Read Online Enchanted by Your Kisses by Pamela Britton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Pamela Britton
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away from him, Ariel. Obviously he cannot be trusted."
"I know."
Phoebe looked surprised by her admission. "So you agree that your plan to appear his fiancée was ill advised?"
Ariel didn't know what to think, she only knew that with each step, the urge to run grew more and more pronounced. "I want to leave."
Phoebe drew back, but once she realized Ariel was serious, she turned all business. Her cousin didn't suggest they say their good-byes, she didn't offer to have a servant deliver a note of explanation. She seemed to realize that Ariel was beyond making decisions and just ushered her from the ballroom under the scathing gaze of society.
Ariel ignored the looks, ignored the comments she could overhear, one thing on her mind. If Nathan Trevain was Helios, what did he want with her? And how would she prove it?
5
But the only plan she could come up with later that night had holes in it at best. Still, she thought it might work, and that alone made her consider it. Truly, it was a simple idea. She would send Nathan a note, a loosely worded note, one that would read like it'd been sent to the wrong person if he was not Helios, but one he would have to act upon if he were.
Still, as she wrote the words late that evening, she wondered if her imagination hadn't gotten the better of her. Yet her suspicions plagued her so that she decided to have the note delivered that night. She would not sleep until she had proved he was a spy.
Or not.
How she hoped not. It frightened her how much she hoped.
Why? she asked herself? Why did it matter if he was a spy or not? She didn't care for the man.
No, she'd just begun to trust him, and trust was not something she gave easily. If he was indeed using her, she would be devastated by the discovery.
Sanding the letter with a shaking hand, then sealing it, she rang for a servant. A maid appeared only moments later. It was still early. Ariel half wondered if Nathan might not stop by their home once he realized she and Phoebe had fled the ballroom. But it might be a while yet before he realized they had fled.
"Give this to one of the grooms to deliver to Mr. Trevain ." The maid reached for the letter. Ariel held it back. "It is important that the groom not tell the Fitzherberts ' servants who he is or whom the letter is from."
The maid looked at Ariel in a speculative way. Obviously she thought the letter contained a request for a secret tryst. If only it were that simple.
"Aye, my lady. I'll have me brother John deliver it personally."
Ariel nodded, handing the letter over. "And if he is not at the Fitzherberts ', deliver it to him at home." Another nod. Ariel's heart pounded as the maid took the letter. If her suspicions were correct, Nathan would leave the ball quickly. Then again, he may already have left. Either way she would know by midnight.
"I will need the carriage later tonight, too."
The maid's expression turned to that of a fellow conspirator. "As you wish, my lady."
She didn't wish. She would rather do just about anything than venture out alone at night, but there was no escaping the fact that she needed to do this alone. She just hoped she was wrong about the whole thing.
Sir,
I have the information you seek. I know, too, that you prefer not to be identified. So I ask that you meet me at the Black Swan, midnight, so that we may discuss this without fear of being recognized.
Nathan read, then reread the note. Surprise and shock made his blood quicken as he studied the words one more time.
That the note was meant for him there could be no doubt. And that the writer knew his true identity there could also be no doubt. In an upper corner, in letters so small as to be noticeable by only the most careful of observers, was the name Helios.
No other name graced the parchment.
Helios. His true identity. His jaw tightened as he thought of her ladyship. Why she'd fled he had no idea, but he meant to find out. But tonight, tonight he needed to get to the bottom of this
"I know."
Phoebe looked surprised by her admission. "So you agree that your plan to appear his fiancée was ill advised?"
Ariel didn't know what to think, she only knew that with each step, the urge to run grew more and more pronounced. "I want to leave."
Phoebe drew back, but once she realized Ariel was serious, she turned all business. Her cousin didn't suggest they say their good-byes, she didn't offer to have a servant deliver a note of explanation. She seemed to realize that Ariel was beyond making decisions and just ushered her from the ballroom under the scathing gaze of society.
Ariel ignored the looks, ignored the comments she could overhear, one thing on her mind. If Nathan Trevain was Helios, what did he want with her? And how would she prove it?
5
But the only plan she could come up with later that night had holes in it at best. Still, she thought it might work, and that alone made her consider it. Truly, it was a simple idea. She would send Nathan a note, a loosely worded note, one that would read like it'd been sent to the wrong person if he was not Helios, but one he would have to act upon if he were.
Still, as she wrote the words late that evening, she wondered if her imagination hadn't gotten the better of her. Yet her suspicions plagued her so that she decided to have the note delivered that night. She would not sleep until she had proved he was a spy.
Or not.
How she hoped not. It frightened her how much she hoped.
Why? she asked herself? Why did it matter if he was a spy or not? She didn't care for the man.
No, she'd just begun to trust him, and trust was not something she gave easily. If he was indeed using her, she would be devastated by the discovery.
Sanding the letter with a shaking hand, then sealing it, she rang for a servant. A maid appeared only moments later. It was still early. Ariel half wondered if Nathan might not stop by their home once he realized she and Phoebe had fled the ballroom. But it might be a while yet before he realized they had fled.
"Give this to one of the grooms to deliver to Mr. Trevain ." The maid reached for the letter. Ariel held it back. "It is important that the groom not tell the Fitzherberts ' servants who he is or whom the letter is from."
The maid looked at Ariel in a speculative way. Obviously she thought the letter contained a request for a secret tryst. If only it were that simple.
"Aye, my lady. I'll have me brother John deliver it personally."
Ariel nodded, handing the letter over. "And if he is not at the Fitzherberts ', deliver it to him at home." Another nod. Ariel's heart pounded as the maid took the letter. If her suspicions were correct, Nathan would leave the ball quickly. Then again, he may already have left. Either way she would know by midnight.
"I will need the carriage later tonight, too."
The maid's expression turned to that of a fellow conspirator. "As you wish, my lady."
She didn't wish. She would rather do just about anything than venture out alone at night, but there was no escaping the fact that she needed to do this alone. She just hoped she was wrong about the whole thing.
Sir,
I have the information you seek. I know, too, that you prefer not to be identified. So I ask that you meet me at the Black Swan, midnight, so that we may discuss this without fear of being recognized.
Nathan read, then reread the note. Surprise and shock made his blood quicken as he studied the words one more time.
That the note was meant for him there could be no doubt. And that the writer knew his true identity there could also be no doubt. In an upper corner, in letters so small as to be noticeable by only the most careful of observers, was the name Helios.
No other name graced the parchment.
Helios. His true identity. His jaw tightened as he thought of her ladyship. Why she'd fled he had no idea, but he meant to find out. But tonight, tonight he needed to get to the bottom of this
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