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“Might you go on the stage? When you was a girl, you used to chatter on about all the theaters you’d visited”
During her father’s occasional stints as a musician in theater orchestras, the family had struck up an acquaintance with a nuers But while she could envision beco held any appeal
“No, I don’t think I have the talent to beco, “the desire to display s in breeches roles, like Vestris”
“Well, I should hope not!” the housekeeper exclai woulda been to find a fine young gentle the hed, her voice trailing off
Mrs Bessborough ht never have set foot in a Mayfair ballroora’sthe aristocratic world into which her ra with Lord Lynton’s backing, would be impossible now in the face of Sapphira Lynton’s opposition
“I doubt Uncle Robert would have arranged a ra added silently, had she any desire to insinuate herself into the closed, self-important world that had rejected herthe man she loved
“I don’t suppose you know soentleman musician?” the housekeeper continued hopefully
Allegra’s thoughts flew back to an incident eight o, just before her parents fell ill Ma violinist in her father’s orchestra had requested permission to pay his addresses—and been refused
“You s, rejecting Mr Walker without even consulting you,” Lady Grace had assured her “More thanthe partner you marry is of absolute iaged, Papa would have told Mr Walker to proceed But since we did not, with Napoleon now banished to St Helena for good, Papa has other plans for you”
Gratified as she was to learn of the ra quickly confirmed that she was more curious about her future than disappointed that Papa had spurned her suitor But though she pressed Lady Grace to say h and a kiss, her mama told her Papa would speak to her hiht
Allegra smiled sadly Whatever Papa’s plans had been, a virulent fever had carried off both hi Allegra unwed, unattached and alone
“I’ hard at that forlorn truth
Where in the world was there a place for Allegra Antinori? she wondered But fatigue overwhelht, she lifted a hand to smother a yawn
“Sha on when I expect all you want to do is fall into that bed and sleep for a week Things will look better toown and let you rest I’ll send Lizzie up in thewith your chocolate”
“Thank you, Bessie,” Allegra said, gratitude again bringing tears to her lashes as she turned to let the woman undo her stays Once tucked into bed, she pulled the covers over her head and went instantly to sleep
ALLEGRA AWOKE to pale sunlighther Disoriented, she stared up at the s before recalling where she was and why
The pain of re evicted froold brocaded bedchamber that had always been hers and her ot up quickly and dressed in a plain round gown she could rabbed the lap desk Hobbs had set on Aunt A the quilt around her Now, before Sapphira woke and sent for her to perform some task, she should ponder what she meant to do
Though she had as yet only a hazy idea what that ht be, she did know that she could not remain at Lynton House She refused to juer her friends on the staff bytheir mistress