A Lady of Letters by Andrea Pickens

nearby footman to approach and took two glasses of champagne from the man's silver tray.
     
    "I was thinking more of rattafia punch, or perhaps a nice claret," she muttered, eyeing the subtle cream on cream stripe of his silk waistcoat as he pressed a glass into her hand.
     
    Sheffield gave a deep chuckle. "What? Plans to assassinate more than my character?" He took a sip of his drink. "You truly dislike me, don't you?"
     
    Her face was turned toward the darkened garden, obscuring her features. It was several moments before she answered him. "As I have said before, sir, it simply seems that we do not rub together well."
     
    "Hmmm." He regarded her over the rim of his glass, swirling the tiny bubbles to even greater effervescence. Augusta suddenly felt his presence doing the same thing to her insides. "I should have thought that one who purports to read Voltaire and Descartes would rely on empirical knowledge, not mere rumor, to pass judgement," he continued in a low voice.
     
    "Ah, but then you don't really believe that a mere female can comprehend such things anyway," she shot back.
     
    "I am relying on my own extensive observations to come to such conclusions," he replied rather dryly.
     
    "It is no wonder, with the sort of female company you obviously keep. In fact, I am amazed that you tolerate any contact with us peabrains at all!"
     
    His eyes drifted down the front of her new gown, which exposed a good deal more flesh than she was used to showing. "Miss Hadley, there are reasons other than discussing philosophy to have, as you say, contact with the opposite sex."
     
    Well aware that her creamy expanse of bosom and bare arms was turning a decided shade of pink, Augusta forgot all her previous charitable thoughts about the Earl and was goaded to further heated words. "And no doubt you are well versed in all of them! You should stick to such frivolous pursuits rather than trying to fool people into thinking you gave a fig for serious matters. What sort of wager did it take to prompt you stand up in Parliament and make a mockery of the plight of working children?"
     
    It was the Earl's turn to feel stung. "Why do you think it impossible for me have an interest in anything meaningful?"
     
    "For the same reason you think it impossible that I can."
     
    That took him aback for a moment. "Well, have you read the books I saw in your arms at Hatchard's?"
     
    "Yes! Would you care to quiz me on them—or perhaps you have not actually looked at them yourself?"
     
    He drew in a sharp breath, then let it out with a reluctant smile. "You are a real firebrand, aren't you," he murmured.
     
    Her eyes grew wide with shock. Ducking her head, she smoothed at the skirt of her gown with slightly trembling finger. "There seems to be little point in continuing this conversation. Good evening, Lord Sheffield." With that, she walked away as quickly as she dared.
     
    A short while later, safely seated next to several of her mother's close friends Augusta found that she was still shaking from her confrontation with the Earl. What was it about the dratted man that made her forget all her resolutions to keep a rein on her tongue? Her hands tightened in her lap on recalling his last words.
     
    It was pure coincidence, but she must be more careful in voicing her views, else one of these days she would really land herself in real trouble.
     

CHAPTER FIVE
     

    ".... It is most unsettling to see a jaded buck of the ton such as the Earl of Sheffield make sport with a cause that both of us take so seriously. No doubt it is some mere whim or wager, something akin to betting on which fly shall land in the claret or which raindrop shall reach the bottom of the pane first, that has set his attention in that direction, and in another week or so we will find that he has tired of it and moved on to something else. I should like to know, however, who drafted his speech, for there were many sensible observations contained within it. Now, if only