3. When a Lord Needs a Lady by Jane Goodger

3. When a Lord Needs a Lady by Jane Goodger

Author:Jane Goodger [Goodger, Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-12-31T16:00:00+00:00


That evening, there was a concert with a string quartet from London. They played a fugue so hauntingly beautiful, Katherine had to fight back tears for fear of embarrassing herself. It was either that or the realization that following the concert, a formal announcement would be made.

Claudia had been walking on air all afternoon, and it was obvious to all why this was. Mr. Von Haupt had met with Lord Avonleigh that very afternoon to hash out the financial details of the marriage contract. Katherine’s chest hurt all day, a squeezing in her heart that persisted no matter how she tried not to think about Graham truly marrying Claudia. And to see Claudia so happy when she was so very miserable made her feel even worse. She wanted to remain in her rooms, but her mother had insisted she participate in the evening’s events. No doubt there was some new title in the room that her mother had her eye on.

Graham was sitting with the Von Haupts in the front row. His hair was neatly combed, his clothing impeccable, his back straight. He looked neither left nor right, but stared with unrelenting concentration on the musicians in front of him. He’d moved once, when Claudia leaned over to say something to him, and he’d nodded, once, sharp and definitive, and Katherine agonized over what Claudia had said.

Once the concert was over, Lord Haversly immediately stood, still clapping and thanking the quartet for their fine performance. Then he gestured that all should remain seated.

“We have a bit of an exciting announcement to make. Actually, Lord Avonleigh does.”

Was it Katherine’s imagination, or had several in the audience just looked her way? She sat, her heart slowly dissolving in her chest, and gave Lord Haversly a careful and pleasant smile of mild anticipation. Oh, what on earth could the announcement be? her smile said.

Graham stood, and goodness, he looked handsome. His gray eyes scanned the audience politely, skimming over her, as if she were simply another member of the crowd. Katherine’s throat ached to the point of physical pain, but she would not let anyone know what was happening. Oh God, her heart was breaking. It was, and she must not let a soul even have a hint of what was happening inside her.

“Miss Von Haupt and I are engaged,” he said, holding out his hand for Claudia to join him. Just as their hands touched, his eyes met Katherine’s, just briefly, and with no emotion in them. For that instant, Katherine felt as if she might faint, and she looked down and did not see the small step he took toward her. It was all so subtle, no one else in the room could guess at the drama unfolding.

Katherine wasn’t certain how she got through the rest of the evening. It was shocking, really, the effect that announcement had on her. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t known all along that he would marry Claudia. Still, hearing it, seeing it, seemed to tear a small part of herself away.



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