husband—visiting courtesans to find some relief from his frustrations.
He lifted her and carried her back into the ballroom. As he laid Sarah on her seat, his mother brushed his coat sleeve—where he had fallen against the balustrade. It was a quick motion, but it pained him. He gritted his teeth and grinned. He mouthed a thank you to his mother and walked over to the refreshment table, returning with lemonades for the ladies.
He picked up one for himself. He did not want to get drunk tonight and disgrace himself in front of his mother and Sarah. He could always have a few glasses of brandy once he got home.
Nate hovered around Sarah and his mother, not entirely sure what to do with himself. The card room was too tempting. One person would suggest a brandy, then one would pour it despite his protestations and it would tease him until he gave in. Better to remain with the ladies.
“ Please sit down, Your Grace. You look like Caesar trying to guard us. Your mother and I shall come to no harm.”
Nate grimaced. She thoug ht he looked like a Labrador. He sat gingerly on the chair at her side.
“ Have we silenced the gossips, do you think?” he asked, glancing around the ballroom before lifting her gloved hand and placing a kiss on it.
“ Well, if our trip to the balcony did not, that kiss will have convinced them you are head over ears in love with me.” Her voice was tinged with sarcasm.
“ If I were to go any further, My Lady, they would be far from silenced. I doubt that ravishing you in a crowded ballroom would do either of our reputations any good.” He loved watching the pink appear on her cheeks. Was the very upright and innocent Lady Sarah having naughty thoughts? He hoped so.
“ It is good that the ton believe me to be at least enamoured of you, Your Grace.” Her tone was teasing but it felt like a punch to the guts. Did she not even like him?
That was a shame because he really was beginning to like this beautiful young lady that had been forced upon him despite the fact she had cheated him—or her father had. Either way, this had not been his choice.
Chapter Sixteen
Nate was just leaving the dining room at White’s when he heard his name called. He turned to see the Honourable Adam Wilson waving to him.
“ Hold up, old chap,” called his friend from Eton. “Wanted to have a quick word. I hear you are to be leg-shackled.”
“ That is correct,” said Nate, feeling a little defensive. He was nearly thirty, after all. It was not unheard of for gentlemen to be coaxed into marriage at his age.
“ To Lady Sarah Steele, the only daughter of Brackingham?”
“ Correct again.”
“ Now see, Kirkbourne, we were always good friends and I hate to see someone making a fool of you, especially a crippled bit of muslin.”
Nate’s jaw clenched. He was not going to like what Wilson was about to say, but neither did he like Wilson calling his intended a “crippled bit of muslin.” He liked Sarah and could not help admiring her indomitable spirit. She may have difficulty walking, but that fact should not define her as a person.
“ I hear she has an attachment to Eversley—Chapelbrooke’s heir.”
“ I know Eversley. He is my neighbour in town. Why would you think there is an attachment between them?”
“ Oh well you and she were seen talking to him in Hyde Park, then he was seen carrying her into your house and finally she was seen on the balcony with him at the Abernethy ball—kissing.”
“ Kissing? At the Abernethey ball?”
“ So I hear. I was not there, but you know how rumours start.”
“ I was there, but I was in the card room most of the evening. Thank you, Wilson. I shall look into this.” Nate nodded appreciatively, trying not to let the green fingers of jealousy coil his gut.
She had better not be playing him off against Eversley. To what purpose? She had made a good match. If she really wanted to be with the viscount, there was nothing to stop her. He may be cash
He lifted her and carried her back into the ballroom. As he laid Sarah on her seat, his mother brushed his coat sleeve—where he had fallen against the balustrade. It was a quick motion, but it pained him. He gritted his teeth and grinned. He mouthed a thank you to his mother and walked over to the refreshment table, returning with lemonades for the ladies.
He picked up one for himself. He did not want to get drunk tonight and disgrace himself in front of his mother and Sarah. He could always have a few glasses of brandy once he got home.
Nate hovered around Sarah and his mother, not entirely sure what to do with himself. The card room was too tempting. One person would suggest a brandy, then one would pour it despite his protestations and it would tease him until he gave in. Better to remain with the ladies.
“ Please sit down, Your Grace. You look like Caesar trying to guard us. Your mother and I shall come to no harm.”
Nate grimaced. She thoug ht he looked like a Labrador. He sat gingerly on the chair at her side.
“ Have we silenced the gossips, do you think?” he asked, glancing around the ballroom before lifting her gloved hand and placing a kiss on it.
“ Well, if our trip to the balcony did not, that kiss will have convinced them you are head over ears in love with me.” Her voice was tinged with sarcasm.
“ If I were to go any further, My Lady, they would be far from silenced. I doubt that ravishing you in a crowded ballroom would do either of our reputations any good.” He loved watching the pink appear on her cheeks. Was the very upright and innocent Lady Sarah having naughty thoughts? He hoped so.
“ It is good that the ton believe me to be at least enamoured of you, Your Grace.” Her tone was teasing but it felt like a punch to the guts. Did she not even like him?
That was a shame because he really was beginning to like this beautiful young lady that had been forced upon him despite the fact she had cheated him—or her father had. Either way, this had not been his choice.
Chapter Sixteen
Nate was just leaving the dining room at White’s when he heard his name called. He turned to see the Honourable Adam Wilson waving to him.
“ Hold up, old chap,” called his friend from Eton. “Wanted to have a quick word. I hear you are to be leg-shackled.”
“ That is correct,” said Nate, feeling a little defensive. He was nearly thirty, after all. It was not unheard of for gentlemen to be coaxed into marriage at his age.
“ To Lady Sarah Steele, the only daughter of Brackingham?”
“ Correct again.”
“ Now see, Kirkbourne, we were always good friends and I hate to see someone making a fool of you, especially a crippled bit of muslin.”
Nate’s jaw clenched. He was not going to like what Wilson was about to say, but neither did he like Wilson calling his intended a “crippled bit of muslin.” He liked Sarah and could not help admiring her indomitable spirit. She may have difficulty walking, but that fact should not define her as a person.
“ I hear she has an attachment to Eversley—Chapelbrooke’s heir.”
“ I know Eversley. He is my neighbour in town. Why would you think there is an attachment between them?”
“ Oh well you and she were seen talking to him in Hyde Park, then he was seen carrying her into your house and finally she was seen on the balcony with him at the Abernethy ball—kissing.”
“ Kissing? At the Abernethey ball?”
“ So I hear. I was not there, but you know how rumours start.”
“ I was there, but I was in the card room most of the evening. Thank you, Wilson. I shall look into this.” Nate nodded appreciatively, trying not to let the green fingers of jealousy coil his gut.
She had better not be playing him off against Eversley. To what purpose? She had made a good match. If she really wanted to be with the viscount, there was nothing to stop her. He may be cash
Similar Books
The Vigilante's Lover: A Romantic Suspense Thriller (The Vigilantes Book 1)
Annie Winters, Tony West
