Anne Stuart [Scandal at the H Never Marry a Viscount (epub) i

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.“And I have no idea where my sisters are.” That wasn’t strictly true, though the details were fuzzy.“If only your family hadn’t held Renwick for so many years,” Miss Crowell lamented.“Not that there’d be a place for you—there are no children and Mrs.Griffiths’s companion is her first cousin.You’d be better off looking for genteel employment in London.”The very thought of genteel employment gave Sophie cold chills, and she didn’t bother to inquire how she was even supposed to get there in the first place.“When is Nanny coming home?”“My dear, haven’t you been listening? She’s not going to.And even if she wanted to, Lord Griffiths’s steward might make certain she can’t.In the meantime she’s very well settled into the nursing home right now, and when she’s well enough she can share my little home for the rest of her days.We’ve always found each other most convivial.”Sophie didn’t miss the glaring fact that Miss Crowell’s “little home,” a house with at least four bedrooms, didn’t have room for her.“Nanny likes her independence,” she said carefully.“She’s worked hard all her life.” Miss Crowell was firm.“It’s time for someone to take care of her.Her only worry is about you, but I’ll set her mind at ease.”“You will?”“I’ll tell her you’re going to join one of your sisters.”Sophie wrinkled her nose.“And you think she’ll believe it?”“Why should I lie to her?”“Why indeed?” Sophie purred.“But unfortunately, even if I had the money for such a journey, my sister is in no position to have me come stay with her.”“I have enough set aside,” Miss Crowell announced smugly.“And the boy will drive you into Upper Pelham, where you can catch the stage, either to Plymouth or back to London.It’s your choice.”“But I have to see Nanny first.”“I can’t allow that.She doesn’t need the extra worry.Better if you simply leave.”“Without a word to her?”The elderly Miss Crowell had a gleam of triumph in her faded blue eyes.“She has no illusions about you, my dear.Everyone knows you’re a shallow, selfish beauty who thinks of no one but herself.”Sophie gave her a feral smile, and Miss Crowell took an involuntary step back.“Yes, I am pretty, aren’t I?” she said smoothly.“I trust if I send a letter to Nanny from.Plymouth, you’ll give it to her?”“Of course,” Miss Crowell said, clearly affronted.It would go in the fire, Sophie thought.She would have fought more, but Miss Crowell really was going to give Nanny the life she deserved.They were good friends, and Miss Crowell’s income even afforded a couple of servants.Nanny would live out her life in grand style.“It shouldn’t take you long to get ready,” Miss Crowell continued.“You don’t have much—I gather when your father stole all that money, his creditors stripped you of everything, including most of your clothing.Young Jacky will be by with his cart in a few hours—you should be ready.”Young Jacky’s cart smelled of dung.“Of course,” Sophie murmured, plotting revenge.“I’ll be ready.”The fool woman believed her.It didn’t take long for her to pack her two plain dresses—dyed black and now laundered to an indiscriminate shade between brown and dark blue—her hairbrush and toiletries and the fine lace undergarments that they hadn’t been able to take from her.Her emerald ear bobs that had been a sixteenth-birthday present from Papa made up the sum of her earthly possessions—she, the toast of London, the beautiful, gay, young heiress who’d had a personal maid, a laundry maid responsible for the ornate gowns that were long gone, and a hairdresser she shared with her sisters.Her siblings had managed well enough with their own hair since their fall from grace—she’d had nothing but trouble with her unruly mane of blond curls [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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