page27 (1/2)

“Love,” Longmore said “Bad idea”

Clevedon s and knock you on your arse,” he said “And I’ll laugh ”

“Love will have its work cut out for it,” Longmore said “I’m not like you I’m not sensitive If Love wants to take hold of me, not only will it have to knock me on my arse, it’ll have to tie me down and beat to a pulp what some optimistically call my brains”

“Very possibly,” Clevedon said “Which will ”

“You’ll have a wait,” Longmore said “For the moment, Clara’s love life is the problem”

“I daresay matters at ho,” Clevedon said

Clevedon would know better than ether They were more like brothers than friends And Clevedon had doted on Clara since she was a small child It had always been assumed they’d marry Then the duke had met his dressmaker—and Clara had reacted with “Good riddance”—much to the shock of her parents, brothers, and sisters—not to mention the entire beau monde

“My father has resigned himore said “My mother hasn’t”

A profound understatement, that

His htest reference to the duke or his neife set her screa Clara to distraction, and they constantly dragged Longe arrived fro

Long—in effect, giving their blessing to the union This fact, which had been promptly reported in the Spectacle, had turned Warford House into a battlefield

“I could well understand Clara rejecting me,” Clevedon said

“Don’t see how you could fail to understand,” Long tones, in front of half the ton”

“What I don’t understand is why she doesn’t send Adderley about his business,” Clevedon said

“Tall, fair, poetic-looking,” Longmore said “He knohat to say to women Men see him for what he is Women don’t”

“I’ve no idea what’s in Clara’s et to the bottoh It’s their business to understand their clients, and Clara’s special She’s their best custoe They won’t want her to marry a man with pockets to let”

“Are they in the more said “If so, I wish they’d find her sohts at Almack’s”

“Leave it to Sophy,” Clevedon said “She’s the one who goes to the parties She’ll see what’s going on, better than anybody”

“Including a great deal that people would rather she didn’t see,” Longmore said

“Hers is an exceptionally keen eye for detail,” Clevedon said

“And an exceptionally busy pen,” Longnize her work in the Spectacle Streams of words about ribbons and bows and lace and pleats here and gathers there No thread goes unmentioned”

“She notices gestures and looks as well,” Clevedon said “She listens No one’s stories are like hers”

“No question about that,” Longmore said “She’s never met an adjective or adverb she didn’t like”

Clevedon ss in the custoossip and the intricate detail about the dresses, all related as dra at naked woer on the Spectacle “I’ll ask her to keep an eye on Clara With two of you on watch, you ought to be able to keep her out of trouble”

Long Sophy Noirot

On the contrary, he had a nu an eye on his sister would give him a fine excuse to be underfoot—and with any luck, under other parts as well