The Unaccomplished Lady Eleanor Read Online Free Page B

earlier, h ad co ncluded that the least fuss she made , the better .  Summoning every last scrap of energy, she had therefore changed into her o nly evening gown – a very tired- looking, creased garment in faded blue silk – and made her weary way back through the maze of corridors to the ground floor.
    Now , sipping at the sweet almond-flavoured liqu id in the comfort of the fireside chair , she was aware of her body unwinding and her heavy eyelids very slowly closing.  All at once , though, the door burst open and her godmother’s vociferous voice signalled the end of her peace. 
    ‘ Now, Eleanor, allow me to introduce you to our guests for this evening: Lady Carmichael and her daughters Felicity and Gertru- ’
    Rudely startled from her doze, Eleanor leapt from her seat and spun around to face the new arrivals.  In the process, the glass of ratafia slipped from her hand, dispensing its contents over the front of her skirts , before landing with a small thu d on the Persian rug.  Gasping in dismay as she watched the glass bounce and scatter its few remaining sticky drops over the carpet, Eleanor raised an appalled hand to her mouth. 
    ‘ Oh, ’ she gush ed, a rush of pink stain ing her cheeks, ‘ I am so sorry.  I do believe I nodded off slightly and I- ’
    Shifting her gaze from the glass to her godmother, she cringed as she noticed an expression of pure horro r - intermingled with something akin to disbelief - spread across Lady Ormiston’s rou nded countenance.  The old lady had come to an abrupt halt inside the doorway, her three plump guests bouncing off one another as they failed to stop quite so rapidly.  
    ‘ Hmph, ’ sniffed the dowager .  ‘ I thought it would be too much to ask that we have no more disasters before dinner.  I do declare, Eleanor, that I have never met such a clumsy , unrefined y oung woman in all my life.  I dare not think what your poor mother, my cousin, would have made of your behaviour, ’ she puff ed, shaking her head so vehemently that the ribbons on her lace cap danced in exasperation.  In sympathy with their hostess, the ugly trio behind her, all of a similar shape and heigh t, and all dressed in unflattering frilly pastel gowns, all shook their heads too. 
    ‘ Stevens! ’ roared the dowager , causing the trio, Eleanor and indeed th e summoned footman, to jump. ‘ Clear up this mess at once .’
    ‘ Of course, your g race, ’ simpered the lanky young man, scurrying over to the scene of the incident.  Picking up the empty glass, he began da bb ing furiously at the stain with a white serving cloth. 
    ‘ And as for you, Eleanor, ’ continued the dowager , turning he r dark eyes to the large wet patch decorating her goddaughter’s dress, ‘ I suggest you go upstairs and change your gown immediately. ’
    ‘Oh,’ muttered E leanor , bit ing her lip.  ‘ I’m, e r , I’m a fraid I cannot , Godmother . ’
    ‘ Cannot? ’ echoed Lady Ormiston. ‘ Why on earth not? ’
    ‘ Because this is the , um, only evening gown I have.’
    An incredulous snort of laughter escaped the older of the two girls, who were still standing behind their hostess.
    Lady Ormiston’s brows knitted together in confusion .  ‘ Are you telling me , Eleanor, that you - the daughter of an e arl – have only one evening gown to your name? ’  
    Desperate not to make a cake of herself yet again in front of her new guardian, Eleanor attempted to offer a logical explanation.  ‘ I’m afraid I am, your grace.  But i t’s not that my father refused to buy me gowns.  I t’s rather that I never wished for any. ’  
    To her dismay, this confession only served to make matters worse as the collective gas p which followed could not have been louder had she announced that she wished to remove all her clothes and ta ke a stroll around the grounds.
    ‘ Never wished for any gowns , ’ repeated Lady Ormiston, walking to the armchair opposite that of Eleanor’s and easing her