"Hiatt, Brenda - Daring Deception" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hiatt Brenda)

well in the past, and she saw no reason to deviate from it now.

"I don't recall that I've heard you mention Lord Sea brooke before, Thomas,"
she said with what she felt was laudable calm.

"Is he someone you met at Oxford?"

"No, I met him for the first time during my visit to London. I'm sure you
will like him, Freddie. He's a capital fellow. Fought on the Peninsula
against Boney."

Frederica was aghast.

"You just met him? Thomas, for all you know he might be no more than a
fortune-hunter!"

For the first time, Thomas looked uncomfortable.

"Shouldn't think so,"

he said, frowning.

"He's a member at all the clubs, even White's. It's deuced hard to get in
there. I should know-- I had to have two friends put in a word for me to be
admitted. They'd never allow a fortune hunter in." He spoke more confidently
now. "Not if he announced the fact," Frederica returned acidly. She had not
missed Thomas's discomfort and pressed harder.

"So you know virtually nothing about the man, for all your fine speeches,
other than his title and service record."

"It's not as though I'm fore' rag you to wed some toothless old rout, after
all," said Thomas defensively.

"Sea brooke is well enough looking and can't be much past thirty--came into
his title just a few months ago, I believe. He's a bang- up Corinthian and
vastly in demand. Most girls would jump at the chance to marry him."

"I am not 'most girls,"

Thomas. I'd prefer to know a bit more about a man before tying my17 self to
him for life. Your precious Lord Sea- brooke could be a murderer or a
highwayman for all you know of him. But I suppose I must wait to discover
such things until after I am his wife. "

Frederica made no effort to conceal her bitterness, hoping that it would help
to dissuade her brother from his mad scheme.

"Now, Freddie, you know I'd never expect you to marry a scoundrel,"