Deadly Caress by Brenda Joyce

Author:Brenda Joyce
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance
Published: 2012-06-04T22:49:07+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

Friday, February 21, 1902—11:00 a.m.

Bartolla Benevente hurried through the Channing residence and into the salon commonly used for entertaining callers. She had just spent fifteen minutes ironing her hair and reapplying rouge to her cheeks and lips. Clad in a very fitted burgundy jacket, the matching skirt trimmed in dyed fox, a ruby necklace, and matching ear bobs, she felt she looked radiant and her best. The salon doors were wide open She paused on the threshold for a dramatic effect. It never crossed her mind that she had made her caller wait. Leigh Anne Bragg had been sitting on a plush velvet sofa, and when she saw Bartolla she smiled and rose gracefully to her feet. The two women had met several years ago in Rome, when Bartolla's husband had been alive and they had been on their way to their Tuscan villa. Bartolla beamed in return, swept across the room, and the two women embraced. Unfortunately, Leigh Anne was as lovely as she had been the other day when they had last seen each other. Fortunately, Bartolla was too secure to be envious; it was merely annoying.

"How pretty you look!" Bartolla cried, still smiling. And she knew pretty was not a word that did justice to Leigh Anne. She knew the word would grate on the tiny woman's nerves.

But if Leigh Anne felt insulted, she did not show it. "And you are so beautiful today," Leigh Anne replied earnestly in her soft, breathless voice. "I love your suit, Bartolla. Please don't tell me it was sewn in Italy? I should so love to use your seamstress."

"I'm afraid it was," Bartolla lied. The ensemble had belonged to one of her dear departed husband's sisters, who had given it, and many others, to Bartolla when she realized she was too fat to ever wear them again. Bartolla had had them all altered to fit her perfectly. She had saved a fortune yet acquired a couturier wardrobe. And she did not have a seamstress, because her dear departed husband had left her poor and penniless. However, Leigh Anne could not know that.

It was her secret.

The two women sat, arranging their skirts, as the butler wheeled in a tray with tea and cakes. Both women helped themselves to plates of petits fours, which they had no intention of ever eating. "So tell me, Leigh Anne, is New York City agreeing with you?" Bartolla asked with avid curiosity. She was simply dying to know what was happening in the Bragg-Leigh Anne-Francesca love triangle. It was too delicious for words.

Leigh Anne beamed. A pretty flush covered her cheeks, and her emerald-colored eyes sparkled. "I do think so. My husband and I reconciled last night."

Bartolla almost dropped her cup and saucer. As it was, she spilled tea upon her lap.

Leigh Anne cried out, handing her a gold linen napkin, "Oh, I don't think it will stain!"

Bartolla wiped the spot, using the moment to recover from her surprise. "That is wonderful news! I am so happy for you!" She hesitated.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.