The Debutante's Daring Proposal. Annie Burrows. Читать онлайн. Newlib. NEWLIB.NET

Автор: Annie Burrows
Издательство: HarperCollins
Серия: Mills & Boon Historical
Жанр произведения: Историческая литература
Год издания: 0
isbn: 9781474053716
Скачать книгу
an invitation to such an exclusive party and I have no wish to ruin your evening with my fit of the dismals.’

      ‘You’re just nervous, I expect,’ said Sukey charitably. ‘Heavens, I’m nervous myself. I cannot believe that Mrs Pargetter somehow managed to get our names on her niece’s guest list, when everyone knows it’s supposed to be just family and close friends. I hear there’s going to be at least two viscounts there and heaven alone knows who else besides.’ She gave the bunch of blue ribbon one last regretful look, then turned her gaze upon Georgiana.

      ‘I suppose at least if we are both all in white, we shall match.’

      ‘It’s very kind of you to say so, Sukey.’ It was her way of showing solidarity. ‘But nobody looking at us standing side by side could ever mistake us for sisters. Not that there will be much standing side by side. You will get swept away from me on a tide of chatter and giggles as soon as we arrive and will end up at the centre of the liveliest crowd in the room. While I will be looking about for the quietest, most secluded corner in which to hide. I hope the Durants go in for potted palms.’

      ‘Hide? You cannot possibly waste the opportunity Mama has worked so hard to procure for us, hiding away behind a potted palm.’

      ‘It’s all very well for you,’ Georgiana protested. ‘But you aren’t going to have every man in the place addressing every single remark to your breasts. Men actually remember what your face looks like—even what colour eyes you have, I shouldn’t wonder. But not one of them has ever looked at anything above my neck since I grew these.’ She gestured in despair to the front of her low-cut gown.

      Sukey clapped her hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle.

      ‘I am sure that is not true, but anyway, if they do attract a man’s notice, that is all to the good, surely?’

      ‘There is nothing good about them. They are too big and too heavy. And, and...downright uncomfortable when I go out riding.’

      ‘Well, only because you will go everywhere at full gallop. I’m sure if you rode in a more decorous manner...’

      ‘Why should I ride in a decorous manner, just because I sprouted these on my thirteenth birthday?’

      ‘Because it is the ladylike thing to do,’ said Sukey with a puzzled shake of her head before walking back to the mirror to admire her reflection.

      Leaving Georgiana convinced of only one thing. No matter how lovely and feminine and sweet Sukey was, deep down, she held the same convictions as Stepmama. Which was why, in spite of feeling a great deal of affection for her, she had never seen the point in confiding in her.

      Not the way she’d been able to confide in Edmund.

      But then he’d been the only person, apart from Papa, who’d accepted her as she was.

      Until he’d been sent away.

      Which had changed everything.

