Read Online One Moonlit Night (Moonlight Square: A Prequel Novella) by Gaelen Foley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Gaelen Foley
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must’ve been fate.
Lady Katrina was the obvious solution. He liked her, and he was more than willing to bed her.
Repeatedly.
They got on well enough, and she already knew he had no serious intention of ever changing his picaresque ways, especially now that his controlling father was trying to force him to do so. Two birds, one stone.
Gable could be very stubborn indeed.
Well, Trinny, my girl, he thought roguishly, jumping up into his phaeton and feeling quite pleased with himself. I hope you like Scotland.
Of course, he knew full well that she already liked him . Why, he might even fancy getting the chance to play her rescuer, saving her from her spinsterhood fate.
A good deed, after all his wicked ones.
It never crossed his mind that her answer could ever be anything other than a joyful yes.
Chapter 4
A Dubious Proposal
O ne of the most wonderful and unexpected consequences that dawned on Trinny after choosing the single life was that, at last, she could eat anything she wanted.
The prospect of flouting Mama’s longstanding order to curb her hunger for the sake of a trim figure filled her with wicked glee. Now free from the oppressive obligation of snaring a husband, she decided to indulge that very day.
After all, she had cause to celebrate. Dear Lord Sweet Cheeks had survived his duel.
And so, she ended her daily constitutional in Hyde Park by going straight to the famous sweets shop, Gunter’s, with her lady’s maid in tow. With a smile from ear to ear, Trinny waited in the queue, discussing the confections on offer with her maid with childlike excitement. When she reached the front counter, she ordered a dainty goblet of chocolate ice cream with a great, shameless dollop of whipped cream on top. She bought some for her maid, too.
“Oh, miss, it’s not necessary,” Cora protested.
“Eat, girl! Lord knows you deserve it for all the work you do keeping me and all my sisters looking coiffed and well-dressed. Besides, you’re too skinny. What flavor?”
Cora could not mask her grin, and said, “Pistachio.”
Then they walked back out into the midday sunshine of Berkeley Square, and Trinny couldn’t help but gloat at all the starving debutantes who foolishly felt sorry for her. She and her maid drifted down the pavement with their treats, in raptures.
“Mmm.” Trinny ate the ice cream luxuriously, licking bite after bite off the little spoon, making sounds of pleasure at the sheer deliciousness of it.
She only realized that perhaps some might think she was making a pig of herself when a smooth voice drawled, “So, it’s good, then?”
She looked up from her creamy, sugary treat and suddenly found herself face to face with Lord Roland.
His deep green eyes danced as he watched her gulp the mouthful down in embarrassment.
Blushing, she laughed and dabbed at her mouth with the napkin provided by the shop. “You’re not going to ask me to share it, are you?”
“Aw.” He feigned a pout, then narrowed his eyes. “Hand it over.”
She turned away, pretending to hoard it, but when he grinned, she laughed again and gave him the goblet and spoon. He proceeded to take a huge bite.
“Greedy! Leave me some!” she scolded playfully.
He surrendered it back to her, his mouth full, but his glance merry.
She hugged the treat close to tease him, enjoying their camaraderie.
“So,” she said at length, “you’re alive.”
He nodded but did not answer aloud, still quieted by the ice cream in his mouth.
“I was so relieved to get your note. Thank you for remembering to send it,” she added. “How did it go?”
He shrugged, still eating, but gestured in the direction of Moonlight Square, and then he walked with her. Cora chaperoned, following them at a respectful distance. Fortunately, the environs of Gunter’s were considered a perfectly respectable place for young ladies to be seen in the company of gentlemen. For that reason, Trinny did not intend to go far. Besides, they had to return
Lady Katrina was the obvious solution. He liked her, and he was more than willing to bed her.
Repeatedly.
They got on well enough, and she already knew he had no serious intention of ever changing his picaresque ways, especially now that his controlling father was trying to force him to do so. Two birds, one stone.
Gable could be very stubborn indeed.
Well, Trinny, my girl, he thought roguishly, jumping up into his phaeton and feeling quite pleased with himself. I hope you like Scotland.
Of course, he knew full well that she already liked him . Why, he might even fancy getting the chance to play her rescuer, saving her from her spinsterhood fate.
A good deed, after all his wicked ones.
It never crossed his mind that her answer could ever be anything other than a joyful yes.
Chapter 4
A Dubious Proposal
O ne of the most wonderful and unexpected consequences that dawned on Trinny after choosing the single life was that, at last, she could eat anything she wanted.
The prospect of flouting Mama’s longstanding order to curb her hunger for the sake of a trim figure filled her with wicked glee. Now free from the oppressive obligation of snaring a husband, she decided to indulge that very day.
After all, she had cause to celebrate. Dear Lord Sweet Cheeks had survived his duel.
And so, she ended her daily constitutional in Hyde Park by going straight to the famous sweets shop, Gunter’s, with her lady’s maid in tow. With a smile from ear to ear, Trinny waited in the queue, discussing the confections on offer with her maid with childlike excitement. When she reached the front counter, she ordered a dainty goblet of chocolate ice cream with a great, shameless dollop of whipped cream on top. She bought some for her maid, too.
“Oh, miss, it’s not necessary,” Cora protested.
“Eat, girl! Lord knows you deserve it for all the work you do keeping me and all my sisters looking coiffed and well-dressed. Besides, you’re too skinny. What flavor?”
Cora could not mask her grin, and said, “Pistachio.”
Then they walked back out into the midday sunshine of Berkeley Square, and Trinny couldn’t help but gloat at all the starving debutantes who foolishly felt sorry for her. She and her maid drifted down the pavement with their treats, in raptures.
“Mmm.” Trinny ate the ice cream luxuriously, licking bite after bite off the little spoon, making sounds of pleasure at the sheer deliciousness of it.
She only realized that perhaps some might think she was making a pig of herself when a smooth voice drawled, “So, it’s good, then?”
She looked up from her creamy, sugary treat and suddenly found herself face to face with Lord Roland.
His deep green eyes danced as he watched her gulp the mouthful down in embarrassment.
Blushing, she laughed and dabbed at her mouth with the napkin provided by the shop. “You’re not going to ask me to share it, are you?”
“Aw.” He feigned a pout, then narrowed his eyes. “Hand it over.”
She turned away, pretending to hoard it, but when he grinned, she laughed again and gave him the goblet and spoon. He proceeded to take a huge bite.
“Greedy! Leave me some!” she scolded playfully.
He surrendered it back to her, his mouth full, but his glance merry.
She hugged the treat close to tease him, enjoying their camaraderie.
“So,” she said at length, “you’re alive.”
He nodded but did not answer aloud, still quieted by the ice cream in his mouth.
“I was so relieved to get your note. Thank you for remembering to send it,” she added. “How did it go?”
He shrugged, still eating, but gestured in the direction of Moonlight Square, and then he walked with her. Cora chaperoned, following them at a respectful distance. Fortunately, the environs of Gunter’s were considered a perfectly respectable place for young ladies to be seen in the company of gentlemen. For that reason, Trinny did not intend to go far. Besides, they had to return
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