Read Scandalous for Free Online Page B

peninsular campaign, on the face of a young soldier he had seen get hit in the midsection by a shell. In the seconds before the boy collapsed and died, the look in his eyes had not been pain, or terror, as one might have expected, but utter disbelief.
    That was what had been in Gabriella's eyes as she watched him disappear into the night: utter disbelief.

 
    4
    "I must say," Beth said with enthusiasm, turning to her sisters as the door closed behind the exiting party, "our brother is something like! Did you ever see anyone more handsome, or more complete to a shade?"
    "In any event, what a surprise to find him here. Although he did say in his letter that we might expect him to join us in London in a few weeks. He seemed quite nice, actually. Certainly he has an air." Claire's voice turned reflective as she glanced at Gabby. "Do you think we might be able to get one or two new gowns made up immediately? I could see that Lady Ware and the others thought us the veriest provincials. And Lady Ware's gown! Did you ever behold anything so ravishing? Do you not think that something similar would look well on me?"
    "Not unless you were planning to set yourself up as Haymarket ware," Gabby snorted, recovering her wits to some degree now that her supposedly deceased brother was out of sight.
    "That dress was certainly not meant for young ladies in their first season," Twindle agreed. "And as for you, Miss Beth, what have I told you about using cant terms? You will give people a very pretty opinion of you if they hear you talking so."
    "Miss Gabby, Miss Claire, Miss Beth, Stivers only just now sent to tell me you had arrived." Small and round as a dumpling, Mrs. Bucknell came bustling into the hall, her florid, rather plain face wreathed in smiles despite the scandalized tone of her voice. "Was there ever such a surprise as His Lordship being here? And for all that I thought he might send me and Stivers straight back home again, as he had already set up here as a bachelor establishment, no sooner did Stivers tell him that you meant to come to town for Miss Claire's season than he bade us stay and take the place in hand, which we did, you may be sure," she tut-tutted. "You look fagged to death, the lot of you, and you especially, Miss Claire. You'll be wanting to go straight upstairs, as any but a nodcock such as Stivers would know, and have a can of hot water sent up to you, and refresh yourselves. Then would you be wanting supper served in the morning room, Miss Gabby, seeing as how the dining room is still at sixes and sevens from His Lordship's dinner party? Or a nice tray in your rooms?"
    Gabby gathered her resources enough to greet the housekeeper warmly, and answer her questions.
    "Miss Claire, for one, would be wishful of retiring to bed," Twindle said firmly, shepherding Claire toward the stairs. Mrs. Bucknell, clucking at the severe trials travel imposed on those with a delicate constitution, undertook to show them to their chambers herself. Twindle glanced back over her shoulder at her younger charge. "Miss Beth, I leave it to your own and Miss Gabby's discretion as to whether or not you retire for the night as well, but just let me remind you that London is not going anywhere. It will still exist on the morrow."
    Beth looked imploringly at Gabby. "If I went to bed now, I could not possibly sleep so much as a wink. Claire, I cannot believe you would be so poor spirited as to retire to bed on our first night in town."
    "I would not do so, but I have the headache, and my stomach is behaving in the most disgraceful way," Claire said apologetically as she began to climb the stairs.
    "Of course you must go up, Claire. Beth, do you go upstairs too, and at least wash your face and hands. I'm coming as well, as soon as I've had a word with Stivers. In about three quarters of an hour, if you like, you and I will take a light repast— Mrs. Bucknell, something cold will do— in the morning room. After that, I for one am going to bed.