Read Sir Philip's Folly (The Poor Relation Series Book 4) for Free Online Page B

of character. But mark my words. Love may be waiting for
you
in the theatre tomorrow!”
    ***
    Arabella went to bed that night but was unable to sleep. She thanked God for bringing her to this hotel which had changed her lonely life. She wondered what she would look like with her hair cropped. She got out of bed and lit a branch of candles with a taper and carried it over to the mirror at the toilet-table. She put down the candles and then sat down and twisted her hair on top of her head, turning this way and that. And would the earl notice her after Monsieur André had finished with her?
    She blew out the candles and sighed and returned to bed and began to make up a scenario where the earl would see her coming down the stairs with her new hair-style and he would clutch his heart and his eyes would shine. She fell asleep, and in her dream, the earl ruffled her hair and said, “Well, Arabella, and what do you think of your new papa?” And her mother said, “Congratulate us, my love, Denby and I were married by special licence this morning, and we have already picked out someone for
you
, Denby’s little brother.” They stood aside and revealed a low-browed, pocked-face man who leered at her and his hairy hands reached out for her.
    Arabella screamed and sat up in bed, her heart thumping. She must ask the hotel owners to find out whether the earl had a brother.

Chapter Three
    Anger helps complexion,
saves paint.
    —W ILLIAM C ONGREVE
    Sir Philip felt uneasy next day. Something was going on, something that excluded him. Miss Tonks had told him of the plan to crop Arabella’s hair and Lady Fortescue informed him that the Dessops had been about to leave without settling their bill but that Colonel Sandhurst had handled the matter beautifully.
    Although he had often complained in the past that he was the one who had to sort out all their problems, he had enjoyed the attention and now he felt old and useless. Also there was an
atmosphere
, an air of suppressed excitement. They were up to something, he thought, and that something did not include him.
    In order to try to win his way back into Lady Fortescue’s good graces, he returned to the flat next door and roused his beloved and told her she was expected to help as chambermaid in the hotel.
    “But o’ course, sweetheart,” she said, shifting her bulk against the pillows. “But my back is somewhat sore. I’ve always had trouble with my back. Perhaps if you could get Despard to send over some of his jellied chicken, it would help me to recover.”
    For once Sir Philip showed no interest in her health. “I did bring you here, Mary,” he said, “on the understanding that you would be one of us and help to run the hotel.”
    “I know you did, light o’ my life. But what’s to do? They all hate me.” And she began to cry.
    Alarmed, he went to soothe her. He could not very well tell her that all loved her when he knew the dearest wish of the others was that she would leave. The others might see her as a gross and grasping woman, but to Sir Philip she was generosity and warmth itself. And so, while he dried her tears, he missed seeing Miss Tonks and Miss Carruthers leaving in a hired carriage to go to the theatre.
    Arabella was as excited as the child her mother fondly hoped she looked like. She did, however, wish she had a new gown, a new grown-up gown. Miss Tonks had found a very smart straw bonnet embellished with flowers which Mrs. Budley had left behind and had presented it to Arabella, and that was a comfort. Arabella had established that her mother would definitely be absent when Monsieur André called, and as her mother always took her maid and footman with her, Arabella was comfortably confident that there would be no one around to stop Monsieur André’s cutting her hair. She had not seen the earl, but she wanted him to see her next with her fashionable new crop. It was wonderful to dream, she thought cynically, because in dreams one could write the play and