A Week in Brighton by Moore Jennifer & Lyon Annette & Hatch Donna

Author:Moore, Jennifer & Lyon, Annette & Hatch, Donna
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Timeless Regency Collection, clean and wholesome
Publisher: Mirror Press
Published: 2019-07-29T16:00:00+00:00

Mr. Hayward coughed, then tugged on his coat, straightening it out. Clearly distracted, he turned to Julia. “Thank you for the dance, my dear,” he said, but though he’d glanced at her, his eyes scanned the large room. He stiffened almost imperceptibly, a reaction only a person very near, with deep-seated curiosity, would note. Someone like Julia. He blinked and looked back at her, then bowed slightly. “Perhaps we can dance again later this evening. For now, if you’ll excuse me—”

“Oh, please don’t go,” Julia said, giving her best impression of her younger sister’s energy and enthusiasm—things few people could say no to. She took Mr. Hayward’s arm and began walking along the edge of the dance floor, bringing Mr. Hayward along with her. She’d heard some alarming things, which gave her three things to accomplish: first, ensure that Mr. Hayward did not suspect that she’d noted anything untoward between him and Durham; second, do her utmost to learn more about his traitorous plans regarding the Swedish Crown Prince; and third, stop any attempt on his life.

Mr. Hayward slowed their progress, stopped altogether, then attempted to unwrap her hand from his arm—an effort Julia found herself remarkably good at thwarting, simply by pretending to be ignorant of his intentions.

“You must excuse me, milady,” he said, looking about the room again instead of at her. His eyes flashed briefly—so briefly that she wouldn’t have seen it if she hadn’t been studying every tiny muscle on his face. Based on their proximity to the doors leading to the gardens, Julia suspected that someone Mr. Hayward wanted to follow or speak to had gone outside. The longer she held his arm, the more restless he became.

She stepped closer to him, then, again pretending to be Caroline, gazed into his eyes with what she hoped looked like dreamy attraction and said, “Care to take a turn about the gardens? It’s so lovely tonight.”

He broke his stare at the doors long enough to glance at Julia, who kept the sweet dreaminess on her face for his benefit. She found doing so far easier than maintaining a neutral expression, which she feared she’d fail at after hearing his traitorous intent. She simply could not allow even a hint of her real feelings to be revealed. The guise seemed to be working even though her heart had sped up, beating fast and faint, making her lightheaded.

“Very well,” he said. “A turn about the gardens would be a pleasure.” He looked at her in a way that an hour before, she would have found flattering but now found unnerving and duplicitous.

I could let him go into the gardens alone, then try to tell someone about Durham, she thought as they headed for the doors. Fortunately, the gardens were filled with guests; so long as she kept Mr. Hayward in areas lighted by lamps and near other guests, he couldn’t hurt her.

For the second time that night, the chilly sea air raised the hairs on the back of her neck.

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