      Everything.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4Rx3RXhpZgAASUkqAAgAAAANAAABAwABAAAA3AUAAAEBAwABAAAAxgkAAAIBAwADAAAAqgAA AAYBAwABAAAAAgAAABIBAwABAAAAAQAAABUBAwABAAAAAwAAABoBBQABAAAAsAAAABsBBQABAAAA uAAAACgBAwABAAAAAgAAADEBAgAgAAAAwAAAADIBAgAUAAAA4AAAADsBAgATAAAA9AAAAGmHBAAB AAAACAEAAEABAAAIAAgACACA/AoAECcAAID8CgAQJwAAQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIENTNiAoTWFj aW50b3NoKQAyMDE3OjAzOjE0IDA1OjU4OjMzAEhpc3RvcmljYWwgUm9tYW5jZQAABAAAkAcABAAA ADAyMjEBoAMAAQAAAAEAAAACoAQAAQAAANwFAAADoAQAAQAAAMYJAAAAAAAAAAAGAAMBAwABAAAA BgAAABoBBQABAAAAjgEAABsBBQABAAAAlgEAACgBAwABAAAAAgAAAAECBAABAAAAngEAAAICBAAB AAAA0RoAAAAAAABIAAAAAQAAAEgAAAABAAAA/9j/7QAMQWRvYmVfQ00AAf/uAA5BZG9iZQBkgAAA AAH/2wCEAAwICAgJCAwJCQwRCwoLERUPDAwPFRgTExUTExgRDAwMDAwMEQwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwM DAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwBDQsLDQ4NEA4OEBQODg4UFA4ODg4UEQwMDAwMEREMDAwMDAwRDAwMDAwM DAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDP/AABEIAKAAYAMBIgACEQEDEQH/3QAEAAb/xAE/AAABBQEB AQEBAQAAAAAAAAADAAECBAUGBwgJCgsBAAEFAQEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAEAAgMEBQYHCAkKCxAAAQQB AwIEAgUHBggFAwwzAQACEQMEIRIxBUFRYRMicYEyBhSRobFCIyQVUsFiMzRygtFDByWSU/Dh8WNz NRaisoMmRJNUZEXCo3Q2F9JV4mXys4TD03Xj80YnlKSFtJXE1OT0pbXF1eX1VmZ2hpamtsbW5vY3 R1dnd4eXp7fH1+f3EQACAgECBAQDBAUGBwcGBTUBAAIRAyExEgRBUWFxIhMFMoGRFKGxQiPBUtHw MyRi4XKCkkNTFWNzNPElBhaisoMHJjXC0kSTVKMXZEVVNnRl4vKzhMPTdePzRpSkhbSVxNTk9KW1 xdXl9VZmdoaWprbG1ub2JzdHV2d3h5ent8f/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AAdfxsuwYlOPQ++3ItsLWMAM 7R7n7vb+jb+/b+jYsnN6XnU4xD62PLeW1W12OaT+/wCm/wCiuuzeoOZezDsa9tGNWLcl4G47Lnmt lkAbrdlrq/QxmM/WL6PTWTm43puqqsYLbGU+6xmourc55+3VODnerW6p7MfGf+myGVs/Tenb+hqq +8McRYMvw+bZmkOKRqg6HSj6OFg0ED1G0VVh4ESdg9u785abdtoNVg558PH+yuc+rz3vxIaR6ePl 2YzHu4NbCx1W7X3+k27Z/UYuhwvfteCTIEyIdPu3Ne395EHU+f4JoUPJrOof67K3EvbBA3QTIM9v ag2OxHPkH2gltnYGB7dXfSWhc1tNl2Q8H06xZY4iCSGtY6Gf5q4HrfT/AKwdQH7RzsZuJW9o2YrX H2NIn6Dt22y3/DJ4I6kBXDI/LEy8nq22UZAbZiPa8OhrwxwMcCLGsc7ai1sDaqi4FrXNiR8P9i8t 2moua0FocIe3gOHI3Bv0lsdE+tGd0xza7IycSRvqf9Lb/wAHZ++383cnmLGJPRdXysr9q014DqTl YjZrrvcYN1zLLnO/c/V8HH2e/wDwmYsjNym5/TAaTXjvqx8O+2kTvsdiuzKcnLZ9LZdVW6trmWf4 H+pWi1X5z8r1XgllmYbsq1mo2zXXk0OdH8z9nsqrd+/9BZz+n4TcFl9Vri+2p9ewAvf9tc6532al lf8AgvRGJS/1f+5n/WkjEA35eKOIl1+lD1m14b6duLkZbr9rG/oyKmX0Noe8v3frL8Vlr8f/AIG3 8xFzMu/pXUOlb6Zqx81r8eXl1prqJb6lrK6/6Pd9o/Rei31GbPR9L1FZw+gZOPRZ9rhovAcKmy5z C223Kbbv3N9LI3W7f0f81/1xXMLpuNXQTDn23bbLbLnm2wvrLvQPq2S9npfSq9P89SiC23//0Ln1 nbmVivK6dScm94NF9DA94dUwtyadzsX9LVdj5G63FuZ/pH12erW9c7V1T6xNqGMei3DHlzwLqsoh jnfSfj2YzaLq9zm/pKWfobv8L+k/SrqvrTlZHSs2nKo9J5yGFjKzvY4Gv3O3WMfsdv8AV9nsY9cw 7659Xsv2GmtjpNm4usgAHa90btttfqM2+m79Fv8A0aqiJI/mxPpxEs0j6tzF6HouGMPoOPiiv0yy oWWNeCxxdZNtj7GO97Hb97f+L/RrVwqLK6qg9ha8ASD4SSzX5rN6Iy1+Ocq9zHuzWNt2saWtaCDs rO59m9/9T9GidTz7sfHbjVljzlUtDW2OLC1xLWbt7j+na7f/ADPsRsnU76