Wicked and Wonderful by Valerie King Page A

calculation and trickery.
    Yet here was Miss Currivard, embodying all that would prosper the house of Kelthorne. She represented his intent to relinquish his roguery, to do what was right by his birth and breeding, even his desire to create a family of his own as his sisters wished him to.
    But how could he leave off pursuing Judith when she was the moon in his hand? How could he possibly settle into the life played out almost in dramatic form before him, with Amy tending to her husband and his injured foot, with Radsbury already engaged in a heated discussion with Laurence and Mr. Emborough about political concerns, with the younger ladies gathered about the pianoforte searching through the music Mary had weeks ago sent to Portislow.
    This would be his life, he thought in some horror. He ought to have found at least a measure of satisfaction in it, but for whatever reason, his heart bolted within him. Not for him this insipidity day after day.
    His attention was drawn back to Miss Currivard. She was watching him intently and there was yet again that faint but intriguing smile on her lips. She appeared to be in some thought as though perhaps she was trying to make him out.
    He met her gaze fully and it seemed to him in that moment he was understood. She gave the smallest shrug of her shoulders, a helpless, resigned gesture that funneled his vision of her into an understanding of the equal pressures of her own life. He wondered suddenly if she was here as much by the design of other well-intentioned family and friends as by his sisters. He decided to honor what he assessed to be her integrity and goodness and crossed the room to her.
    *** *** ***
    Three days later, Judith hummed in her tent, laying out her pattern papers on a length of beautiful violet patterned silk, which she had spread out carefully on her bed. She was content.
    Of course, she was. Indeed, she was.
    The castle gentlemen had not visited the camp since Kelthorne brought several brace of rabbits to Mrs. Marnhull. Although at least one hamper of peach preserves, fresh bread, and olives had been sent to the troupe in the intervening time. Of course it was well known that a large party had arrived at the castle, that Kelthorne's sisters and their husbands were now in residence along with three young ladies and a young gentleman.
    She was relieved.
    Of course she was relieved.
    Quite relieved since it would seem Kelthorne had given up his pursuit of her, or at least what she had supposed was his pursuit of her.
    She moved the patterns again and hummed a little more, this time standing over the silk to look down upon the arrangement, all the while tapping her foot.
    She felt foolish.
    Of course she felt foolish.
    Quite foolish since she had all but persuaded John and Margaret that Kelthorne’s generosity had had only one purpose, to break down the defenses of her heart. Now it would seem he had had no interest in her whatsoever.
    Not that it mattered.
    Of course it did not matter.
    Not one whit.
    After all, she was quite relieved that his pursuit was at an end, if he had ever really pursued her.
    And she was very content.
    She sank down on her bed, sitting on the patterns and the silk and not precisely caring. The door to the tent was tied back. The summery day was lovely.
    She was engaged in one of her favorite occupations, making a new gown, which she would wear during her performances. She had several in her possession, but the nature of a performance, the lime lights, and the dirt backstage quickly took its toll so that from the first she had found it necessary to continuously replenish her gowns. Nor was there an aspect to the creation of her costumes that she did not enjoy.
    She loved the process of hunting for just the right fabric, and in this instance she had found some lovely gold braid to embellish the ribbon about the waist. And in Portislow only this morning she had purchased a length of crocheted lace, which she would use to adorn the bodice. Laying