“Oh well,” Mr. Blimley roared, full of bluster. “I’m not sure as it’s right!”
“Ten seconds, Blimley, then I’m handing off to the next person.”
“God willing, that is not us,” Forrest whispered to Ruby.
Mr. Blimley strode over. “It is not God’s word!”
“Clearly, and reading it does not demean the Bible, man. But we cannot read it all the time, therefore we choose this,” Lord Sinclair stated, stepping from the carriage with his sister. He handed Blimley the book.
“Up you get,” the Duchess of Raven said, nudging Blimley in the spine.
The man climbed into the carriage and held the book aloft.
“’Tis for the best, my dear Captain Broadbent. I will not have Miss Pollycock throwing herself at you. Oh, the humiliation!” Mr. Blimley raised a hand to his brow.
“He’s getting into it now. This just may have been a stroke of genius by the duchess,” Nathan whispered.
“As Captain Broadbent pressed a kiss to his love’s lips, two of the Gallic roosters charged Miss Pollycock.”
“Next!”
“Oh, but I was just getting into character.”
“Excellent job, Blimley,” those present said loudly, to thunderous applause.
Startled, as he rarely received it, he bowed, and then smiled.
“Well, I never. Did you know he could smile like that?” Beth asked Nathan.
“Next is Mr. Howarth and Miss Knight!” the duchess shrieked.
She stiffened just as he did.
“No, thank you,” he said for them both.
“You cannot refuse.” Lord Plunge looked aghast at the very thought.
“I can’t do that,” Ruby whispered.
“Go on, you have a lovely voice. I should know, I listen to it each day. It will break the monotony if someone else reads. We’ve heard each other many times. You and Forrest will be new blood,” Zach said. “Or are you scared, cousin?”
“You don’t have to,” Gabe said, moving closer. “She may have you run out of London, but seeing as I’m an earl, chances are I can get you out of the charge.”
Forrest was sure he was only half joking.
Zach then started making chicken noises, and something that he hadn’t felt for a very long time flared up inside him. Competitiveness.
“Well?” he said to Ruby. “Would you like to participate fully in your first literary salon?”
Her eyes shot left and right.
“I told the duchess that you had the best voice ever for reading, Ruby,” Ella said. “Sorry, Papa, but it’s true.”
“I completely understand.”
“This is highly irregular,” she muttered.
“Highly irregular.”
