A Love Unbroken - Rose Pearson Page 0,19
a walk in the park and see if I cannot forget about this whole, wretched business for a short while!”
Chapter Five
The note Selina had received from Lord Barrington was, whilst unexpected, very welcome indeed. She had found herself smiling a little as she had read his many gracious and grateful words, although when she had read the part where he begged to call upon her soon so that he might express his thanks to her in person, heat had seared its way up her spine and sent color pouring into her cheeks.
Lady Hayward had not been present at the time, which Selina was glad of indeed, although her father had been in the same room as she – thankfully quite caught up in his own reading. The Duke of Landon was not a gentleman inclined towards noticing his daughters a great deal. Whilst she knew that he loved her and, of course, she in return loved him, there was not a closeness between them. That was why she considered herself so very grateful for Lady Hayward. These last few weeks, the lady had become something of a confidante and had encouraged Selina significantly. That did not mean, of course, that Selina’s confidence had grown to the point where she felt at ease during social occasions, but certainly, there was the beginning of the acceptance within her heart that she was not ever going to be as assured as her sister, and that such a fact was not a bad thing.
“Lady Hayward,” she murmured, as the carriage drew near to Lord and Lady Folkstone’s townhouse. “I should inform you that I received a letter from Lord Barrington this afternoon.” Lady Hayward’s expression was half hidden by the shadows of both the carriage and the gloom of the early evening, but Selina knew that she would be very interested indeed. “He wrote mainly to thank me for what occurred with his sister,” she continued, before Lady Hayward could say anything. “I believe that Lady Amelia must have seen me approaching her, as well as how I spoke to you also, as I continued.” She waved a hand, surprised at the slight nervousness that filled her. “Regardless, he was very grateful and wishes to call upon me to thank us both in person.”
“That is very generous of him,” Lady Hayward commented, without any other inflection in her voice. “I do hope his sister is quite all right. She was rather unwise in her choice of company.”
“I know nothing of Lord Telford, nor of Miss Newington,” Selina replied, as the carriage trundled on. “Is there any sort of difficulty with either of them?”
Lady Hayward sighed audibly.
“Miss Newington, I do not know much about, whereas Lord Telford is known to have a very poor reputation indeed. I should be very glad if you would remain far from him, Lady Selina.”
Selina nodded fervently.
“Of course,” she agreed, not wanting to disagree for a moment. “I am sorry that he made his way to Lady Amelia’s side, then. How disgraceful!”
“Do not think that he was not welcomed,” Lady Hayward replied, with a shake of her head. “I am certain that both of those young ladies thought him excellent company and might well have sought him out!”
“But why should they do so?” Selina asked, horrified. “Surely they would know of his reputation?”
“Because,” Lady Hayward replied, with a heavy sigh, “some young ladies like the attention that a rogue will give to them. They find it delightful to be in his company, to have him flirt with them and compliment them so highly that they can do nothing but blush and giggle. It is only themselves that they place in danger, however, for a rogue can have words that are so smooth that these young ladies are often pulled away from their own sensibilities.”
Selina closed her eyes and drew in a long breath.
“Then I am all the more glad that we spoke to Lady Amelia when we did,” she replied, fervently. “And I am sure, given what Lord Barrington wrote to me, that he will have spoken to Lady Amelia of it also.”
Lady Hayward nodded, the carriage coming to a stop as footmen hurried to open the door for them.
“I should think he would have done,” she agreed, with a wry smile. “And I do not think he would have held back his upset from her either which, I would state, is precisely what Lady Amelia requires.”
Nothing more was said on the matter as Selina and Lady Hayward made their