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Authors: Harris Channing
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leather shoes, spoke of interest in the latest fashion.
For who, but the most fashionable of ladies, wore pale pink silk to
a picnic in the middle of the wood? Only one who didn't care if the
hems were soiled and ruined, that was a certainty.
Chloe raised her chin to meet Jude's stare
but despite her attempts at strength, her lower lip trembled with
disappointment. In fact, an unpleasant chill raced across her skin,
her head uncomfortably light. Damnation. He was truly happy. She
could see it. Feel it coming off him as strongly as she could smell
the sweet scent of gardenia that wafted from his living doll. She
held on to a sapling for support and watched in misery as the
newcomer beguiled her fiancé.
Fredrick took her hand and bowed. Rising he
smiled, that devilishly boyish smile that she was certain had won
the heart's of many a silly maiden. "Miss Lockwood, so good to see
you again."
Belle tilted her head and offered a blank
stare. "I'm sorry, Von Richter, was it? I don't recall meeting you
before."
Fredrick pursed his lips. "Belgium, five
years ago," he reminded , but his tone was
not so pleasant now. Obviously, he wasn't used to being
forgotten.
She laughed, the sound a pleasant tinkle.
"I'm certain you're right, sir. Please forgive my poor memory. I
meet so many people in my travels and five years is a lifetime
ago."
Chloe watched the exchange, pleased that
someone besides her found the woman to be annoying. Fredrick’s
expression grew dark, his dislike palpable.
As if sensing his ire, Belle pulled her hand
from Fredrick's grip and set her cool, green-eyed gaze on Chloe.
Upon eye contact, any warmth in the porcelain complexion
evaporated. "And Chloe, I feel as though we've already met. You're
all Jude talks about when the subject of his family is
discussed."
The woman's glorious face dazzled when a
smile crossed her full, crimson lips. Chloe sucked in a deep breath
as jealousy coiled around her already roiling stomach. "He's so
lucky to have a sister like you." Belle wrapped her arms
around Chloe and squeezed. "Perhaps you and I will become like
sisters, too."
Chloe leaned in, hoping her discomfort
wasn't apparent. She slid her gaze toward Jude, his expression not
what she expected. Where was the happiness at her meeting Belle?
Why was it he looked at her through somber eyes?
"That would be splendid," Chloe replied,
knowing full well, that there would only ever be rivalry where this
woman was concerned. There was something about the perfect creature
that had her fearful for her beloved Jude. There was no goodness in
her. Had he fallen for her just as her father had fallen for
Dorothea? Could he not see past the glorious façade? Or did the
problem lie at her feet? Was she so envious that she missed the
true goodness in the woman?
Belle pushed Chloe away, the smile still
poised on her face as if it had been plastered there. Slipping her
hand around Chloe's arm, she pulled her down the path. "Miss
Pembridge, you must tell me all of Jude's little secrets. If I am
to make him a fine wife, I must study him as an artist studies his
models."
"One moment!" Fredrick's voice erupted from
just behind her. The unexpected sound echoed through the trees,
sending a flock of birds screaming into the sky. Still, despite her
initial alarm, she was glad he stopped them. She had no desire to
discuss anything more pressing with Belle than the weather. She
certainly didn't wish to talk about Jude. What she shared with him
belonged to her and was meant for no one else.
"Oh Baron!" Belle dropped her grip and
turned to face him. "You scared me."
Chloe too looked at him. His face registered
his anger, his full attention on the blonde. "I beg your pardon,"
he said, his tone lightning. "But you must not run off with Lady
Pembridge." He offered his hand. "Come to me, won't you Chloe?" he
asked, his gaze soft upon her.
Relief swept through her. He had come to her
rescue. She smiled and went to him, her small hand secure in the
warmth
For who, but the most fashionable of ladies, wore pale pink silk to
a picnic in the middle of the wood? Only one who didn't care if the
hems were soiled and ruined, that was a certainty.
Chloe raised her chin to meet Jude's stare
but despite her attempts at strength, her lower lip trembled with
disappointment. In fact, an unpleasant chill raced across her skin,
her head uncomfortably light. Damnation. He was truly happy. She
could see it. Feel it coming off him as strongly as she could smell
the sweet scent of gardenia that wafted from his living doll. She
held on to a sapling for support and watched in misery as the
newcomer beguiled her fiancé.
Fredrick took her hand and bowed. Rising he
smiled, that devilishly boyish smile that she was certain had won
the heart's of many a silly maiden. "Miss Lockwood, so good to see
you again."
Belle tilted her head and offered a blank
stare. "I'm sorry, Von Richter, was it? I don't recall meeting you
before."
Fredrick pursed his lips. "Belgium, five
years ago," he reminded , but his tone was
not so pleasant now. Obviously, he wasn't used to being
forgotten.
She laughed, the sound a pleasant tinkle.
"I'm certain you're right, sir. Please forgive my poor memory. I
meet so many people in my travels and five years is a lifetime
ago."
Chloe watched the exchange, pleased that
someone besides her found the woman to be annoying. Fredrick’s
expression grew dark, his dislike palpable.
As if sensing his ire, Belle pulled her hand
from Fredrick's grip and set her cool, green-eyed gaze on Chloe.
Upon eye contact, any warmth in the porcelain complexion
evaporated. "And Chloe, I feel as though we've already met. You're
all Jude talks about when the subject of his family is
discussed."
The woman's glorious face dazzled when a
smile crossed her full, crimson lips. Chloe sucked in a deep breath
as jealousy coiled around her already roiling stomach. "He's so
lucky to have a sister like you." Belle wrapped her arms
around Chloe and squeezed. "Perhaps you and I will become like
sisters, too."
Chloe leaned in, hoping her discomfort
wasn't apparent. She slid her gaze toward Jude, his expression not
what she expected. Where was the happiness at her meeting Belle?
Why was it he looked at her through somber eyes?
"That would be splendid," Chloe replied,
knowing full well, that there would only ever be rivalry where this
woman was concerned. There was something about the perfect creature
that had her fearful for her beloved Jude. There was no goodness in
her. Had he fallen for her just as her father had fallen for
Dorothea? Could he not see past the glorious façade? Or did the
problem lie at her feet? Was she so envious that she missed the
true goodness in the woman?
Belle pushed Chloe away, the smile still
poised on her face as if it had been plastered there. Slipping her
hand around Chloe's arm, she pulled her down the path. "Miss
Pembridge, you must tell me all of Jude's little secrets. If I am
to make him a fine wife, I must study him as an artist studies his
models."
"One moment!" Fredrick's voice erupted from
just behind her. The unexpected sound echoed through the trees,
sending a flock of birds screaming into the sky. Still, despite her
initial alarm, she was glad he stopped them. She had no desire to
discuss anything more pressing with Belle than the weather. She
certainly didn't wish to talk about Jude. What she shared with him
belonged to her and was meant for no one else.
"Oh Baron!" Belle dropped her grip and
turned to face him. "You scared me."
Chloe too looked at him. His face registered
his anger, his full attention on the blonde. "I beg your pardon,"
he said, his tone lightning. "But you must not run off with Lady
Pembridge." He offered his hand. "Come to me, won't you Chloe?" he
asked, his gaze soft upon her.
Relief swept through her. He had come to her
rescue. She smiled and went to him, her small hand secure in the
warmth
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