Read Online His Dark Desires by Jennifer St Giles - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer St Giles
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to the booth. Mr. Trevelyan narrowed his eyes at Mr. Davis's back. "A rather rude gentleman."
"Other than talking too much, he usually isn't. I think you made him jealous when you helped Mignon from the carriage. He's been calling on her."
"Does she return his interest?"
"No." I narrowed my gaze. "Why do you ask?"
"He doesn't seem to be the right sort of man for either of your sisters. Marriage to the wrong person can destroy lives."
He spoke with such conviction that I took a step back.
"You speak as if you've had a personal experience. Are you married?"
A muscle jerked in his jaw. "No. And I have never been, but I saw my brother's life ravaged by an arranged marriage."
I forced a smile, unable to hold his gaze as a pain hit my heart. "We had better catch up with my son."
Mr. Trevelyan caught my elbow. "Look at me, Mrs. Boucheron," he said softly.
I glanced up, and he slid his thumb under my chin to keep my gaze on him. "Your marriage was arranged, wasn't it?"
My stomach clenched, and my pulse sped. " Oui . His death in the war was tragic, but our marriage was fine. Being older, Jean Claude was patient and kind."
"How much older?"
I pulled back from him and started toward the booth where Andre stood clapping and happily shouting. Mr. Trevelyan edged too close to raw emotions I didn't want exposed.
He caught up to me. "I'm sorry," he said. "I had no right to probe into your personal life."
I sighed. Given the attraction between us, questions were inevitable. "It's not that," I said. "It's just that it doesn't really matter. My marriage gave me Andre, and I'll never regret that. Jean Claude was fifty."
I thought I heard Mr. Trevelyan curse under his breath, but I chose to ignore it, for I looked up to see Mrs. Gallier and Mr. Fitz approaching us.
"Excellent carnival, isn't it?" Mr. Fitz held up a fried confection. "I have never tasted food as good as the fare in New Orleans, and that includes your wonderful meals, Mrs. Boucheron."
"Thank you, Mr. Fitz."
Mrs. Gallier, who'd been scanning the crowd, turned and smiled. "We're just looking for Miss Vengle and Mr. Gallier. We seemed to have lost them in the crowd."
"We haven't seen them," Mr. Trevelyan said, setting his warm hand to my back. "We've just arrived."
"Then don't let us keep you. You know, Mr. Fitz, they may have stopped back there. A woman had some wonderful shawls for sale."
Nodding their good-byes, Mr. Fitz led Mrs. Gallier away.
Mr. Trevelyan's arm stiffened, and he turned me firmly toward the booth where my son stood. "Wait with Andre. I'll be back in a moment," he said, and left before I could question him.
I continued on to my son, but glanced back to see Mr. Trevelyan disappear behind a booth. The incident unsettled me. Reaching Andre, I found he wasn't alone. Phillipe Doucet and Will Hayes stood with him, and not far away was Letitia Hayes. I kept back from the boys, letting Andre have a few minutes with his friends.
Letitia, elegantly turned out in a rich black lace and burgundy dress, kept glaring at me. After a short time, she marched my way.
"Nice to see you again, Letitia," I said as she neared.
High color flagged her cheeks. "I have never been more embarrassed in my life. Don't you dare speak to me in public again! How dare you infer to Mrs. Drysdale and Mrs. Pitts my dress was as old as the ones you wear. They're presidents of the Royal Fashion Society, no less. That dress I had on was brand new, and I'll never be able to wear it out again."
Her anger over so trivial a matter surprised me. Had I ever been as caught up in fashion as she was? Every dress I owned had been bought before the war. Several people nearby turned to look at us. "You're right, Letitia. You do a good enough job embarrassing yourself."
"Mrs. Boucheron, forgive me for being delayed. The evening was quite empty without you by my side," Mr. Trevelyan said seductively, placing his hand against my back again as he stepped close to my side.
Letitia's eyes
"Other than talking too much, he usually isn't. I think you made him jealous when you helped Mignon from the carriage. He's been calling on her."
"Does she return his interest?"
"No." I narrowed my gaze. "Why do you ask?"
"He doesn't seem to be the right sort of man for either of your sisters. Marriage to the wrong person can destroy lives."
He spoke with such conviction that I took a step back.
"You speak as if you've had a personal experience. Are you married?"
A muscle jerked in his jaw. "No. And I have never been, but I saw my brother's life ravaged by an arranged marriage."
I forced a smile, unable to hold his gaze as a pain hit my heart. "We had better catch up with my son."
Mr. Trevelyan caught my elbow. "Look at me, Mrs. Boucheron," he said softly.
I glanced up, and he slid his thumb under my chin to keep my gaze on him. "Your marriage was arranged, wasn't it?"
My stomach clenched, and my pulse sped. " Oui . His death in the war was tragic, but our marriage was fine. Being older, Jean Claude was patient and kind."
"How much older?"
I pulled back from him and started toward the booth where Andre stood clapping and happily shouting. Mr. Trevelyan edged too close to raw emotions I didn't want exposed.
He caught up to me. "I'm sorry," he said. "I had no right to probe into your personal life."
I sighed. Given the attraction between us, questions were inevitable. "It's not that," I said. "It's just that it doesn't really matter. My marriage gave me Andre, and I'll never regret that. Jean Claude was fifty."
I thought I heard Mr. Trevelyan curse under his breath, but I chose to ignore it, for I looked up to see Mrs. Gallier and Mr. Fitz approaching us.
"Excellent carnival, isn't it?" Mr. Fitz held up a fried confection. "I have never tasted food as good as the fare in New Orleans, and that includes your wonderful meals, Mrs. Boucheron."
"Thank you, Mr. Fitz."
Mrs. Gallier, who'd been scanning the crowd, turned and smiled. "We're just looking for Miss Vengle and Mr. Gallier. We seemed to have lost them in the crowd."
"We haven't seen them," Mr. Trevelyan said, setting his warm hand to my back. "We've just arrived."
"Then don't let us keep you. You know, Mr. Fitz, they may have stopped back there. A woman had some wonderful shawls for sale."
Nodding their good-byes, Mr. Fitz led Mrs. Gallier away.
Mr. Trevelyan's arm stiffened, and he turned me firmly toward the booth where my son stood. "Wait with Andre. I'll be back in a moment," he said, and left before I could question him.
I continued on to my son, but glanced back to see Mr. Trevelyan disappear behind a booth. The incident unsettled me. Reaching Andre, I found he wasn't alone. Phillipe Doucet and Will Hayes stood with him, and not far away was Letitia Hayes. I kept back from the boys, letting Andre have a few minutes with his friends.
Letitia, elegantly turned out in a rich black lace and burgundy dress, kept glaring at me. After a short time, she marched my way.
"Nice to see you again, Letitia," I said as she neared.
High color flagged her cheeks. "I have never been more embarrassed in my life. Don't you dare speak to me in public again! How dare you infer to Mrs. Drysdale and Mrs. Pitts my dress was as old as the ones you wear. They're presidents of the Royal Fashion Society, no less. That dress I had on was brand new, and I'll never be able to wear it out again."
Her anger over so trivial a matter surprised me. Had I ever been as caught up in fashion as she was? Every dress I owned had been bought before the war. Several people nearby turned to look at us. "You're right, Letitia. You do a good enough job embarrassing yourself."
"Mrs. Boucheron, forgive me for being delayed. The evening was quite empty without you by my side," Mr. Trevelyan said seductively, placing his hand against my back again as he stepped close to my side.
Letitia's eyes
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