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Authors: Julie Johnstone
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am,” she added with an air of supreme confidence. “Then my plan is perfect. Last night at the Allred ball, I watched Sin watching you and glaring at Lord Thortonberry. I decided he is jealous of the man, which is probably why he is convinced the marquess is no good. I guarantee you when Sin sees Lord Thortonberry sitting beside you tonight he will come straight to our box. All you need do is get Lord Thortonberry to flirt with you. Can you do that?”
Audrey bit her lip. “I suppose, but I’m not sure I’m comfortable using Lord Thortonberry for my gain.”
“ Posh!” Whitney waved her hand. “How can it harm him for you to flirt with him? You just told me he thinks of you as a sister, so his heart is not in danger.”
“ Well, that’s true. Still, I feel inclined to tell him what I’m doing.”
As the curtains rustled behind them, Whitney’s forehead creased. She glanced over her shoulder and a smile shone on her face. When she turned back to Audrey, she whispered, “He is here. Do what you must, but be quiet and quick about it. Drake would not like my plan and would most definitely inform Sin.”
Audrey nodded and ran a smoothing hand over her gown and hair as Mr. Sutherland and Lord Thortonberry entered the box. Whitney rose, which at first surprised Audrey, until her friend directed Lord Thortonberry to take the seat she had vacated.
“ Might I sit by you?” Lord Thortonberry gestured to the empty chair beside her.
“ Of course. I was pleased to hear you were joining us.”
His bright green gaze assessed her. “I’m glad,” he said, taking the seat beside her. “You look lovely tonight.”
She glanced down at the cerulean gown she had worn. She had chosen it specifically because Trent had told her blue was his favorite color. “Thank you.” She regarded his dark navy evening attire. “You look quite dashing.” She blinked, realizing it was true. He was a handsome man with his long lean figure, strong jaw and compelling eyes. For the first time, she wondered why he had not taken a wife yet. Whitney clearing her throat behind Audrey caused her to dismiss the errant thought and focus on Whitney.
“ Drake and I are stepping just outside of the box for a moment.”
Audrey supposed that was her cue to ask Lord Thortonberry for his help. The minute the box curtains swung back into place and she was alone with Lord Thortonberry, she turned to him. “Would you mind helping me tonight?”
“ It would be my pleasure. What sort of help do you need?”
Her face heated. This was rather embarrassing, even though she had known Lord Thortonberry all her life. “I need you to flirt with me.”
His mouth curved into a smile. “I think I can do that.”
She was about to thank him, but his gaze stopped her and caused her to draw a sharp breath. Was that a flame of desire in his eyes? Surely not. She wet her lips and swallowed. “I need you to flirt with me, because I am trying to make Lord Davenport jealous.”
Lord Thortonberry’s warm gaze turned cold. “Why would you want to do that?”
She stiffened, momentarily abashed. This was no time to let embarrassment deter her, though. She may not get another chance like this. “Because his jealousy will make him realize he does not want to lose me to you or any other.”
Lord Thortonberry’s eyes widened. “Really? Is that truly the way it works?”
It had worked that way for Whitney with Mr. Sutherland. When he had thought Whitney was in love with another man, Mr. Sutherland had realized he could not live without her. Audrey nodded her head. “Of course.”
“ And does it work that way for women to? If I wanted to make a certain woman realize she cared for me, would trying to make her jealous be the way to do it?”
Audrey considered the question. The mere thought of Trent liking another lady made Audrey’s stomach ache. Of course, she already knew she cared for him, but if she did not, jealousy would probably help her to realize it.
Audrey bit her lip. “I suppose, but I’m not sure I’m comfortable using Lord Thortonberry for my gain.”
“ Posh!” Whitney waved her hand. “How can it harm him for you to flirt with him? You just told me he thinks of you as a sister, so his heart is not in danger.”
“ Well, that’s true. Still, I feel inclined to tell him what I’m doing.”
As the curtains rustled behind them, Whitney’s forehead creased. She glanced over her shoulder and a smile shone on her face. When she turned back to Audrey, she whispered, “He is here. Do what you must, but be quiet and quick about it. Drake would not like my plan and would most definitely inform Sin.”
Audrey nodded and ran a smoothing hand over her gown and hair as Mr. Sutherland and Lord Thortonberry entered the box. Whitney rose, which at first surprised Audrey, until her friend directed Lord Thortonberry to take the seat she had vacated.
“ Might I sit by you?” Lord Thortonberry gestured to the empty chair beside her.
“ Of course. I was pleased to hear you were joining us.”
His bright green gaze assessed her. “I’m glad,” he said, taking the seat beside her. “You look lovely tonight.”
She glanced down at the cerulean gown she had worn. She had chosen it specifically because Trent had told her blue was his favorite color. “Thank you.” She regarded his dark navy evening attire. “You look quite dashing.” She blinked, realizing it was true. He was a handsome man with his long lean figure, strong jaw and compelling eyes. For the first time, she wondered why he had not taken a wife yet. Whitney clearing her throat behind Audrey caused her to dismiss the errant thought and focus on Whitney.
“ Drake and I are stepping just outside of the box for a moment.”
Audrey supposed that was her cue to ask Lord Thortonberry for his help. The minute the box curtains swung back into place and she was alone with Lord Thortonberry, she turned to him. “Would you mind helping me tonight?”
“ It would be my pleasure. What sort of help do you need?”
Her face heated. This was rather embarrassing, even though she had known Lord Thortonberry all her life. “I need you to flirt with me.”
His mouth curved into a smile. “I think I can do that.”
She was about to thank him, but his gaze stopped her and caused her to draw a sharp breath. Was that a flame of desire in his eyes? Surely not. She wet her lips and swallowed. “I need you to flirt with me, because I am trying to make Lord Davenport jealous.”
Lord Thortonberry’s warm gaze turned cold. “Why would you want to do that?”
She stiffened, momentarily abashed. This was no time to let embarrassment deter her, though. She may not get another chance like this. “Because his jealousy will make him realize he does not want to lose me to you or any other.”
Lord Thortonberry’s eyes widened. “Really? Is that truly the way it works?”
It had worked that way for Whitney with Mr. Sutherland. When he had thought Whitney was in love with another man, Mr. Sutherland had realized he could not live without her. Audrey nodded her head. “Of course.”
“ And does it work that way for women to? If I wanted to make a certain woman realize she cared for me, would trying to make her jealous be the way to do it?”
Audrey considered the question. The mere thought of Trent liking another lady made Audrey’s stomach ache. Of course, she already knew she cared for him, but if she did not, jealousy would probably help her to realize it.
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