Read Online Words Spoken True by Ann H. Gabhart - Free Book Online

room, Adriane noticed young ladies poised, ready to rush the man whenever Mrs. Wigginham removed her hand from his arm.
    If she did. Adriane looked directly at Mrs. Wigginham. A happy flush of red spread across her cheekbones and her eyes sparkled as though she’d just discovered a potion to recapture her youth.
    There was no denying the man was handsome, Adriane thought, as she slid her eyes quickly past him again. Black hair curling across his forehead. Eyes almost as dark. Skin that showed he was outside in the weather a lot. A dark moustache that surprisingly sprouted a few red hairs. A mouth that seemed to want to curl into a smile but did not. Broad shoulders stretching the material of that wrinkled coat. He was not the typical guest at one of Mrs. Wigginham’s afternoon functions.
    Yet everyone else in the room, including Stan, seemed to know him. In fact, Stan muttered under his breath as they crossed the room, “What is he doing here?”
    She might have asked Stan for information then, but she felt the eyes of the assemblage too strongly on her. An odd feeling of charged expectation seemed to be radiating in the air. At first Adriane had thought it was the knowledge that her engagement was supposed to be a secret until the announcement that night, but the closer they got to the man and Mrs. Wigginham, the surer she became that the tension had something to do with him. It was almost as if everyone in the room knew of their moonlight encounter and was practically holding their breath, waiting to see what might happen next.
    Adriane decided she would not give them the pleasure of seeing her show any kind of shock or surprise, no matter what this man said or did. Already his manner was quite brazen as his eyes continued to bore into her. For the briefest second she allowed herself to look directly at him. A spark seemed to sear the air between them, almost as if they shared some kind of familiar bond. But that was foolish. Adriane quickly averted her eyes. She had no idea who he was, and their encounter that morning hardly made any sort of bond between them. Even if he did recognize her.
    “Mrs. Wigginham.” Adriane ignored the man who had risen to his feet as she leaned down to speak to the old lady. “It is so good of you to open your house for such a worthy cause. I’m sure all the patrons of the library will greatly benefit from the added volumes that will be donated as a result of your efforts.”
    “How kind of you to say so, Adriane. And so good of both you and Stanley to come to my little gathering when I know you must have many plans to make.” Mrs. Wigginham smiled over at Stan before returning her eyes to Adriane.
    Adriane kept her smile firmly in place even though her heart sank a bit at the woman’s words. “Plans? I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Mrs. Wigginham.”
    “Now, Adriane, you needn’t pretend with me. We all know your delightful little ‘secret.’” Mrs. Wigginham looked at Stan again. “I have to admit I was beginning to wonder if you were going to be able to capture her, Stanley.”
    “I never had any doubts.” Stan sounded smug as he glanced at Adriane before looking back to Mrs. Wigginham to trot out his best manners. “And it’s always a supreme delight to come to one of your events, my dear lady. My mother asked me to extend her regrets on not being able to attend today. As you say, there is much to plan.”
    “Of course,” Mrs. Wigginham agreed easily. “I’m sure it will be the event of the year.”
    Adriane listened to them, her smile firmly fixed on her face. It was growing more and more difficult to believe she could somehow change her father’s mind about this marriage being necessary. Especially with the whole town practically already invited to attend the ceremony before she was even consulted. A fluttery finger of panic tried to edge back out in her mind, but she shoved it away from her thoughts.
    She could hardly give in to panic right now, not with