Read Online Whirlwind Wedding by Jacquie D'Alessandro - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jacquie D'Alessandro
Tags: Romance
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turned away.
Warmth crept up his neck at her obvious dismissal. With his gaze still fixed upon her, he said "Miss Matthews struck me as unusual, no doubt because of her colonial upbringing."
"Unusual?" Caroline repeated softly. "Yes, I suppose that would explain it."
"Explain what?"
"Why you haven't been able to take your eyes off her since she appeared in the doorway."
He snapped his head around and encountered Caroline's amused blue gaze. Leveling his best frigid glare on her, he said "I beg your pardon?"
Reaching up, she gently patted his cheek. "Austin, darling. You know that icy stare doesn't scare me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe I'll join Elizabeth and Lady Penbroke,"
She sauntered off, and Austin tossed back his champagne in a single gulp. His gaze again settled on Miss Matthews as she greeted Caroline with an inviting smile curving her lips, and he wondered how it would feel to have her greet him in such a warm manner. The very thought sent a tingle through him, thoroughly annoying him.
Caroline's words echoed in his mind. You haven't been able to take your eyes off her since she appeared in the doorway. Couldn't take his eyes off her?
Ridiculous! Of course he could. And he would. As soon as she turned away and he could no longer see her smile. Or her mouth. Or that fascinating single curl flowing down her dress.
Until then, he needed to watch her, to observe her, to find out all he could about her.
For investigative purposes only, of course.
*
At dinner, Elizabeth sat between her aunt and Lord Digby. To her surprise, Lord Digby conversed with her at length, engaging her in conversation about American farming techniques. She knew next to nothing about the subject, but listened politely, nodding encouragingly, while she enjoyed the sumptuous ten-course meal and dodged her aunt's peacock feathers.
While Lord Digby waxed poetic about sheep-shearing procedures, her attention wandered to the head of the table where the duke sat.
Resplendent in black evening wear, he all but took her breath away, a fact that irritated her to no end. She did not want to find that pigheaded man attractive.
He chatted easily with the guests seated around him, but she noticed that he rarely smiled, a fact that pushed her irritation aside and tugged at her heart.
A troubled soul lurked beneath his polished exterior, but he hid it well. If she hadn't touched him, she would have seen only what he presented. She wouldn't have known his sadness or loneliness or guilt. Or sensed the danger threatening him.
She hadn't realized she was staring at him until their eyes met. His silvery gaze locked onto hers and her skin tingled under his intense look.
Heat suffused her, and she knew she should look away, but she couldn't.
She wanted so much to help him. If only he would listen to her.
Dear God she wished she'd been able to see more, to know what menace threatened him, and when. Would harm befall him this very night? If so, what could she do to prevent it?
His gaze penetrated her, heating her as if he'd touched her. She forced her attention away from that disturbing stare, back to Lord Digby, but she'd already made a decision.
She would do whatever was necessary to see that the duke remained safe.
Austin approached the stables a little after midnight, restless, unsettled wanting only to ride Myst and work this annoying, unnamed frustration out of his system.
It had started the moment he'd seen her in the drawing room doorway, looking achingly beautiful, smiling at everyone . . . everyone except him.
As much as it irked him to admit it, he hadn't been able to keep his eyes off her all evening. Even when he'd managed to focus his attention elsewhere, he'd been aware of her every minute, knew whom she was speaking to, what she ate. And when their eyes had met across the length of the dinner table, he'd felt as if someone had punched him in the heart.
Her presence had distracted him all evening, and he'd breathed a sigh of
Warmth crept up his neck at her obvious dismissal. With his gaze still fixed upon her, he said "Miss Matthews struck me as unusual, no doubt because of her colonial upbringing."
"Unusual?" Caroline repeated softly. "Yes, I suppose that would explain it."
"Explain what?"
"Why you haven't been able to take your eyes off her since she appeared in the doorway."
He snapped his head around and encountered Caroline's amused blue gaze. Leveling his best frigid glare on her, he said "I beg your pardon?"
Reaching up, she gently patted his cheek. "Austin, darling. You know that icy stare doesn't scare me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe I'll join Elizabeth and Lady Penbroke,"
She sauntered off, and Austin tossed back his champagne in a single gulp. His gaze again settled on Miss Matthews as she greeted Caroline with an inviting smile curving her lips, and he wondered how it would feel to have her greet him in such a warm manner. The very thought sent a tingle through him, thoroughly annoying him.
Caroline's words echoed in his mind. You haven't been able to take your eyes off her since she appeared in the doorway. Couldn't take his eyes off her?
Ridiculous! Of course he could. And he would. As soon as she turned away and he could no longer see her smile. Or her mouth. Or that fascinating single curl flowing down her dress.
Until then, he needed to watch her, to observe her, to find out all he could about her.
For investigative purposes only, of course.
*
At dinner, Elizabeth sat between her aunt and Lord Digby. To her surprise, Lord Digby conversed with her at length, engaging her in conversation about American farming techniques. She knew next to nothing about the subject, but listened politely, nodding encouragingly, while she enjoyed the sumptuous ten-course meal and dodged her aunt's peacock feathers.
While Lord Digby waxed poetic about sheep-shearing procedures, her attention wandered to the head of the table where the duke sat.
Resplendent in black evening wear, he all but took her breath away, a fact that irritated her to no end. She did not want to find that pigheaded man attractive.
He chatted easily with the guests seated around him, but she noticed that he rarely smiled, a fact that pushed her irritation aside and tugged at her heart.
A troubled soul lurked beneath his polished exterior, but he hid it well. If she hadn't touched him, she would have seen only what he presented. She wouldn't have known his sadness or loneliness or guilt. Or sensed the danger threatening him.
She hadn't realized she was staring at him until their eyes met. His silvery gaze locked onto hers and her skin tingled under his intense look.
Heat suffused her, and she knew she should look away, but she couldn't.
She wanted so much to help him. If only he would listen to her.
Dear God she wished she'd been able to see more, to know what menace threatened him, and when. Would harm befall him this very night? If so, what could she do to prevent it?
His gaze penetrated her, heating her as if he'd touched her. She forced her attention away from that disturbing stare, back to Lord Digby, but she'd already made a decision.
She would do whatever was necessary to see that the duke remained safe.
Austin approached the stables a little after midnight, restless, unsettled wanting only to ride Myst and work this annoying, unnamed frustration out of his system.
It had started the moment he'd seen her in the drawing room doorway, looking achingly beautiful, smiling at everyone . . . everyone except him.
As much as it irked him to admit it, he hadn't been able to keep his eyes off her all evening. Even when he'd managed to focus his attention elsewhere, he'd been aware of her every minute, knew whom she was speaking to, what she ate. And when their eyes had met across the length of the dinner table, he'd felt as if someone had punched him in the heart.
Her presence had distracted him all evening, and he'd breathed a sigh of
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