The Bride Hunt (33 page)

Douglas Farrell strode from the gallery, still seething. Growing up fatherless in a household that comprised his mother and six older sisters, a household of chattering, squabbling yet smothering women, he was inclined to sympathize with fellow Scot John Knox and his complaint about the monstrous regiment of women. True, Knox was referring to the queens who three hundred years ago had ruled England and Scotland, but Douglas, as he had threaded his way through the maze of womanhood that had dominated his youth, took a certain savage satisfaction in applying the comment to his own situation. An abundance of love could be as much of a disadvantage as too little, he had decided some years ago, and had managed to reach the age of thirty-five without succumbing to the trap of matrimony. Now, however, he was ready to sacrifice the peace of bachelordom to the interests of his passionate commitment to the poor of London’s underworld, and whose business was that but his own?

He could see no reason why the wealth of some privileged aristocratic woman shouldn’t go towards improving the lot of the suffering men, women, and children whose existence he was certain she would barely acknowledge. And he could see no reason why he shouldn’t put his considerable medical skills to work to the same philanthropic end exploiting the hypochondriacs who could well afford to pay for his services. So by what right did that undersized veiled creature with that ridiculous fake accent prate to him about love and respect in a marriage? She advertised a service and it was none of her business why her clients chose to avail themselves of it. If he’d wanted a love match he’d have gone and found one for himself.

Fuming, he stalked down the steps of the museum and marched off in the direction of St. James’s Park, hoping that the cold air would cool his temper, as indeed it did. By the time he’d crossed the park and reached Buckingham Palace his customary sense of humor had reasserted itself. He had learned from the age of five that when dealing with women a sense of humor was essential if a man was not to court insanity.

THE BRIDE HUNT

A Bantam Book / March 2004

Published by Bantam Dell

A Division of Random House, Inc.

New York, New York

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Copyright © 2004 by Jane Feather

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eISBN: 978-0-553-89838-5

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