Page 13 of Provoked
“So, Jeffrey, Mr. Lauriston here is one of your bright sparks, is he?” Chalmers asked jovially.
Jeffrey chuckled. “He is indeed. One of my protégés, though he’d do better with another sponsor, I fear.”
“Oh, you do well enough,” Chalmers returned drily.
“I suppose,” Jeffrey replied. “Though it’s taken long enough. And I’ve made more pennies from writing than from the law, as you know.”
“From theEdinburgh Review? That rag!” Chalmers laughed, and Jeffrey joined him, the two of them seeming very tickled.
“Do you read Jeffrey’s rag, Mr. Lauriston?” Chalmers asked when their laughter had subsided.
“Of course,” David said, then added, “though Mr. Jeffrey’s literary tastes do not coincide with my own.”
“You presume to disagree with the great literary critic?” Chalmers asked merrily. “In what particular?”
“He thinks I was hard on Mr. Keats,” Jeffrey interjected.
“With the greatest respect, you were,” David said. “Mr. Keats is a genius.”
“And I said so!A beautiful imagination, my very words!”
“Absurd, obscure, rash. Your very words.”
Chalmers laughed. “I’m pleased to see you’re not one for toadying, Mr. Lauriston. I detest a toady.”
“A most important consideration, I find,” Jeffrey added smoothly, “when choosing a junior advocate to work with.”
Chalmers chuckled again and glanced at David. “Jeffrey knows I’m always looking for bright juniors. I’m of a lazy disposition, you see.”
“Lazy you may be, but you’re the finest advocate I know,” Jeffrey replied.
“All right, no need to lay it on so thick. I’ll give your protégé a try.” Chalmers threw back the last of his port, then fixed a surprisingly sober look on David. “And if you live up to Jeffrey’s recommendation, there’ll be more work, so make sure you impress me.”
“Thank you, sir,” David said, blinking in surprise. “I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
“No need to thank me now,” Chalmers replied. “If you do well, you can take one of my daughters off my hands. I’ve got three more besides Elizabeth.”
David flushed, and the other two men laughed.
Soon after, they rose and joined the ladies.
It seemed Jeffrey was not the only host with a purpose. Mrs. Jeffrey appeared to be cherishing some matchmaking ambitions. When the gentlemen entered the drawing room, she ushered David and Elizabeth Chalmers over to the pianoforte and suggested they select some music for Elizabeth to play. The two older couples she herded to the other end of the room to converse in peace.
Embarrassed, David began to sheaf through some sheet music.
“Sorry,” Elizabeth whispered. He glanced at her askance, and she offered him an apologetic grin. “You’re mortified, aren’t you?”
He gave a small laugh. “A bit. Please don’t take offence—” he added when he realised how that sounded. “I’m just not terribly at ease at social occasions.”
“No offence taken,” Elizabeth said, smiling. “It’s a relief, actually. Father’s juniors often feel obliged to be attentive to me. It’s excruciating when you know someone’s paying you compliments solely to please your father.”
“I’m sure they pay you compliments for all sorts of reasons,” David said in an awkward attempt to be gallant.
If anything, she looked even more sceptical. “Oh yes, I’m sure.”
He realised she was suggesting that she was physically unappealing, and he wanted to tell her she was wrong. She wasn’t beautiful, but he thought she looked a very pleasant sort of girl. He’d never want to bed her but not because of any deficiency in her person. It was entirely his own deficiency. He opened his mouth to say something reassuring but couldn’t put his thoughts into an acceptable form of words. Instead he stared at her.
“Don’t look so embarrassed, Mr. Lauriston.” She laughed. “I count myself an excellent catch. It’s just that sometimes I wish I was born beautiful.”