Read Online A Lot Like a Lady by Kim Bowman, Kay Springsteen - Free Book Online
Authors: Kim Bowman, Kay Springsteen
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turned to look in her direction. Oh, dear! What had she done now?
“Hear, hear!” Lady Harmony raised her glass. “Isn’t it refreshing when a young lady isn’t afraid to show her affection for sweets?”
Amid a few hearty chuckles and murmurs of agreement, the butler and footmen delivered crystal bowls set atop lacy-appearing crystal plates lined with golden brown Shrewsbury biscuits. Juliet leaned forward and inhaled the fresh lemon scent rising from the whipped confection garnished with grated lemon peel. Instantly, her mouth watered.
She picked up the remaining spoon next to her plate, the bigger one, and swirled it through the airy white confection. As soon as she put the spoon in her mouth, the blend of tart and sweet exploded over her palate and a groan escaped her lips.
Grey’s head snapped back in her direction again and he regarded her with those narrowed eyes that made her want to poke him with a stick.
Across the table, Lady Charity again giggled from behind her fingers.
“This is quite delicious,” murmured Juliet, endeavoring to present herself as demure when all she wanted to do was gobble up the dessert in front of her. She swirled her spoon through the whipped sweetness again and closed her eyes while she swallowed the bite, savoring the delicious smoothness. Then she picked up one of the biscuits and took a delicate little nibble. “Oh, this is very nice as well. Mother makes Shrewsbury cakes with blackberries in them.”
Grey abruptly halted his movements in the middle of raising his own spoon to his lips and stared at her with that horrid eyebrow raised in silent mocking question. “Your mother? ” he finally choked out around his smirk. He set the spoon back in the dish, the confection apparently forgotten. “When did your mother do anything in the kitchen?”
Oh, dear, she’d really done it this time. “I-I-I m-mean, Mother’s c-cook. Back h-home at W-Wyndham Green. She makes the most delicious Shrewsbury cake with… blackberries.”
Grey picked up his spoon again and continued to eat his dessert. Juliet did the same, watching the duke from the corner of her eye. Once more her heart pounded so hard she heard it in her ears. Could the duke hear it as well? Did he suspect something was amiss? She’d certainly made a mull of things. At least the Duke of Wyndham had stopped sending her odd glances. Surely if he knew she was shamming for Annabella, he’d have called her out on it by now. Perhaps not in view of his guests, though.
Lord Jonathan cleared his throat. “I saw your father’s coach at the livery this morning. How is the renovation on your stable?”
Grey’s eyes flickered with an emotion Juliet couldn’t define before he turned his attention to his friend. “I am assured the work is on schedule to be completed within a month’s time.” He sighed. “I must admit to growing impatient with the waiting.”
“Did I see you and your trainer working with a new sweet-stepper at the livery?” Lord Jonathan asked.
“Indeed, you did.” Grey’s countenance lost the slightly bored expression he’d worn throughout supper — when he wasn’t favoring Juliet with one of his guarded glances. “I found him in the north of Spain a month past when I traveled there for some estate business.”
“His conformation looked excellent.” Lord Jon gestured with a bit of Shrewsbury biscuit. “Rich color he’s got. A prime bit of blood. How old is he?”
Juliet scooped up the last of the syllabub from the crystal bowl. With great effort, she refrained from thoroughly licking the spoon. As she set the utensil down next to her plate, something brushed her knee. She stiffened and glanced at the duke. Had he been so bold as to touch her on the knee? His own sister?
But he was still occupied in conversation with the Earl of Seabrook. “He’s a three-year-old but quite wild with it. Arden has been having a devil of a time breaking him to the harness.”
“You have the carriage
“Hear, hear!” Lady Harmony raised her glass. “Isn’t it refreshing when a young lady isn’t afraid to show her affection for sweets?”
Amid a few hearty chuckles and murmurs of agreement, the butler and footmen delivered crystal bowls set atop lacy-appearing crystal plates lined with golden brown Shrewsbury biscuits. Juliet leaned forward and inhaled the fresh lemon scent rising from the whipped confection garnished with grated lemon peel. Instantly, her mouth watered.
She picked up the remaining spoon next to her plate, the bigger one, and swirled it through the airy white confection. As soon as she put the spoon in her mouth, the blend of tart and sweet exploded over her palate and a groan escaped her lips.
Grey’s head snapped back in her direction again and he regarded her with those narrowed eyes that made her want to poke him with a stick.
Across the table, Lady Charity again giggled from behind her fingers.
“This is quite delicious,” murmured Juliet, endeavoring to present herself as demure when all she wanted to do was gobble up the dessert in front of her. She swirled her spoon through the whipped sweetness again and closed her eyes while she swallowed the bite, savoring the delicious smoothness. Then she picked up one of the biscuits and took a delicate little nibble. “Oh, this is very nice as well. Mother makes Shrewsbury cakes with blackberries in them.”
Grey abruptly halted his movements in the middle of raising his own spoon to his lips and stared at her with that horrid eyebrow raised in silent mocking question. “Your mother? ” he finally choked out around his smirk. He set the spoon back in the dish, the confection apparently forgotten. “When did your mother do anything in the kitchen?”
Oh, dear, she’d really done it this time. “I-I-I m-mean, Mother’s c-cook. Back h-home at W-Wyndham Green. She makes the most delicious Shrewsbury cake with… blackberries.”
Grey picked up his spoon again and continued to eat his dessert. Juliet did the same, watching the duke from the corner of her eye. Once more her heart pounded so hard she heard it in her ears. Could the duke hear it as well? Did he suspect something was amiss? She’d certainly made a mull of things. At least the Duke of Wyndham had stopped sending her odd glances. Surely if he knew she was shamming for Annabella, he’d have called her out on it by now. Perhaps not in view of his guests, though.
Lord Jonathan cleared his throat. “I saw your father’s coach at the livery this morning. How is the renovation on your stable?”
Grey’s eyes flickered with an emotion Juliet couldn’t define before he turned his attention to his friend. “I am assured the work is on schedule to be completed within a month’s time.” He sighed. “I must admit to growing impatient with the waiting.”
“Did I see you and your trainer working with a new sweet-stepper at the livery?” Lord Jonathan asked.
“Indeed, you did.” Grey’s countenance lost the slightly bored expression he’d worn throughout supper — when he wasn’t favoring Juliet with one of his guarded glances. “I found him in the north of Spain a month past when I traveled there for some estate business.”
“His conformation looked excellent.” Lord Jon gestured with a bit of Shrewsbury biscuit. “Rich color he’s got. A prime bit of blood. How old is he?”
Juliet scooped up the last of the syllabub from the crystal bowl. With great effort, she refrained from thoroughly licking the spoon. As she set the utensil down next to her plate, something brushed her knee. She stiffened and glanced at the duke. Had he been so bold as to touch her on the knee? His own sister?
But he was still occupied in conversation with the Earl of Seabrook. “He’s a three-year-old but quite wild with it. Arden has been having a devil of a time breaking him to the harness.”
“You have the carriage
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