A Secret Arrangement by Heather B. Moore

Author:Heather B. Moore
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2020-07-06T16:00:00+00:00

Evelyn leaned on the balcony rail and breathed in the hot, dusty air. It was finally starting to cool off with the sun moving behind the western horizon. Below her, a group of children waited near the hotel entrance, likely hoping for a tourist to exit. The streets had started to come alive in the past half hour with the drop in temperature, and she found herself fascinated by the men driving carts full of hay or sacks of grain, and the woman ushering small children about as if they were goats.

Evelyn had been ready for the dinner party for over an hour. After arriving at their luxurious hotel, they were served tea in the opulent lobby, which was complete with stained glass windows, Persian carpets, and granite pillars. Evelyn had never tasted tea so strong, and she supposed that was the reason she’d been unable to rest. Her aunt had had no trouble falling asleep for a couple of hours, and now Mrs. Jones was attending to her to help her get ready for dinner.

Smoothing down her pale-green skirt, Evelyn found she was looking forward to seeing Mr. Gaiman—Henry—again this evening. He’d been nothing but polite, helpful, and respectful. She’d also seen remorse in his gaze, and she knew that he was truly sorry for putting her into this situation. She and her aunt had yet to meet Mrs. Lillian Worthen, but Evelyn was more than curious about the benefactress who’d proposed to Henry.

Such a proposal was practically unheard of. Evelyn had wished she could write to Beatrice all about the intrigue, but she was afraid that the letter might fall into the wrong hands. What if Mrs. Paddock heard that she had entered into a sham of an engagement? It was best to wait, however torturous it might be, to tell Beatrice in person.

Evelyn admitted that the past six weeks had sped by, and never had she enjoyed herself so much. This added adventure had been unexpected, but it was also thrilling in a small way.

“Are you ready, dear?” her aunt’s voice cut into her thoughts.

Evelyn turned to see Margaret coming toward the balcony. She wore a deep-blue evening gown and looked quite splendid. Her headpiece was adorned with elaborate feathers, and her gloves were snowy white.

“I’m ready,” Evelyn said.

“You look lovely,” Margaret said. “Mr. Gaiman will want to propose for real.”

Evelyn laughed, but inside her pulse was racing. She’d perhaps been fantasizing a bit too much after receiving Henry’s second letter. It had repeated much of the same information as the first letter, but the tone had been more imploring. Evelyn didn’t mind the feeling that she was helping out Henry when he most needed it. But she had dressed in her best gown they’d purchased in Paris. The soft green brought out her eye color, that she knew, and the off-shoulder cut was more daring than anything she’d ever worn.

“Let’s not make everyone wait,” her aunt continued. “We’re already a few minutes late. And remember to say as little as possible to Mrs.

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