Nicola Cornick Read Online Free

left penniless to her charity! It is not easy for her!’
    Sir William grimaced. ‘You are all charity yourself, Mrs St Auby! But I see that Lady Bountiful is approaching us, so I may find out for myself if your words are true!’
    ‘Oh, no!’ Over his shoulder, Annabella could see the stout figure of her mother-in-law advancing on them purposefully. She wanted no interruption. Sir William’s dancing blue eyes saw her dismay and he laughed aloud.
    ‘Never fear, I will protect you! It will seem best if we are conversing on some innocuous topic,’ he added in a swift undertone. ‘Yes, my ship was stationed in the East Indies for two years, ma’am…’ he had raised his voice for the benefit of the approaching matron ‘…and the weather is indeed too hot for the British temperament! Ah, Lady St Auby—’ He turned swiftly. ‘Your servant, ma’am! I was just telling your charming daughter-in-law how much preferable the west of England is to hotter climes!’
    Lady St Auby was in a quandary. She had no wish to offend any friend of Viscount Mundell, even though it meant missing the opportunity to rail at Annabella for flirting with another man. She forced out a chilly smile.
    ‘Indeed, sir! I should hope so too! Nothing abroad —’ she invested the word with heavy scorn ‘—can stand comparison! The French are intemperate, the Russians uncivilised—although I did hear that the Czar is a charming man—and as for the Indies…’ Lady St Auby paused and took a deep breath. ‘Barbarous! But I believe you said you are a naval man? That would account for your sojourn in such a place, I suppose!’ Her tone implied that Sir William’s service in His Majesty’s fleet was nothing to be proud of and her sharp gaze appraised him for signs that the wind and weather had coarsened his appearance. Sir William smiled back, not one whit discomposed.
    ‘Just so, ma’am! I served during the recent American Wars, but am returned home now that the conflict is over.’
    Lady St Auby sniffed. She was not conversant with Anglo-American diplomatic relations, but she knew a race of ungrateful upstarts when she heard of them. ‘Those jumped-up Yankees! I trust our own fleet put them properly in their place, sir!’
    ‘Indeed not, ma’am!’ Sir William’s smile was rueful. He looked as though he was enjoying himself immensely, Annabella thought. ‘It grieves me to relate that the fledgling American navy has ships far faster than anything in His Majesty’s service!’
    ‘The Constitution is one of theirs, is it not?’ Annabella said, suddenly. ‘I read that it is a faster buildof frigate than those in our own navy.’ She saw Sir William’s quizzical gaze upon her and flushed a little. ‘I read about it in The Times ,’ she added apologetically, ‘after the Guerrière was sunk by the Americans.’
    ‘Most unsuitable,’ Lady St Auby said frostily.
    ‘Most commendable, ma’am,’ Sir William said, blandly. ‘An informed mind can never be anything but laudable.’
    Lady St Auby glared at him.
    ‘I see trouble for Britain from those big frigates from across the sea,’ Sir William continued softly. Lady St Auby snorted again, glad to have the opportunity to take him to task.
    ‘You are most unpatriotic, sir!’ she declared. ‘One imagines that our dear, dead Lord Nelson might have more faith in his own navy than you appear to do!’
    There was a pregnant pause.
    ‘It was Lord Nelson himself who said those words, ma’am,’ Sir William said, gently. Annabella giggled, quite unable to help herself.
    It was perhaps fortunate that Viscount Mundell chose that moment to come upon them, for Lady St Auby was flushing as red as a turkeycock.
    ‘Boring the ladies with your naval tales, Will?’ Mundell asked, in his lazy drawl.
    Sir William grinned. ‘As you see, Hugo! It is a bad habit of seafarers!’
    ‘Then I shall feel no compunction in taking Mrs St Auby away to dance,’ Mundell returned, with a smile for