“Ugh,” groaned an all-too-familiar voice. “I thought I sent you back to your pen, little piglet.”
Chapter 14
Teeth grinding, Matilda turned to see Bernice Charlton smirking at her, whilst surrounded by four tittering magpies, all with identical ringlets and ivory fans.
Gilbourne’s absence clearly had not escaped Miss Charlton’s notice.
“Leave me alone,” Matilda said, her voice shaking.
“Do us both a favor and stay home,” Miss Charlton replied.
“Do all five of us a favor,” said one of her porcelain cronies.
“Do the entire town the favor,” said another.
The entire flock laughed mockingly.
“I’m not bothering you,” Matilda gritted out.
“That cow pile of a gown is bothering all of us,” Miss Charlton returned. “You’re a blight on this beautiful festival. An eyesore for all of Marrywell. Gentlemen would run screaming rather than—”
“I was just talking to—”
“Viscount Oldfield?” Miss Charlton burst out laughing. “He would rut with a toad. No wonder he was interested in you.”
“He tries to tup anything with a pulse,” agreed one of her cronies.
“Pulse not required,” added another.
“Although I might have thought he’d show better taste than… whatever this is.” Miss Charlton made a derisive gesture toward Matilda’s bodice. “Are you in costume as an impoverished milkmaid, or is that monstrosity truly the best your wardrobe has to offer?”
This monstrosity was not only one of Matilda’s finest gowns, it had always been her favorite.
Until now.
Mortification clogged her throat, making it difficult to swallow. Blast Miss Charlton! Perhaps the very fact that this had always been Matilda’s favorite gown indicated just how far out of fashion it had become. But was that any reason to tear someone down in front of an audience of thousands?
“Don’t worry,” she managed. “I’ll be leaving soon. I’m off to London.”
Miss Charlton burst out laughing. “Where you’ll be shoveling horse manure with the street sweepers, dressed like that. No Town hostess would let an abysmal sight like you across her threshold.”
Her words were needlessly, gleefully cruel, but… might Miss Charlton be right? Was Matilda already an embarrassment to Gilbourne, by her general appearance alone?
“Why do you care?” Matilda whispered, her throat thick.
“I care,” Miss Charlton bit out coldly, “because you are standing in my way.”
Matilda immediately stepped aside.
Miss Charlton rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so literal, country lamb. I intend to marry your guardian, and I won’t have you mucking up my plans. Stand back and let me have him. You’ll soon learn I always get my way.”
“And if you cross her…” one of her cronies said meaningfully.
“You’ll live to regret it,” warned another.
“Oh, I’m certain she already regrets being born,” said Miss Charlton with a tinkling little laugh. “I certainly would if I were half as pathetic. Have you ever seen anything more embarrassing?”
The girls flounced off, cackling amongst themselves.
