Read The Kiss of a Viscount (The Daughters of the Aristocracy) for Free Online Page B

to agree. And then his grin widened. “ You’re a member of the ton now, George,” he commented with a cocked eyebrow. “Perhaps you should consider courting Lady Elizabeth. You’d like her,” he added as his elbow found its way into George’s ribs.
    “Ouch,” the viscount replied as he stepped to the side. Trying hard to hide his sudden grimace, he regarded his friend. “And why would I be interested in a chit who runs a charity that is no doubt funded by her father? A spoiled chit, no less.”
    As they took their leave of the changing room and headed toward the academy’s front doors, Teddy said something that stayed with George for the rest of the night. “I do not believe the marquess is funding Lady E’s venture. At least, not directly.”
    A footman held open the doors for the two gentlemen as they left Angelo’s. “What makes you say that?” George wondered as he led Teddy down the street toward White’s.
    “I could be mistaken, but I am almost positive she used her allowance to pay the bribe at the bank,” Teddy answered with a cocked eyebrow. “And when I looked at Lady E, I did not get the impression she was spoiled in the least.”
    George cocked an eyebrow. “When you looked at her, were you looking at her ... face? Or some other parts of her?” he asked in feigned disgust. “And was she looking down her nose at you? With her chin somewhere in the next layer of atmosphere?”
    It was Teddy’s turn to huff. “I appreciate a pretty face when I see one, George, and hers is more than pretty. As to her other parts, I can’t say for certain since she was wearing one of those ...” He waved his arm in the air as he tried to find the correct word. “Pelisses, that’s it,” he announced proudly. “She was wearing it over her gown. But I can imagine she’s a good figure. And she never treated me like a commoner, George. She’s got pluck, I tell you. And she is beautiful .”
    Suitably dressed down, George considered his friend’s words. And he was surprised at the reverence he heard in his friend’s words. Obviously, this ‘Lady E’ had made quite an impression on Teddy. “It sounds as if you were saved by an angel, my friend.”
    Teddy raised an eyebrow. “I do think of her as an angel. But I have a feeling she will be unable to share the good news of her charity with any of her own titled people.”
    George gave his friend a sharp glance. Titled people now included him. And why shouldn’t he look kindly upon Lady E’s charity? He voiced the question and heard Teddy snort in reply.
    “I would think it’s not seemly for an unmarried lady of the ton to be involved with cripples,” he replied in a matter-of-fact manner. “At least, not directly. Could be quite scandalous, in fact. She didn’t even have a chaperone with her when she met with the banker today.”
    George stymied the surprise he nearly displayed at hearing the awful truth. Considering his friend’s words for the rest of the night as they played whist at White’s, George wondered how Lady E was funding her charity. Did she have to keep it secret from her family as he had kept secret the funding of the Chichester orphanage from his uncle all those years? Or had her father allowed her the privilege? Perhaps he would ask Lord Morganfield about his daughter’s charity in such a way as to discover if the marquess was providing funds for it. And, if it became clear the marquess knew nothing of the charity, then George decided Lady E should have some help with her charity.
    Monetary help.
    She would need a good deal of blunt if the enterprise wasn’t being funded by her family’s money. There were far too many wounded soldiers looking for employment these days, and once news of the charity spread, there would be a number of men lining up in Oxford Street seeking Lady E’s help. An army of them, in fact.

    Later that night, Elizabeth Carlington climbed into bed feeling an immense sense of satisfaction. Despite having