Read Online Love According To Lily by Julianne MacLean - Free Book Online Page B

avoided society for the past few years, and why someone as lovely as you with such a large dowry isn’t already spoken for.”
    He was standing very close now, but Lily would not back away. “That is all utter nonsense,” she said. “And you have just severed any chance whatsoever that I might ever consider becoming your wife. You are disrespectful, sir.”
    She moved past him to return to the saloon, but he took hold of her arm. “Where are you going?” He looked surprised.
    “Back to the party,” she said tersely. “Sophia is waiting for me.”
    “Don’t go yet.”
    Did he not understand she was not attracted to him in even the most minuscule way? “Let go, Richard.”
    “I said not yet.”
    Just then, someone else spoke. Whitby. Lily knew his voice like she knew her own.
    “Everything all right, Lily?”
    She glanced toward the door. There he was, leaning at his ease against the jamb. Richard let go of her arm.
    “Yes, Lord Whitby,” she replied shakily. “Thank you.”
    He stayed where he was for a moment—just watching them until they both began to walk toward him to return to the party. He backed up against the doorjamb to let them pass.
    He said nothing. Lily glanced up at him briefly as she brushed by. The three of them walked in awkward silence back to the saloon, where they each went to different sides of the room.

 
    Chapter 8
      
    Later in the evening, after the second theatrical performance by Lady Stanton and Sir Hatley, Lily found herself sitting alone near the fireplace. Not for long, however. The empty chair beside her was almost immediately filled by Whitby.
    “I wasn’t sure,” he said, going straight to the heart of things, “if I should have interrupted you when you were in the gallery. I thought perhaps you might have arranged to meet Richard there.”
    Lily’s heart began to pound, and she cursed herself for it. After all her tears today and all her grand intentions to forget Whitby, all he had to do was say two words to her, and she melted.
    She shook her head. “No, I didn’t arrange it. He must have followed me when I left here earlier.”
    “Yes, he did, and I noticed, so I followed
him
.”
    “Why?”
    He hesitated a moment before he answered. “Because I was worried he might not be entirely trustworthy. I just had a feeling.”
    She’d had a feeling, too. “Why didn’t you tell James?” she asked.
    “Because James would have beat him to a pulp.”
    She couldn’t help but smile. “So you wanted to protect Richard, did you?”
    “No, not Richard.”
    Her body began to feel warm as she sat beside him this way. Wishing he did not have such power over her, she reminded herself that he had been worried about her just as he would have been worried about Annabelle, his sister.
    “Well, I’m fine,” she said, which was not entirely true in every sense of the word, but she would not let him see that.
    “Good. But what are you going to do about Richard? Am I right to presume you do not welcome his attentions?”
    “Yes.”
    Whitby looked across the room at the man. “Well, you might consider telling James. You certainly wouldn’t want to be pressured into marrying a worm.”
    Lily chuckled despite herself.
    Whitby leaned a little closer to her. “I can hardly blame the man, though. You look stunning tonight, Lily. He probably lost his head.”
    Lily felt her brow crease as she looked at Whitby. What was he doing? When he said things like that, he made it impossible for her to get over him. Because quite honestly, right now, she felt euphoric and hopeful again, and she wanted him more than life itself.
    How little it took.
    “Thank you for the compliment,” she replied, but she was angry with him. Did he not realize he was playing with her feelings?
    “You’re most welcome.” Then he walked off to go sit with Lady Stanton.

    Whitby listened to Lady Stanton talk about Ascot with only half of his brain. The more thoughtful half was mulling over his