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Authors: Moonlight an Memories
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more children."
When he sat back with a look of shock, she rose from her chair with offended dignity and escaped.
Chapter 7
To hide his surprise at the vision drifting down the stairs, Nicholas narrowed his eyes and pretended cool indifference, sensing anything more would drive the little widow into flight.
He had suspected Eavin Dupré of concealing more beneath those witch's rags than met the eye, but the shape of a goddess was not what he had expected. In the modest gown she had fashioned from the lavender silk in his storehouse, she revealed an exquisite hour-glass shape that while not precisely fashionable, appealed blatantly to a man's baser instincts. Nicholas was almost thankful she had the good sense to cover herself when they were alone.
That thought jarred loose the answer to a few questions at the back of his mind. With great care Nicholas offered his arm to the approaching Venus, not lowering his gaze any farther than Eavin's face. He received his reward in the form of a shy smile and the slight relaxation of her grip on his coat sleeve.
He had just discovered the flaw in the Irish witch's defenses, but it was of little matter to him that his guest was afraid of men. He had no wish for another woman to complicate his life. He would use her as she used him, and that would be the extent of it.
But it did make things supremely more pleasant to arrive at the soiree with a vision of loveliness on his arm. Keeping his smug satisfaction to himself, Nicholas solemnly introduced his Irish sister-in-law to their hostess and left her in good hands.
"I am so pleased to finally make your acquaintance, Mrs. Dupré. Nicholas has kept you to himself for too long. It is time that you met some of your neighbors. Come along," said Mrs. Howell.
Eavin reluctantly accepted the guidance of the stately woman who had been introduced as Jeremy's mother when she'd far rather hide. The gown she had hurriedly fashioned clung indecently to her breasts as she walked. She had buried herself in heavy, over-large dresses so long she had forgotten what it felt like to wear anything remotely fashionable. She tried to tell herself no one was staring, but hot gazes scorched her skin as she traversed the room, reminding her of why she'd buried herself in black.
Cursing Nicholas's callous desertion, Eavin nodded to Jeremy's sister Lucinda and the other young girls in her company as she was introduced. She didn'tthink she'd ever been that young, she mused as they chattered about the various fashions circulating about the room.
It was far too late now to learn how to indulge in idle chatter. She would be an abysmal failure as Jeannette's aunt when the time came to bring her out into society.
Trying not to think such thoughts, Eavin excused herself and drifted through the crowd in search of a place where she could hide for a while. Not intentionally eavesdropping, she couldn't help but hear those snippets of conversation that applied to herself and Nicholas. They seemed to leap out from the general conversation as she walked by.
"... he brought the pirate Lafitte to his mother's birthday ball just last week ..."
She hadn't even known the monster had a mother, but she knew it was Nicholas of whom they spoke when they elbowed each other and grew silent as she drew closer. Expressionless, she wandered on.
"... living with him. It's scandalous. Even Madame Dupré..."
Eavin didn't need to see this couple to know they spoke of her relationship with Nicholas. Proper ladies did not live alone with gentlemen to whom they were not related. Even she knew that. But all she had wanted to be was a nursemaid. Nicholas was the madman who had made her come out in this.
"The blockade would destroy business were it not for the smugglers."
Eavin hesitated behind a potted plant at this piece of conversation. She recognized Jeremy's voice and wondered if Nicholas was with him. It seemed very much like the kind of conversation they had indulged in over the
When he sat back with a look of shock, she rose from her chair with offended dignity and escaped.
Chapter 7
To hide his surprise at the vision drifting down the stairs, Nicholas narrowed his eyes and pretended cool indifference, sensing anything more would drive the little widow into flight.
He had suspected Eavin Dupré of concealing more beneath those witch's rags than met the eye, but the shape of a goddess was not what he had expected. In the modest gown she had fashioned from the lavender silk in his storehouse, she revealed an exquisite hour-glass shape that while not precisely fashionable, appealed blatantly to a man's baser instincts. Nicholas was almost thankful she had the good sense to cover herself when they were alone.
That thought jarred loose the answer to a few questions at the back of his mind. With great care Nicholas offered his arm to the approaching Venus, not lowering his gaze any farther than Eavin's face. He received his reward in the form of a shy smile and the slight relaxation of her grip on his coat sleeve.
He had just discovered the flaw in the Irish witch's defenses, but it was of little matter to him that his guest was afraid of men. He had no wish for another woman to complicate his life. He would use her as she used him, and that would be the extent of it.
But it did make things supremely more pleasant to arrive at the soiree with a vision of loveliness on his arm. Keeping his smug satisfaction to himself, Nicholas solemnly introduced his Irish sister-in-law to their hostess and left her in good hands.
"I am so pleased to finally make your acquaintance, Mrs. Dupré. Nicholas has kept you to himself for too long. It is time that you met some of your neighbors. Come along," said Mrs. Howell.
Eavin reluctantly accepted the guidance of the stately woman who had been introduced as Jeremy's mother when she'd far rather hide. The gown she had hurriedly fashioned clung indecently to her breasts as she walked. She had buried herself in heavy, over-large dresses so long she had forgotten what it felt like to wear anything remotely fashionable. She tried to tell herself no one was staring, but hot gazes scorched her skin as she traversed the room, reminding her of why she'd buried herself in black.
Cursing Nicholas's callous desertion, Eavin nodded to Jeremy's sister Lucinda and the other young girls in her company as she was introduced. She didn'tthink she'd ever been that young, she mused as they chattered about the various fashions circulating about the room.
It was far too late now to learn how to indulge in idle chatter. She would be an abysmal failure as Jeannette's aunt when the time came to bring her out into society.
Trying not to think such thoughts, Eavin excused herself and drifted through the crowd in search of a place where she could hide for a while. Not intentionally eavesdropping, she couldn't help but hear those snippets of conversation that applied to herself and Nicholas. They seemed to leap out from the general conversation as she walked by.
"... he brought the pirate Lafitte to his mother's birthday ball just last week ..."
She hadn't even known the monster had a mother, but she knew it was Nicholas of whom they spoke when they elbowed each other and grew silent as she drew closer. Expressionless, she wandered on.
"... living with him. It's scandalous. Even Madame Dupré..."
Eavin didn't need to see this couple to know they spoke of her relationship with Nicholas. Proper ladies did not live alone with gentlemen to whom they were not related. Even she knew that. But all she had wanted to be was a nursemaid. Nicholas was the madman who had made her come out in this.
"The blockade would destroy business were it not for the smugglers."
Eavin hesitated behind a potted plant at this piece of conversation. She recognized Jeremy's voice and wondered if Nicholas was with him. It seemed very much like the kind of conversation they had indulged in over the
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