Read Online Magical Weddings by Leigh Michaels, Aileen Harkwood, Eve Devon, Raine English, Tamara Ferguson, Lynda Haviland, Jody A. Kessler, Jane Lark, Bess McBride, L. L. Muir, Jennifer Gilby Roberts, Jan Romes, Heather Thurmeier, Elsa Winckler, Sarah Wynde - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Leigh Michaels, Aileen Harkwood, Eve Devon, Raine English, Tamara Ferguson, Lynda Haviland, Jody A. Kessler, Jane Lark, Bess McBride, L. L. Muir, Jennifer Gilby Roberts, Jan Romes, Heather Thurmeier, Elsa Winckler, Sarah Wynde
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relaxed.
What a lovely young woman she is.
She wondered if Simon had noticed; he’d seen through the Carew sisters quickly enough. Jane would make an excellent wife for him, if he could just look past Lady Hester.
It would be a shame if Simon had indeed set his heart on Hester. Sadness rippled through her at the thought.
But it would be even worse if he were to marry Jane while Celia went home without an offer. Then she’d not only owe him five hundred guineas, but she’d never hear the end of it.
****
The ball Lady Stone had arranged in honor of the upcoming marriage was really too thin of company to be worthy of the name, with only a dozen couples taking the floor for the first country dance. Prudence complained about the small size of the orchestra, and Dimity fussed over the lack of dance cards.
Baron Draycott requested the pleasure of leading Celia out in the evening’s first country dance. His conversation at dinner–the first time they’d really talked–had been too shallow to let her assess the man, but at least he wanted to get to know her better. Not that dancing made things any easier; the steps of the country dance kept them apart more than together.
She looked down the row of dancers and saw that Simon was opposite Prudence, whose smile seemed to glow as she offered him her hands. Uneasiness swept through Celia and she missed her own cue.
The baron looked annoyed for an instant before he smiled and said, “It must be difficult to keep track of the dance when you’re not used to the figures.”
Celia, annoyed at once more being written off as a rube, forced her attention back to her own steps, circling and dipping with him, changing partners, swinging through the figures with only one other misstep–when she and Simon were partnered briefly.
“I thought I told you to fix it,” he said, but before she could answer the music swept him away once more.
The country dance was followed by a waltz, and from the corner of her eye, Celia saw Simon coming toward her. She studiously ignored him to smile invitingly at Lord Lockwood–but the earl led Dimity out instead.
Simon’s bow was polite, but his tone wasn’t. “It looks as though I’m your only option, Silly.”
“I’d rather sit this one out.”
“No, you wouldn’t. You love to waltz–even with me.”
That was true, and she tapped her toe as the music started. “All right, but only because looking like a wallflower would be worse.” Simon was an excellent dancer, she admitted as he swirled her around the room. He should have had no shortage of partners, which meant he had sought her out for another reason.
I told you to fix it…
He smiled down at her, a challenging glint in his eyes, but before he could speak, Celia said, “It’s not my fault Prudence still seems enamored of you. Perhaps she discovered that she likes you after all. I can’t understand why she would feel that way, but…”
“Give it some thought,” he said cryptically. “How are your suitors ranking at the moment? Is there a favorite?”
“If there was, I wouldn’t tell
you
!”
He smiled. “Draycott didn’t win your heart over dinner?”
“Pleasant though it is to hear praise of my gleaming hair, my sparkling eyes, and my charming demeanor—”
“Hmm. As a matter of fact, your hair
does
gleam, and your eyes
do
sparkle.”
Celia’s heartbeat quickened–no doubt because she was unaccustomed to hearing anything flattering from Simon.
“But your demeanor?” His tone was matter of fact, but his dimple flashed, the sure indication he was teasing her. “Charming? He was telling quite a bouncer there.”
She glared at him. “As I was saying, I’d have much rather heard about his home, or his horses, or his plans for his estates—”
“That’s a bit mercenary of you.”
“— or his family. And I don’t mean their noble ancestry, but what he thinks of them. Whether he has sisters, or what his mother is like.”
“So he’s
What a lovely young woman she is.
She wondered if Simon had noticed; he’d seen through the Carew sisters quickly enough. Jane would make an excellent wife for him, if he could just look past Lady Hester.
It would be a shame if Simon had indeed set his heart on Hester. Sadness rippled through her at the thought.
But it would be even worse if he were to marry Jane while Celia went home without an offer. Then she’d not only owe him five hundred guineas, but she’d never hear the end of it.
****
The ball Lady Stone had arranged in honor of the upcoming marriage was really too thin of company to be worthy of the name, with only a dozen couples taking the floor for the first country dance. Prudence complained about the small size of the orchestra, and Dimity fussed over the lack of dance cards.
Baron Draycott requested the pleasure of leading Celia out in the evening’s first country dance. His conversation at dinner–the first time they’d really talked–had been too shallow to let her assess the man, but at least he wanted to get to know her better. Not that dancing made things any easier; the steps of the country dance kept them apart more than together.
She looked down the row of dancers and saw that Simon was opposite Prudence, whose smile seemed to glow as she offered him her hands. Uneasiness swept through Celia and she missed her own cue.
The baron looked annoyed for an instant before he smiled and said, “It must be difficult to keep track of the dance when you’re not used to the figures.”
Celia, annoyed at once more being written off as a rube, forced her attention back to her own steps, circling and dipping with him, changing partners, swinging through the figures with only one other misstep–when she and Simon were partnered briefly.
“I thought I told you to fix it,” he said, but before she could answer the music swept him away once more.
The country dance was followed by a waltz, and from the corner of her eye, Celia saw Simon coming toward her. She studiously ignored him to smile invitingly at Lord Lockwood–but the earl led Dimity out instead.
Simon’s bow was polite, but his tone wasn’t. “It looks as though I’m your only option, Silly.”
“I’d rather sit this one out.”
“No, you wouldn’t. You love to waltz–even with me.”
That was true, and she tapped her toe as the music started. “All right, but only because looking like a wallflower would be worse.” Simon was an excellent dancer, she admitted as he swirled her around the room. He should have had no shortage of partners, which meant he had sought her out for another reason.
I told you to fix it…
He smiled down at her, a challenging glint in his eyes, but before he could speak, Celia said, “It’s not my fault Prudence still seems enamored of you. Perhaps she discovered that she likes you after all. I can’t understand why she would feel that way, but…”
“Give it some thought,” he said cryptically. “How are your suitors ranking at the moment? Is there a favorite?”
“If there was, I wouldn’t tell
you
!”
He smiled. “Draycott didn’t win your heart over dinner?”
“Pleasant though it is to hear praise of my gleaming hair, my sparkling eyes, and my charming demeanor—”
“Hmm. As a matter of fact, your hair
does
gleam, and your eyes
do
sparkle.”
Celia’s heartbeat quickened–no doubt because she was unaccustomed to hearing anything flattering from Simon.
“But your demeanor?” His tone was matter of fact, but his dimple flashed, the sure indication he was teasing her. “Charming? He was telling quite a bouncer there.”
She glared at him. “As I was saying, I’d have much rather heard about his home, or his horses, or his plans for his estates—”
“That’s a bit mercenary of you.”
“— or his family. And I don’t mean their noble ancestry, but what he thinks of them. Whether he has sisters, or what his mother is like.”
“So he’s
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