Kissing Cousins Read Online Free Page B

I ’ m sorry if I embarrassed you, Cousin. ”
    “ Embarrassment doesn ’ t begin to cover it. In future, pray use proper English if we meet anyone else. ”
    “ Would you like me to sit on the floor? ” she asked. “ I could pull this blanket over my —”
    “ Certainly not! Damn Carnford and his long nose! ”
    He jerked the drawstring and the carriage proceeded on its way. Salverton comforted himself that at least Carnford wasn ’ t going to the duke ’ s house that evening. By tomorrow he would be back himself to explain the matter to Louise.
    “ Did he think I was a lightskirt? ” Samantha asked.
    “ Yes. No! No, of course not. You shouldn ’ t say — you shouldn ’ t even know about such things. ”
    “ I am two and twenty, Cousin. And I think he did take me for your bit of muslin. As your match with Lady Louise is a marriage of convenience, surely it is not unusual that you should have a woman on the side. ”
    “ It is not a marriage of convenience! ”
    “ You called her tolerably handsome. A man in love doesn ’ t say that — unless she is actually an antidote. Is that the case? ”
    “ You have a strange notion of my taste! I am hardly in a position where I must marry an antidote to lend me cachet. ”
    “ No, you need not, but I wager a duke ’ s eldest daughter is well dowered. ”
    “ It is not cream-pot love. I have money and estates of my own. ”
    “ You are also possessed of an overweening ambition. I know the duke is very important, for one hears his name even in Milford. ”
    “ I happen to be very fond of Lady Louise, ” Salverton said coldly.
    “ Well, I am sorry. If Lady Louise shares your feelings, no doubt she will have a good laugh at this little contretemps. ”
    Salverton ’ s hopes did not soar so high as to hope for even a smile. Louise might, if she were caught in a good mood, forgive and commiserate. She would feel, as he did himself, that it was unfortunate. Though, as he considered it, it had been funny to see Carnford ’ s jaw drop. A reluctant smile tugged at his lips.
    Besides, no one would believe it if Carnford were so indiscreet as to broadcast the tale. The Marquess of Salverton was not the devil-may-care sort of fellow to keep a lightskirt when he was courting a lady. But if anyone did believe it, at least they would have heard his ch è re amie was uncommonly pretty.
    His carriage was recognized by two other acquaintances as he drove out of London. Brighton would be full of the ton as well. It was beginning to seem a good idea to stable his rig upon arrival there and hire an unmarked carriage.
    Once on the highway to Brighton, they did not meet anyone else Salverton recognized, but at their rate of speed, they did pass a few carriages, and no doubt his crest was noticed.
    Samantha paid little heed to the traffic. She gazed out the window at the swaying trees and setting sun that turned the sky a pretty peach color and gilded the rooftops, until the countryside looked like something from a book of fairy tales.
    “ It ’ s really quite lovely, isn ’ t it? ” she said.
    Salverton glanced out the window and said, “ As soon as we reach Brighton, I ’ ll stable this rig and hire a plain carriage. ”
    “ I ’ ve been a dreadful nuisance to you, ” Samantha said. “ Why do you not just go home and let me find Darren and Wanda? ”
    “ It would not be fitting to abandon a lady in distress. ”
    For the next hour he asked Samantha questions about the welfare of their various relations. He was struck at the difference in their views of what constituted success. So long as relatives had married and were not living in penury, Samantha seemed to think they were doing well. She spoke with pride of someone he could not quite recall having set up a carriage, and of Cousin Francis Talbot having bought a small property near Bath.
    “ Why Bath? ” he demanded. “ Cousin Francis is a solicitor. He would do better in London. I could send some government