Much Ado about the Shrew Read Online Free

is a viscount," Milford pointed out.
                "She
wouldn't know otherwise," Welles noted.
                Milford
nodded. "Excellent plan. Barrett… I mean, Kendal- oh, blast it! Why did
your brother have to die, anyway? It’s much too difficult to remember to call
you by your title.”
                “Milford!”
Welles said, astonished.   Ben just stared
at Milford, torn between laughing at Milford’s ridiculousness and hitting him.
                “Oh,
bother,” Milford growled, as if he were the injured party. “ Kendal , make both of us sons of dukes
when next you introduce us."
                Ben
seethed. "Did you forget how to act in polite society?" he admonished
his friends in hushed tones.
                "Polite?
When you find someone who is polite, I will act accordingly," Milford
said.
                "Enough,"
Ben said. "You're embarrassing me."
                "Yes,
Papa," Milford said sarcastically.
                "If
he's your Papa, does that make him my uncle?" Welles asked.
                "That is a question," Milford said,
taking another sip of champagne. "Dear Lord, this is awful. How is it that
the French are able to make the best brandy, but at the same time they can take
bad wine and make it even worse?"
                "I
believe it's really more for the ladies," Welles supplied.
                "Then
women everywhere should be ashamed for having such awful taste," Milford
said, disgusted.
                Ben
rolled his eyes. "Honestly, Milford, how do you expect to fit back into
society with that attitude?"   
                "It
is my first appearance back in society," Milford said. "If I act
perfectly, then there will be no room for improvement."
                "Enough.
Look, there's Lady Beatrice, and she's coming our way. Remember what I told
you- neither of you are to do
anything or say anything untoward, uncouth, or otherwise act in any way
differently than you would your own sister," Ben lectured.
                "I
don't have a sister," Welles said. "How am I to know how I should
act?"
                "I
believe he means we are not to ravish the young dear," Milford said,
pretending not to notice when Welles gave him a pointed look. "Although
you say our sister. If you're my
papa, does that make her your daughter as well?"
                "I
promised her brother," Ben said in clipped tones.
                Both
Milford and Welles' countenance immediately sobered. "Of course,
Kendal," Welles said, and Milford mumbled, "Like a sister."
                "Be
good," Ben warned.
                "Oh,
dear Lord," Milford sighed loudly. "Don't insult the hostess, don't
ravish the virgins... be good .   If I knew I were to act like a monk I would
have stayed home."
                Ben
frowned and turned back to Beatrice and the man who was with her. She was
dressed in a dark emerald green ball gown, with pearls decorating her throat
and hair.    The dark green of her dress
highlighted her red hair, making it appear to Ben that she was a Celtic goddess
come down to grace the mortals with her presence. She smiled happily as she
stopped and was greeted by another guest, and Ben sighed audibly.
                "Problem?"
Milford asked, taking his eyes off of Beatrice and looking over at Ben.
                Ben
shook his head. "No, not particularly. I was just thinking that Bee should
have been married by now. She's almost on the shelf."
                Welles
looked quizzically over at Ben. "She looks quite lovely to me. Lovely,
kind... er ... pleasant. I, uh... if she weren't my
apparent sister I might offer other adjectives."
                Ben
scoffed. "Pleasant?   No, that would
not be a word to describe Bee."
                "Oh?"
Milford said, looking over at