“I did. I have done an excellent day’s work, in the most unprincipled way! Oh, tell Addy Charles does not blame her in the least! He won’t say a word to my aunt about what happened, and I doubt whether he will say a word to you either. The only person he may say a word to is his precious Eugenia. I hope she will induce him to lose his temper!”
Chapter 7
CECILIA WAS quite unable to believe that she was not to receive one of her brother’s scolds, and, when she later came unexpectedly face to face with him on a bend in the stair she gave a gasp and tried to stiffen her unruly knees. “Hallo!” he said, running an eye over her exquisite ball dress of gauze over satin. “You are very smart! Where are you off to?”
“Lady Sefton is calling after dinner to take Sophy and me to Almack’s,” she replied thankfully. “Mama does not find herself equal to it this evening.”
“Taking the shine out of them all?” he said. “You look very fine!”
“Why do you not accompany us?” she asked, plucking up courage.
“You would not spend the entire evening in Fawnhope’s pocket if I did,” he observed dryly.
She lifted her chin. “I should not under any circumstances spend the entire evening in any gentleman’s pocket!”
“No, I believe you would not,” he agreed mildly. “Not in my line, Cilly! Besides, I am engaged with a party of my own.”
His employment of her almost forgotten nursery name made her retort with much less constraint: “Daffy Club!”