Read Online The Nobody: Signet Regency Romance (InterMix) by Diane Farr - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Diane Farr
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wondered fleetingly what he meant by it, but it wasn’t until the party was going in to a very late buffet that she had leisure to reflect on Lord Kilverton’s strange behavior.
What ails the fellow? she wondered crossly, helping herself to lobster patties. It is impossible that we have met before this evening. And even if we had, why should he stare so? Unless—
A ghastly suspicion assailed her.
Unless when we met before, he could not see me!
With an exclamation of horror, Caitlin turned involuntarily to look at Lord Kilverton, and her eyes, wide with dismay, met his yet again. He was
still
watching her! And even as her eyes met his, she knew her expression of shocked realization was confirming his own suspicions. The interest in his gaze sharpened into triumph, and his eyes danced with unholy amusement. At her expense! She immediately looked away, covered with confusion and blushing scarlet.
“No! Oh, no!” she whispered. Hardly recalling where she was, she turned blindly with some vague notion of escaping the room. Emily, however, was at her side and touched her arm with timid concern.
“Caitie, are you ill? What is amiss?”
Caitlin stared unseeingly at her sister, her thoughts in turmoil, her color fluctuating alarmingly, and her expression quite distracted. “Ill?” she repeated numbly. “No, I am not ill. I merely—that is—oh, this is dreadful!”
“Dreadful? What is dreadful?”
Caitlin, becoming aware of Emily’s anxiety and the curious gaze of an inquisitive woman nearby, made an effort to control her rising sense of panic and appear more normal. She took a deep breath, and schooled her features into a calm and rational expression. After all, she was at Lady Dassinghurst’s reception! Nothing untoward could occur. But as she was opening her mouth to reassure Emily, a dreaded voice was heard behind her.
“Miss Campbell, we meet again! Allow me to recommend the trifle, which has apparently escaped your notice.”
Lord Kilverton audaciously slapped a spoonful of trifle onto the plate trembling in Caitlin’s hand. She did not dare look up at him, but ventured to respond in a voice that shook only slightly.
“I dislike trifle!”
Emily’s sweet, worried gaze turned to Lord Kilverton. “I am afraid my sister is not feeling quite the thing.”
“Very understandable,” replied Lord Kilverton, with quick sympathy. “Such a press of people round the table! I feel it myself.”
“The heat is a little oppressive,” agreed Emily innocently “We did not look for such warm weather in May. One feels it more when it is unexpected.”
While her sister spoke, Caitlin cast a mute, but agonized, glance up at her tormentor. She immediately looked away again, but she knew her expression had been eloquent of horror and embarrassment. Even a heart of stone must feel compassion for such distress! Lord Kilverton, however, appeared unmoved.
“Yes, indeed!” he agreed blandly. “Even the strongest person can be overpowered by”—his eyes flicked toward Caitlin—“unexpected heat.”
Caitlin almost gasped aloud at this astonishing piece of insolence. She glared indignantly up at his lordship and found herself confronting such laughing eyes, in such a solemn face, she had to look hastily away again. How appalling to discover within herself a temptation to
laugh
at this hair-raising situation! What was wrong with her? She bit her lip, and achieved an icy politeness.
“It is somehow impossible to believe you know the first thing about it, my lord. You certainly do not have the appearance of one who is easily overpowered.” She dared to look challengingly at him, but was immediately sorry she had done so. He was smiling softly down at her, with laughter still in his eyes, and something else as well. Something that sent a fresh wave of color to Caitlin’s cheeks and brought her heart into her throat.
“I assure you, Miss Campbell, I am extremely conscious of the heat surrounding us,” he said
What ails the fellow? she wondered crossly, helping herself to lobster patties. It is impossible that we have met before this evening. And even if we had, why should he stare so? Unless—
A ghastly suspicion assailed her.
Unless when we met before, he could not see me!
With an exclamation of horror, Caitlin turned involuntarily to look at Lord Kilverton, and her eyes, wide with dismay, met his yet again. He was
still
watching her! And even as her eyes met his, she knew her expression of shocked realization was confirming his own suspicions. The interest in his gaze sharpened into triumph, and his eyes danced with unholy amusement. At her expense! She immediately looked away, covered with confusion and blushing scarlet.
“No! Oh, no!” she whispered. Hardly recalling where she was, she turned blindly with some vague notion of escaping the room. Emily, however, was at her side and touched her arm with timid concern.
“Caitie, are you ill? What is amiss?”
Caitlin stared unseeingly at her sister, her thoughts in turmoil, her color fluctuating alarmingly, and her expression quite distracted. “Ill?” she repeated numbly. “No, I am not ill. I merely—that is—oh, this is dreadful!”
“Dreadful? What is dreadful?”
Caitlin, becoming aware of Emily’s anxiety and the curious gaze of an inquisitive woman nearby, made an effort to control her rising sense of panic and appear more normal. She took a deep breath, and schooled her features into a calm and rational expression. After all, she was at Lady Dassinghurst’s reception! Nothing untoward could occur. But as she was opening her mouth to reassure Emily, a dreaded voice was heard behind her.
“Miss Campbell, we meet again! Allow me to recommend the trifle, which has apparently escaped your notice.”
Lord Kilverton audaciously slapped a spoonful of trifle onto the plate trembling in Caitlin’s hand. She did not dare look up at him, but ventured to respond in a voice that shook only slightly.
“I dislike trifle!”
Emily’s sweet, worried gaze turned to Lord Kilverton. “I am afraid my sister is not feeling quite the thing.”
“Very understandable,” replied Lord Kilverton, with quick sympathy. “Such a press of people round the table! I feel it myself.”
“The heat is a little oppressive,” agreed Emily innocently “We did not look for such warm weather in May. One feels it more when it is unexpected.”
While her sister spoke, Caitlin cast a mute, but agonized, glance up at her tormentor. She immediately looked away again, but she knew her expression had been eloquent of horror and embarrassment. Even a heart of stone must feel compassion for such distress! Lord Kilverton, however, appeared unmoved.
“Yes, indeed!” he agreed blandly. “Even the strongest person can be overpowered by”—his eyes flicked toward Caitlin—“unexpected heat.”
Caitlin almost gasped aloud at this astonishing piece of insolence. She glared indignantly up at his lordship and found herself confronting such laughing eyes, in such a solemn face, she had to look hastily away again. How appalling to discover within herself a temptation to
laugh
at this hair-raising situation! What was wrong with her? She bit her lip, and achieved an icy politeness.
“It is somehow impossible to believe you know the first thing about it, my lord. You certainly do not have the appearance of one who is easily overpowered.” She dared to look challengingly at him, but was immediately sorry she had done so. He was smiling softly down at her, with laughter still in his eyes, and something else as well. Something that sent a fresh wave of color to Caitlin’s cheeks and brought her heart into her throat.
“I assure you, Miss Campbell, I am extremely conscious of the heat surrounding us,” he said
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