Read Online Charming a Spy by Elizabeth Chance - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Chance
Tags: Fiction
Ads: Link
really wonderful person. You will see when you meet him tonight. Oh dear, I’ve blabbered on too long,” Jessica said sheepishly.
“Not at all. Thank you for sharing that with me, Jessica.”
She offered him half a smile but said nothing.
“Now, tell me your ideas for sprucing up the Dowager house,” he said. She brightened at the chance to speak about something else and launched into an overly thorough accounting of potential improvements she’d catalogued. He pretended to listen while processing this new information.
Rafe lost his father tragically and blamed it on himself. Years later he had to call out his childhood friend as a traitor. Two major losses that could devastate a person. No wonder Rafe retreated to Germany to be alone. He couldn’t blame the man for wanting to leave all of that behind. Yet he’d returned to England for the house party this weekend, so he obviously cared for his sister a great deal. Or perhaps he had some other motive for his attendance. Geoff intended to find out.
Chapter Twelve
‡
T he crowd of guests gathered in the drawing room before dinner surprised Kat. She didn’t realize Geoff’s potential marriage pool was quite so large. Half a dozen women with their families were in attendance, and she was growing intimidated by the competition, but then reminded herself she wasn’t actually competing. At least not for the duke’s hand. She did, however, have to steal his attention away from all of these women and make him want her enough to do whatever she commanded.
Luckily, she’d come prepared to do battle, wearing her armor, so to speak. In this case she’d traded chain mail for a crimson dress, based on Aunt Ellie’s advice. She had made the gown as part of a Queen of Heart’s costume for Mrs. Musgrave’s annual costume ball and brought it in case the house party decided on a masquerade. With a few artful adjustments by the maid, it was less costume-like and cut low enough to satisfy the décolletage recommendation.
Kat stood out like a cardinal in a flock of doves, her red dress sparkled in contrast to the sea of pastels en mode amongst the debutantes. Kat knew red was completely out of fashion these days. However, after careful consideration, she decided the point was to distinguish her from the other possibilities, to be the only memorable one amongst them.
She studied the competition, taking a mental roll call of the other possibilities. The Townsey Twins, Ivy and Rosemary, stood with their parents and brother, Sage. Kat liked to imagine Mrs. Townsey gave birth to all of her children in the garden and thus named them whatever plant she saw when she opened her eyes. The Townsey Twins had enormous dowries and unquestionable lineage, but Geoff couldn’t possibly want to marry a twin. The situation would be too rife for potential mishaps, such as accidentally asking the wrong one to dance… or worse, waking up to find the wrong one in bed. Marrying a twin would be too ridiculous, wouldn’t it?
Kat scanned the room for Maribel and found her, not surprisingly, chatting with Trig Trannen. Maribel caught Kat’s eye and waved discreetly, but made no attempt to leave her conversation with Trig. No matter, there would be plenty of time to catch up in the coming week. Kat was thrilled Maribel was going to be there. Early instincts told her she might need an ally.
Trig’s sister, Jane, stood with her parents, looking dutiful and demure. Jane was also apparently in the running for Duchess of Stamwell. She would actually fit the part perfectly. She was pretty in a classic way with high cheekbones and straw-colored hair piled atop her head in the latest fashion. Kat recalled her laugh resembled a hyena, high pitched and lilting, but it made her even more likable.
Four eligible ladies in all. Five if she counted herself, which she didn’t.
Then Jessica entered the drawing room, clutching Geoff’s arm, looking as though she’d already won the position. Now they were
“Not at all. Thank you for sharing that with me, Jessica.”
She offered him half a smile but said nothing.
“Now, tell me your ideas for sprucing up the Dowager house,” he said. She brightened at the chance to speak about something else and launched into an overly thorough accounting of potential improvements she’d catalogued. He pretended to listen while processing this new information.
Rafe lost his father tragically and blamed it on himself. Years later he had to call out his childhood friend as a traitor. Two major losses that could devastate a person. No wonder Rafe retreated to Germany to be alone. He couldn’t blame the man for wanting to leave all of that behind. Yet he’d returned to England for the house party this weekend, so he obviously cared for his sister a great deal. Or perhaps he had some other motive for his attendance. Geoff intended to find out.
Chapter Twelve
‡
T he crowd of guests gathered in the drawing room before dinner surprised Kat. She didn’t realize Geoff’s potential marriage pool was quite so large. Half a dozen women with their families were in attendance, and she was growing intimidated by the competition, but then reminded herself she wasn’t actually competing. At least not for the duke’s hand. She did, however, have to steal his attention away from all of these women and make him want her enough to do whatever she commanded.
Luckily, she’d come prepared to do battle, wearing her armor, so to speak. In this case she’d traded chain mail for a crimson dress, based on Aunt Ellie’s advice. She had made the gown as part of a Queen of Heart’s costume for Mrs. Musgrave’s annual costume ball and brought it in case the house party decided on a masquerade. With a few artful adjustments by the maid, it was less costume-like and cut low enough to satisfy the décolletage recommendation.
Kat stood out like a cardinal in a flock of doves, her red dress sparkled in contrast to the sea of pastels en mode amongst the debutantes. Kat knew red was completely out of fashion these days. However, after careful consideration, she decided the point was to distinguish her from the other possibilities, to be the only memorable one amongst them.
She studied the competition, taking a mental roll call of the other possibilities. The Townsey Twins, Ivy and Rosemary, stood with their parents and brother, Sage. Kat liked to imagine Mrs. Townsey gave birth to all of her children in the garden and thus named them whatever plant she saw when she opened her eyes. The Townsey Twins had enormous dowries and unquestionable lineage, but Geoff couldn’t possibly want to marry a twin. The situation would be too rife for potential mishaps, such as accidentally asking the wrong one to dance… or worse, waking up to find the wrong one in bed. Marrying a twin would be too ridiculous, wouldn’t it?
Kat scanned the room for Maribel and found her, not surprisingly, chatting with Trig Trannen. Maribel caught Kat’s eye and waved discreetly, but made no attempt to leave her conversation with Trig. No matter, there would be plenty of time to catch up in the coming week. Kat was thrilled Maribel was going to be there. Early instincts told her she might need an ally.
Trig’s sister, Jane, stood with her parents, looking dutiful and demure. Jane was also apparently in the running for Duchess of Stamwell. She would actually fit the part perfectly. She was pretty in a classic way with high cheekbones and straw-colored hair piled atop her head in the latest fashion. Kat recalled her laugh resembled a hyena, high pitched and lilting, but it made her even more likable.
Four eligible ladies in all. Five if she counted herself, which she didn’t.
Then Jessica entered the drawing room, clutching Geoff’s arm, looking as though she’d already won the position. Now they were
Similar Books
