June Calvin Read Online Free

rate, as the oldest son and heir, I was made firmly aware of my duty to remain at home, to safeguard the name and learn how to manage our estates.”
    “Well, at least now I know how to deflect my father’s aspirations.” Davida spoke without thinking, then blushed deeply when Pelham insisted on an explanation.
    “You see, my father is quite determined I shall marry a title or a fortune, or both.”
    “What father isn’t?” Pelham teased.
    “I am glad you can joke about it! I find this mercenary approach to matrimony very disagreeable. It must be tiresome for you to always be fending off matchmaking parents. At any rate, if Papa begins to hear wedding bells when you call on me, I’ll just tell him you’re a confirmed Bonopartist. That will put him off.”
    Pelham grinned appreciatively. “He’s a strong Tory, then?”
    “The staunchest. God, King, and Country! He has no patience with any but the strictest loyalist views.”
    “We are not so far apart as you think, Miss Gresham. I am all for God and Country, and the King, too, as long as Parliament can keep him on a short chain.” He winked wickedly at her and whipped up his team.
    Their ride ended as pleasantly as it began, and Lord Pelham secured the promise of two dances at the Stanhope ball the following Saturday, but archly warned her he still intended to collect two at Almack’s soon, as well.
    Davida watched the tall, elegant form stride away, firmly suppressing a strong twinge of regret that he wasn’t interested in her. She hastened up the stairs, eager to tell her parents of her success in the park. There were several very eligible young men planning to call on her, and wouldn’t her father be in alt to hear that Lord Pelham thought he could obtain vouchers for Almack’s?

Chapter Three
    T he next morning Davida’s best friend, Sarah, daughter of the Duke of Harwood, called on her, full of excitement. “Oh, Davie,” she breathed as she rushed into the morning room where Davida was alone, lingering over breakfast and the newspapers. “You’ll never guess what was all the talk at Almack’s last night!”
    Davida smiled affectionately at her plump blond friend. It had been hoped by both girls that Sarah’s father’s sponsorship would have been enough to secure invitations to Almack’s for Davida, but as yet it hadn’t happened. Still, Sarah had faithfully introduced her to those members of the
ton
with whom she was acquainted, and the two had gone together whenever they both had invitations to the same event.
    “Such a dust-up! You cannot credit it! Good morning, Cousin Elizabeth.”
    Davida’s mother came into the room looking rather distracted. “Good morning, Sarah. Davida, dear, have you seen my half-glasses?”
    “I believe you left them on the piano, Mother.”
    “Come listen, Cousin Elizabeth. You’ll be amazed at the latest
on-dit
!” Sarah gave an enthusiastic little bounce as she motioned Lady Elizabeth to a chair.
    “By all means.” Davida’s mother settled herself, all eagerness.
    “Well, you know that Lady Elspeth Howard jilted Lord Pelham?” Mother and daughter exchanged interested glances and nodded their heads.
    “Last night he asked her to stand up with him, and she said, right out loud so everyone could hear, ‘I don’t dance with men who flaunt their fancy pieces in the park for all to see’!”
    Davida and Lady Elizabeth drew in identical breaths of dismay. Sarah, unaware of any undercurrents, hurried on. “And Lord Pelham got very cold and icy and said that the girl he was driving with was all that was respectable. And then Lady Elspeth said, ‘Strange, I do not see her here tonight.’”
    “Oh, dear,” Lady Elizabeth moaned.
    “Wait, you haven’t heard the whole. Lord Pelham’s face turned brick red, and he fairly snarled at her, ‘But you shall see her when I escort her to the Stanhope ball Saturday.’”
    Then she said, in the most cutting tone, “And shall she be wearing scarlet and