretty poems,’ she said.‘Yes, I remember,’ remarked Eleanor teasingly.‘I particularly liked his Ode to an Angel’s Hair and his Sonnet to a Fairy’s Eyes.’‘He was very romantic,’ Arabella said with a nostalgic sigh.‘It all seemed lovely at the time.’‘Is the mail from Thomas, then?’‘No.It is something far worse.’ Her face fell.‘It is from a Mr Kendrick.’ She grew pale.‘Mr Kendrick now has the letters in his possession, and he will not return them to me unless I give him a thousand guineas.Otherwise, he says he will send them to Charles’s father.’‘What? Blackmail?’ asked Eleanor in disgust.‘But how absurd.Charles will understand.’‘Charles will, but his family.Eleanor, they are such high sticklers, and small wonder.Charles is the heir to a dukedom and his family can trace their line back to the Conqueror.They are not happy about him marrying me anyway —’‘No one could fail to love you, Bella,’ said Eleanor.‘Oh, they like me well enough, I know, but I am not the sort of young lady they wanted Charles to marry.I am not from an old family, I don’t have any dowry and I don’t have any grand connections.’‘No.Instead you have the sweetest nature, the biggest blue eyes and the softest golden hair that I, or anyone else, has ever met with,’ said Eleanor.‘Oh, for shame, you will make my head swell,’ said Arabella with a laugh.And that is why everyone loves Bella, thought Eleanor.She is exquisite and sweet and lovely, but she does not know it.She thinks she is just as ordinary as everyone else.‘But if Charles’s family see those letters, it will be one more reason for them to dislike me as a match for Charles, and they may forbid the wedding altogether.They almost forbade it when Charles first told them of his plans to marry me, but they were persuaded to overlook my defects because I was a good, pure girl who would give them pretty grandchildren.You see, I am not under any illusions about them.But now.’‘Charles would never abandon you.’‘No, I know,’ said Arabella.‘But if his family threatened to disinherit him, I could not marry him.I could not allow him to give up his birthright for me.’‘Let me see that,’ said Eleanor.She read the short, business like note [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Pokrewne