A Taste of Desire by Kendall Beverley

Author:Kendall, Beverley [Kendall, Beverley]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Historical
ISBN: 9781420108705
Publisher: Zebra
Published: 2010-12-21T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

There were no two ways around it; Amelia knew what she had to do. And if she did it now, she might be able to avoid awkwardness at supper.

With nothing to bolster her flagging courage but the deepest sense of remorse, she knocked on the bedchamber door and waited in dread.

The door was opened quickly. Camille Foxworth stood on the other side regarding her with eyes widened in shock—or perhaps it was horror. Amelia really couldn’t take issue with that. No doubt the poor woman believed she had come to divest her of her last shred of dignity. Finish the job, so to speak. Amelia could well understand why; her remark had been the veriest of insults.

“Lady Amelia, I-I—”

“Might I have a moment of your time, Miss Foxworth?”

“Yes—yes, of course.” She appeared flustered and not only a little nervous as she hastily moved aside to bid her entrance.

The bedchamber was on par with hers in décor as well as size: roomy, adequately heated, with solid, elegant furnishings and an exquisite canopied bed. Apparently, like hers, Miss Foxworth’s accommodations were more those of a guest than servant.

Quietly, Miss Foxworth closed the door before turning to face her. Amelia swallowed hard.

“Please allow me to apologize for my behavior this afternoon. I don’t know what prompted me to say something so unkind, so unwarranted. My rudeness was inexcusable and utterly reprehensible.” Amelia could barely stand to meet the woman’s gaze after she ended the contrite and rushed apology. Humble pie did not go down as easily as chocolate-dipped strawberries, nor did it come even remotely close to pleasing the palate.

For a moment Miss Foxworth stood motionless, her expression that of someone who’d received a hard knock on the head. Then she was fluttering her hands about and speaking quickly. “Lady Amelia, you needn’t apologize. Believe me, at my age and circumstance, I’ve heard much worse. All you did was speak the truth.”

Such self-deprecation. No one should be so inured to insults as to be resigned to them. Make light of them. A stab of shame hit her square in her conscience, one Amelia felt down to her bones.

“No.” Amelia said quite emphatically. “I have every need to apologize. What I said, how I acted, was beyond reproach. I remain more than a little ashamed of myself.”

Miss Foxworth smiled tentatively lighting up her blue eyes and accentuating cheekbones Amelia only now noticed were attractively high. It struck her then, that the woman wasn’t as nondescript as she’d first thought. Yes, her appearance certainly could be improved, and the first thing Amelia would suggest was a change in her wardrobe, which seemed to consist primarily of pale colors that did nothing for her pallid complexion.

“You have such lovely eyes and cheekbones.”

Miss Foxworth averted her head in a quick dismissal of the compliment, but her face turned the color of a ripe apricot. “Please, Lady Amelia, you do not have to—”

“I’m not saying so to make up for my behavior. Believe me, I’m not that kind.

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