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~ One ~
CHERYL ELTON OPENED the door to her stepmother’s sitting room and peeped around the corner of the bright and handsomely furnished room before she smiled sheepishly and asked, “You wanted to see me, Mama?”
Lady Elton’s expression was grave and her lips set as she said in a reproving tone, “Come sit, Cheryl.”
Cherry Elton did what she was told, not because she was an obedient miss but because she wanted to stave off the trouble she saw ahead.
Her stepmother affectionately brushed Cherry’s long, thick, black hair away from her face and clucked. “I suppose you should start to wear your hair up most of the time now … you certainly are of age.”
“Yes, Mama, but I like it loose.”
Lady Elton frowned, sighed, took a moment to smooth out the skirt of her gray satin day gown, and then looked into Cherry’s
bright aqua-blue eyes. “I want you to listen to what I have to say before you get yourself in a state.”
“Mama, I know now that what I did was not quite the thing—” Cherry hurriedly began to explain. She knew this time she was in trouble.
“Not the thing!” spluttered Lady Elton, interrupting her. “Hopping on Lord Melville’s stallion in the middle of Hyde Park—in your walking clothes—and then riding the animal astride with your skirt hiked up as you raced Sir Peter for all the world to see … not the thing? Why, you miserable wretch of a girl! How can you sit there and look so innocent? If your father were alive …”
Cheryl leaned forward and hugged her stepmother. “I am sorry.” But even as her stepmother might have relaxed had she left it at that, Cherry added, “Had I been a man and done that, I would have been called top sawyer … but just because I am a female—”
“A man would not have had to hike up his skirts!” Lady Elton snapped. “Cherry love, what am I to do with you?” She put up her hand to stop her stepdaughter from answering. “Enough. You know the rules that govern society. You know that what you do affects not only your own standing but mine as well in that same society. How dare you, child.”
This tore at Cherry. She loved her stepmother and meant her no ill. As far back as she could remember her stepmother had always loved her and her father and had been very good to her. “Mama, I didn’t think past the moment … Peter was being the devil of a tease … and there was Melville’s black looking so very fine and inviting and Melville goading me by saying he was too much horse for me to handle … and …”
“Yes, impossible creature, I do see, but that is where a young woman of your breeding and standing demurs and shames a gentleman into behaving with more decorum towards her.” Lady Elton clucked her tongue, and Cherry could see her mama’s thoughts racing. “However, I have the solution, and amazingly enough, he still wants you.”
“What are you talking about? He—who still wants me?”
“I knew that he was more than mildly interested, but I never dreamed he would actually come up to scratch … and then, Lady Jersey said you would be refused vouchers to Almack’s because of your recent hoydenish behavior … That awful woman never liked me—I daresay she was looking for the chance to … but never mind, all will soon be well.”
“Jersey said she would refuse me entrée to Almack’s?” Cherry returned on a hushed note. She always thought the haute ton hostess liked her.
“No, no, not Sarah but the other one.”
“Princess Esterhazy? Stiff-rumped—”
“And that is another thing—your language. You spout terms like any man—stiff-rumped, indeed.”
“Well, I don’t care about Almack’s anyway,” Cherry answered.
“Then why are you pouting? This won’t do. You shan’t be admitted there this season, you dreadful girl. However, all is not lost. You will be married to the catch of the century, and they just might change their minds about you yet. No matter, you will be busy enough this season with your new life.”
“Married?” Cherry jumped to her dainty feet. “I won’t! No—what are you talking about?” Had she indicated any partiality for any of her suitors? No, she had not. How could her stepmother do this? It was absurd. She had refused no less than five offers in the past eight months. What then—this offer had to be from a virtual stranger. Who could have applied for her hand?
“Oh, but my girl, you will be married, and one day you will thank me for taking this high-handed method of settling you comfortably just when you were on the brink of scandal.”
“Mama, I don’t know what you are talking about. I must tell you that I have no intention whatsoever of marrying where my heart has not thrown in the towel, and I must advise you that my heart is very much my own.”
“And still you will be married, my darling, and he is just the man to set you to rights,” Lady Elton returned gently but firmly.
“The devil you say!” her wayward stepdaughter retorted in just the style her stepmama deplored.
“Now that is precisely what I mean.” Lady Elton sighed. “You cannot go about using expressions like that one. It is most unbecoming.”
“And it is not becoming to marry a man I have never seen!” Cherry was now desperately wringing her hands. Her mama was talking absurdities, and she found it all incredible.
