Read Online Beguiling Bridget by Rachel van Dyken, Leah Sanders - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Rachel van Dyken, Leah Sanders
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her virtue intact. And heaven help her, it was disintegrating in leaps and bounds every time he touched her.
After the dance with Sir Wilde, Bridget made her way back to where her aunt sat in predatory anticipation of her next quarry. The woman’s gaze scoured the gentlemen, seeking out the weakest of the herd. It made Bridget’s stomach turn. And she was at a loss at how her aunt’s blatant disregard for propriety could go so unnoticed amongst the ton . And then there was poor Uncle Ernest, who was a kind but preoccupied man, completely oblivious to his wife’s indiscretions.
As she grew closer, Aunt Latissia regarded her with suspicion. “You’re very cozy with Viscount Maddox this evening.” Her rapacious glance back at Lord Maddox was hardly veiled. “Are you certain you wish to have your name linked with such as he?”
“Are you displeased, my lady? I was under the impression you believed him a worthy suitor. After all, you often seek his company, do you not?” Bridget said with a hint of irony. Aunt Latissia’s sharp look told her the point was not lost on her, but in that moment Uncle Ernest approached, cutting off the vicious scolding sure to come.
“Bridget. My lady,” he addressed them, kissing his wife’s proffered hand. “How do you find the dancing this evening?”
“It’s lovely, Uncle,” Bridget answered.
“I do believe our young charge has finally found someone worthy of her attention, my lord,” Latissia said with concealed bitterness.
“That’s wonderful, my dear! Who is our lucky young gentleman?” Uncle Ernest was fairly bursting with pleasure at the news.
Bridget knew that neither of her guardians was so concerned with her happiness as they were with regaining their freedom from the responsibility bestowed upon them in her behalf.
“Lord Maddox,” her aunt answered. “But I don’t know if that is a match I can approve—”
“Nonsense!” the earl interrupted. “It is an excellent match, and we shall do our part to encourage this courtship, my dear! You know his reputation and influence. We could do no better short of the royal family!”
“Of course, my lord. I thought only of our sweet niece’s delicate sensitivities when it comes to living under the scrutiny of the ton . And the viscount has a way of drawing attention as you know…”
Bridget knew her aunt’s objections had more to do with her futile hopes to seduce the viscount for herself and far less to do with any sense of what Bridget’s desires might be.
Her uncle shook his head resolutely. “This is an excellent match. And we will encourage it.” With that, he kissed his wife’s hand once again, bowed briefly to Bridget, and made his way to the gentleman’s lounge.
As he left them, Lady Burnside concealed her wrath under a thin veil of pleasantries. Through clenched teeth, she said, “Very well. Lord Maddox it is. Be sure to smile, my dear. Your usual glower will do nothing to entice his lordship to seek your hand.”
“Aunt, I don’t think—”
“Precisely. You don’t think. Now, you heard your uncle. We will encourage it. It is your job to secure a husband, my dear. Do not let your grandmother down.”
“Yes, Aunt.”
Lady Burnside stood quiet for a moment as if deep in thought before adding, “He will have to see your talents…” She considered another moment then waved an over-eager hand at Lord Maddox, who eyed them from across the room.
At her aunt’s invitation, he sauntered toward them with that air of self-assurance that bothered Bridget all the way to her toes.
“Lord Maddox,” Lady Burnside crooned upon his arrival near their party. “We are simply dying to have you visit tomorrow afternoon. Lady Bridget has a painting lesson, and is in dire need of a subject.” She jostled Bridget with a sharp elbow.
Lord Maddox’s gaze turned on her with an eyebrow raised in curiosity. “Is that so?” he asked.
“Yes, my lord,” Bridget said with a sigh. “Will you
After the dance with Sir Wilde, Bridget made her way back to where her aunt sat in predatory anticipation of her next quarry. The woman’s gaze scoured the gentlemen, seeking out the weakest of the herd. It made Bridget’s stomach turn. And she was at a loss at how her aunt’s blatant disregard for propriety could go so unnoticed amongst the ton . And then there was poor Uncle Ernest, who was a kind but preoccupied man, completely oblivious to his wife’s indiscretions.
As she grew closer, Aunt Latissia regarded her with suspicion. “You’re very cozy with Viscount Maddox this evening.” Her rapacious glance back at Lord Maddox was hardly veiled. “Are you certain you wish to have your name linked with such as he?”
“Are you displeased, my lady? I was under the impression you believed him a worthy suitor. After all, you often seek his company, do you not?” Bridget said with a hint of irony. Aunt Latissia’s sharp look told her the point was not lost on her, but in that moment Uncle Ernest approached, cutting off the vicious scolding sure to come.
“Bridget. My lady,” he addressed them, kissing his wife’s proffered hand. “How do you find the dancing this evening?”
“It’s lovely, Uncle,” Bridget answered.
“I do believe our young charge has finally found someone worthy of her attention, my lord,” Latissia said with concealed bitterness.
“That’s wonderful, my dear! Who is our lucky young gentleman?” Uncle Ernest was fairly bursting with pleasure at the news.
Bridget knew that neither of her guardians was so concerned with her happiness as they were with regaining their freedom from the responsibility bestowed upon them in her behalf.
“Lord Maddox,” her aunt answered. “But I don’t know if that is a match I can approve—”
“Nonsense!” the earl interrupted. “It is an excellent match, and we shall do our part to encourage this courtship, my dear! You know his reputation and influence. We could do no better short of the royal family!”
“Of course, my lord. I thought only of our sweet niece’s delicate sensitivities when it comes to living under the scrutiny of the ton . And the viscount has a way of drawing attention as you know…”
Bridget knew her aunt’s objections had more to do with her futile hopes to seduce the viscount for herself and far less to do with any sense of what Bridget’s desires might be.
Her uncle shook his head resolutely. “This is an excellent match. And we will encourage it.” With that, he kissed his wife’s hand once again, bowed briefly to Bridget, and made his way to the gentleman’s lounge.
As he left them, Lady Burnside concealed her wrath under a thin veil of pleasantries. Through clenched teeth, she said, “Very well. Lord Maddox it is. Be sure to smile, my dear. Your usual glower will do nothing to entice his lordship to seek your hand.”
“Aunt, I don’t think—”
“Precisely. You don’t think. Now, you heard your uncle. We will encourage it. It is your job to secure a husband, my dear. Do not let your grandmother down.”
“Yes, Aunt.”
Lady Burnside stood quiet for a moment as if deep in thought before adding, “He will have to see your talents…” She considered another moment then waved an over-eager hand at Lord Maddox, who eyed them from across the room.
At her aunt’s invitation, he sauntered toward them with that air of self-assurance that bothered Bridget all the way to her toes.
“Lord Maddox,” Lady Burnside crooned upon his arrival near their party. “We are simply dying to have you visit tomorrow afternoon. Lady Bridget has a painting lesson, and is in dire need of a subject.” She jostled Bridget with a sharp elbow.
Lord Maddox’s gaze turned on her with an eyebrow raised in curiosity. “Is that so?” he asked.
“Yes, my lord,” Bridget said with a sigh. “Will you
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