Wanton Bride (Harlequin Historical Series #894)

''Nonsense, my dear! There is nothing sinister in it. Boys like to go off gallivanting once in a while. You''re worrying unnecessarily, I tell you!'' Mr Cecil Beaumont gave his beautiful blonde daughter a beaming smile. ''Don''t look so glum. He''ll turn up when he''s good and ready.'' ''Tarquin is not a boy, Papa,'' Emily Beaumont pointed out quietly. ''He is a man of twenty-seven and I suspect he has got himself into one scrape too many. Perhaps he has not succeeded in stalling his creditors and is in trouble.'' Her silver-blue eyes took on a faraway look as she pondered on instances when her older brother had brought himself close to ruination through gaming and wild ways. But he had never yet disappeared for more than a few days before turning up, like the proverbial bad penny, sober and remorseful. ''Perhaps we ought to check with the authorities in case he is again in the Fleet.'' Mr Beaumont waved a dismissive hand. ''No need...no need, my dear.'' He picked up his pen, idle on a page of his ledger, and set about using it. His daughter was not so easily put off. Emily paced to the window of her father''s den, stared out sight-lessly, before wandering back into the room, deep in thought. With a sigh she sank into an old armchair. Tarquin had been due to come to their parents'' home in Callison Crescent and take their brother Robert to the outfitters. But he had failed to arrive at the appointed hour five days ago and had not contacted his family to make his excuses or his apologies. Emily thought it highly irregular behaviour, even for someone as self-centred as her brother. Mrs Beaumont''s reaction on that afternoon was to mutter about the inconsiderate knave before she got her husband''s valet to take Robert to the tailors instead. When Emily had earlier today approached her mother about Tarquin''s lengthy silence, she showed herself no more concerned over her eldest son''s whereabouts than did her husband. Mr Beaumont raised an indulgent paternal eye to his daughter. He tossed his quill on to the blotter and clucked his tongue. ''Come, my dear, no long face, I beg you. If Tarquin had been threatened with prison, he would have by now summoned my help, you may take my word on it.'' Cecil gave a cynical little laugh. ''I''ll not go looking for him to sort out his troubles--if troubles he has--for they always find me soon enough.'' A nod concluded his philosophy and he resumed his writing. A quiet moment passed. Warily he peeked up to find his daughter still in the room and looking no less melancholy. ''Emily!'' he expostulated with a hint of impatience. ''If you''re unable to put your mind at ease over it, I''ll call in to WestburyAvenue and see if his landlady knows where he might be.'' Emily brightened. ''You promise you will do that, Papa?'' she asked. Cecil nodded affirmation. ''I can go that way to Boodle''s later.'' A smile erased the strain from Emily''s lovely features. Her father bowed his head over his ledger once more, gave a couple of short coughs, firmly letting Emily know their conversation was definitely concluded. Emily rose gracefully from his armchair and went upstairs to her bedchamber. Feeling lighter in spirits, she gazed out on to the street scene. She watched with an amount of amused interest as their neighbour''s footman strutted back and forth on the pavement, trying to catch the eye of the housemaid scrubbing the front step of the house opposite. The young woman''s complexion was as fiery as her hair and she looked too hot and bothered to presently entertain any thoughts of flirtation. Emily glanced up at a clear azure sky, then at fat green buds beginning to break on the lime trees guarding the crescent of townhouses. She decided she would call on her friend Sarah Harper who lived just a few turnings away. They could go for a stroll if Sarah was amenable to the idea of whiling away the afternoon with a chat and a browse in the shops. The day was clement and after a week of unremitting rain iBrendan, Mary is the author of 'Wanton Bride (Harlequin Historical Series #894)', published 2008 under ISBN 9780373294947 and ISBN 0373294948.