Julia London Read Online Free Page A

Montgomery and Dillingham, who sat directly before her, but Dillingham was in the country this weekend, and Bastian, alas, was apparently a sinner, for he did not attend services with any regularity. That would, of course, change if Emily accepted his offer.
    As the services started, she settled in, one eye trained on Montgomery, the other on the vicar, naturally, lest anyone think she wasn’t completely attentive. But her attention to the vicar soon waned as it became apparent to her that Montgomery was not listening to him, either. She couldn’t be completely certain, but she thought he was watching the widow Becket, who was seated off to one side with her father.
    But why would he be watching her?
    Emily mulled that one over. It wasn’t as if Widow Becket was any sort of match for a viscount! Her beginnings were humble, as Emily understood them, and she was living in the guest house on the vicar’s small estate. Not only that, she was old. Granted, not so old that she required a cane or any such thing, but too old to be contemplating marriage again.
    Yet at the conclusion of the insufferably long service, Emily was positively convinced that Montgomery had gazed at Mrs. Becket the entire service. Well, mostly convinced—she supposed it was possible that he’d been gazing at the cross above her head, divining some sort of inspiration.
    Nevertheless, the possibility troubled her.
    At last, the congregation filed out the church and tromped around through the courtyard, across the cemetery, to the old stables converted to meeting rooms where the spring social would be held. Emily escaped her parents, and her brother, who wandered off to join other young men that Emily had no use for, and made her way to sit beside Miss Tabitha Townsend, who, like her, had come out just this season. Emily and Tabitha had known each other since they were girls.
    “Have you received an invitation to the May Day Ball?” Tabitha asked breathlessly once the two young women had exchanged pleasantries.
    A ridiculous question. Of course she’d been invited. “Of course.”
    “What do you intend to wear?” Tabitha asked anxiously.
    “I’ve a new yellow silk set aside for just that occasion.” Emily had managed to convince her father she needed a new gown for every event of the season.
    “ Ooh, how lovely.”
    Tabitha sighed so longingly that Emily gathered her pale blue gown would be making its third appearance this season. The Townsends were not as wealthy as the Forsythes, which everyone knew, but Tabitha proceeded to launch into a rather lengthy tale of her latest trip to the modiste, and how, in a tragic turn of events, her new silk gown would not be ready for the May Day Ball.
    Emily lost interest and began to look around at the congregation milling about, her eyes trained for Montgomery. He was easy to spot—a head taller than most, his handsome face radiated a warmhearted smile as he spoke with fat old Lady Vandergast.
    Emily would speak to him today. Determined, she glanced down to straighten the buttons of her gloves as Tabitha droned on. But when she glanced up again, she frowned—Widow Becket was standing very near Montgomery. Again.
    “What do you think?” Tabitha asked.
    “I beg your pardon?” Emily asked, dragging her gaze away from Montgomery.
    “About the shoes. Should I wear the silver, to match the reticule? Or the blue, to match the gown?”
    “The silver. Contrasts are all the rage,” Emily said instantly. “By the bye, have you noticed that the Widow Becket has come out of her weeds?”
    Tabitha looked to where Emily indicated and exclaimed happily, “Aha, she has indeed. Has it been as long as two years since the poor vicar’s death?”
    “Just, actually,” Emily said. “I wonder if she intends to stay on in London, or trot back to Wales or wherever it is she comes from.”
    “Oh no, I should think she’d stay,” Tabitha said instantly and with some authority. “Mrs. Becket is engaged in a