Read Online Desperate and Daring 01 - Desperate and Daring by Ella J. Quince - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ella J. Quince
Ads: Link
together if that pleases you.”
Heather tentatively smiled and exhaled slowly to release the emotional tightness in her chest. “That sounds lovely.”
“Good.” He offered his arm. “Shall I return you to your mother as we said?”
Heather placed her hand on his arm and looked into his eyes. Excitement and a new emotion filled her. “No, let’s rejoin the hunt and find our group.”
He smiled at her warmly in return. “Whatever you desire.”
Chapter 8
Heather let the rest of the day distract her from thinking about Fallon and what he had said. He meant to woo her. She didn’t know what that encompassed, surely not rides in Hyde Park, or escorting her to the theater. So what did it mean? This she pondered as she retired to her room after a rousing game of lawn bowling. She was having fun, something she hadn’t had in a long time. She was choosing not to think about the end of the party because instead, she had a handsome steward to think about. As she collapsed on her bed, Violet’s soft voice humming in the background, she thought of him in the gazebo, staring at her, wanting her, kissing her. She could feel the warmth of a blush filling her cheeks, but she didn’t care. She was mad—mad for agreeing to be wooed and mad for wanting him. Him!
A steward who was wooing his employers intended bride. They were both mad it seemed, but Heather didn’t care. Like a thief, she was going to steal the moment and cherish it. If she was going to spend the rest of her life married to a man who was as old as her grandfather, she should be allowed this moment. What was so wrong about a little wooing? It wasn’t as if she would run away with him, or heaven above allow herself to be seduced. She would allow only kisses, and perhaps allow him to hold her against him like he did this afternoon. It felt so wonderful to be held by him, caged by those strong arms of his, and pressed intimately against his hard chest. She sighed.
“What is that about?” Violet’s voice broke into her fantasy.
“Hmm?” Heather refused to open her eyes. She was picturing his eyes when he had removed his glasses, the vivid blue as they consumed her.
“That sigh, it was a very content sigh,” Violet persisted.
“You are in no position to judge my sighs. It was merely a sigh of relaxation,” Heather mumbled in growing aggravation.
“It sounded dreamy,” Violet continued.
To Heather’s dismay, she realized that Violet was quite perceptive. Heather opened her eyes and sat up. “Perhaps because I was on the verge of dreaming and would presently be blissfully asleep without your pestering.”
Violet narrowed her eyes as she took down her hair in the mirror. “I was surprised to see you return to the hunt with Mr. Calder. You looked terribly upset when we first parted.”
“Yes, well, he assured me he would make every effort to bring the duke before the end of the party. I realized I didn’t want to miss out on the fun so we returned.” She kept her face turned away from her sister’s shrewd gaze.
“He is very handsome.”
“Beg pardon?” Heather twisted back to her sister.
“Mr. Calder. Who knew stewards could be strapping young men.” Violet giggled salaciously.
“What do you know of strapping young men? If Mother heard some of the things you say…”
“But she doesn’t. I’m sixteen. I have grown an appreciation for the male physique and Mr. Calder has quite a pleasing one.”
“I don’t wish to hear anymore, Violet,” Heather groaned.
“Why not, do you not like him?”
This felt like a test of some sort. “I find him perfectly amiable,” Heather answered blandly.
“He likes you, you know.”
Heather pinned her sister with a glare. “You know no such thing. You shouldn’t even say that, Violet. What if someone heard you? What would happen if gossip spread that the steward of the man I can only hope to marry likes me? You may have grown an appreciation for the male physique, but what you need to
Heather tentatively smiled and exhaled slowly to release the emotional tightness in her chest. “That sounds lovely.”
“Good.” He offered his arm. “Shall I return you to your mother as we said?”
Heather placed her hand on his arm and looked into his eyes. Excitement and a new emotion filled her. “No, let’s rejoin the hunt and find our group.”
He smiled at her warmly in return. “Whatever you desire.”
Chapter 8
Heather let the rest of the day distract her from thinking about Fallon and what he had said. He meant to woo her. She didn’t know what that encompassed, surely not rides in Hyde Park, or escorting her to the theater. So what did it mean? This she pondered as she retired to her room after a rousing game of lawn bowling. She was having fun, something she hadn’t had in a long time. She was choosing not to think about the end of the party because instead, she had a handsome steward to think about. As she collapsed on her bed, Violet’s soft voice humming in the background, she thought of him in the gazebo, staring at her, wanting her, kissing her. She could feel the warmth of a blush filling her cheeks, but she didn’t care. She was mad—mad for agreeing to be wooed and mad for wanting him. Him!
A steward who was wooing his employers intended bride. They were both mad it seemed, but Heather didn’t care. Like a thief, she was going to steal the moment and cherish it. If she was going to spend the rest of her life married to a man who was as old as her grandfather, she should be allowed this moment. What was so wrong about a little wooing? It wasn’t as if she would run away with him, or heaven above allow herself to be seduced. She would allow only kisses, and perhaps allow him to hold her against him like he did this afternoon. It felt so wonderful to be held by him, caged by those strong arms of his, and pressed intimately against his hard chest. She sighed.
“What is that about?” Violet’s voice broke into her fantasy.
“Hmm?” Heather refused to open her eyes. She was picturing his eyes when he had removed his glasses, the vivid blue as they consumed her.
“That sigh, it was a very content sigh,” Violet persisted.
“You are in no position to judge my sighs. It was merely a sigh of relaxation,” Heather mumbled in growing aggravation.
“It sounded dreamy,” Violet continued.
To Heather’s dismay, she realized that Violet was quite perceptive. Heather opened her eyes and sat up. “Perhaps because I was on the verge of dreaming and would presently be blissfully asleep without your pestering.”
Violet narrowed her eyes as she took down her hair in the mirror. “I was surprised to see you return to the hunt with Mr. Calder. You looked terribly upset when we first parted.”
“Yes, well, he assured me he would make every effort to bring the duke before the end of the party. I realized I didn’t want to miss out on the fun so we returned.” She kept her face turned away from her sister’s shrewd gaze.
“He is very handsome.”
“Beg pardon?” Heather twisted back to her sister.
“Mr. Calder. Who knew stewards could be strapping young men.” Violet giggled salaciously.
“What do you know of strapping young men? If Mother heard some of the things you say…”
“But she doesn’t. I’m sixteen. I have grown an appreciation for the male physique and Mr. Calder has quite a pleasing one.”
“I don’t wish to hear anymore, Violet,” Heather groaned.
“Why not, do you not like him?”
This felt like a test of some sort. “I find him perfectly amiable,” Heather answered blandly.
“He likes you, you know.”
Heather pinned her sister with a glare. “You know no such thing. You shouldn’t even say that, Violet. What if someone heard you? What would happen if gossip spread that the steward of the man I can only hope to marry likes me? You may have grown an appreciation for the male physique, but what you need to
Similar Books
