Read Online Cousin Cecilia by Joan Smith - Free Book Online Page A

concession to her call.
    “So I see,” Mrs. Meacham said, peering through the sheer curtains. “He is likely getting some things that he will need the carriage to haul home.”
    “You are determined to deflate my pretensions,” Cecilia said, yet her cousin’s explanation struck her as plausible. She had been taking too much credit for this call. It was actually no inconvenience to Lord Wickham at all, and therefore little compliment to herself.
    The only minor consolation she could derive was that he called before he attended to business. This might indicate an eagerness that the rest of his call did not uphold. When he was seated in the well-dusted Gold Saloon, he addressed the first half of his remarks to Mrs. Meacham.
    “You have removed from the Maples since I left,” he began, and tendered his sympathy at the cause. “You must have hated to leave it, but you have no sons, as I recall. A large estate is a big handful for a lady.”
    Mrs. Meacham soon found herself overcoming any shyness and chatting sociably. While they chatted, Cecilia had time to examine his toilette. Wickham was turned out remarkably well for a country gentleman. His shirt front and cravat were immaculate; his Hessians were newly polished, and his jacket was unexceptionable. It was the work of Stultz to be sure, but not one of his more outré creations.
    The conversation proceeded with congratulations from Lord Wickham on the beauty of the Meacham girls, and a playful mention that they had got their looks from their mother. This was palpable nonsense; they both favored their father in appearance, but it went down very well. Oh yes, Wickham was definitely setting out to please the dame and having wonderful success, too. Next he complimented her on the house.
    “I had the happy idea of having a bow window thrown out, for it gives such a good view of the street. I can see it from end to end. It is something to do of a dull afternoon, looking out on the street.”
    “A charming idea, and the room is so tastefully decorated, too. My own place has sadly deteriorated, since I have been away. I am trying to bring it back, but that certain touch is lacking. The woman’s touch. I hesitate to entertain till I have refurbished the place.” The weak pretext was to account for his lack of sociability.
    Had this been Lord Wickham’s second visit instead of his first, she would certainly have recommended his taking a wife, but she was not yet at that stage of intimacy, and the conversation veered to other topics.
    “A charming assembly last night, was it not?” Wickham said, to draw Cecilia into the talk.
    “I wonder that you left the party so early, if you liked it,” she replied saucily. Her sparkling eyes told him, “You may have cozened her, but I am not so easily fooled.”
    “Having had my two dances with the most charming lady there, the rest was all futility. Mrs. Meacham will forgive my saying so, I trust. Her own lovely girls are much too young for an old Benedict like myself to presume to show an interest.”
    Mrs. Meacham would have forgiven him for attempted murder when he was behaving so handsomely. “My two hussies have a certain set of lads in their eye, you must know,” she said.
    Before Cecilia could turn this opening to any use, a servant appeared with wine and macaroons. Lord Wickham felt he had done the pretty with the hostess and turned his attention fully to the younger lady. “Miss Cummings, you are missing some fine riding weather. A pity you hadn’t brought your mount with you.”
    “Alice has an old cob in the stable. You are welcome to it I’m sure,” the hostess mentioned. “Of course Bricks is ancient. The girls don’t ride much, since we removed from the Maples.”
    “I have several mounts at the Abbey, if you would like to borrow one while you are here,” he offered.
    There was a little chicanery in presenting this as a new idea, for she had already refused the offer the evening before. Cecilia began to