Elise by Jackie Ivie

Author:Jackie Ivie [Ivie, Jackie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Historical, Scottish, Victorian, Historical Romance
Amazon: B00UDM6GM6
Goodreads: 25315519
Published: 2015-04-24T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

“It will probably be cold.”

“Well, I think it’s dreadfully romantic.”

“It has potential. It’s obvious you’re a newlywed.”

“We’re all quite envious of you, my dear.”

“Well, I—” Elise started to mumble something, only to be interrupted.

“Come now, don’t be shy. We saw the way you two act. So in love, you look. I wonder if Herbert and I were ever that way.”

“Not that we ever saw.”

The Duchess of Argyle dissolved into giggles and the others about her did the same. Elise frowned instead. She wasn’t listening to their chatter. She was watching the clock. Midnight was but a half hour away, and her palms were getting clammier the closer it got.

“I’ve not seen Colin since he joined the regiment. I tell you, I’ve never seen him so happy, either. You’re to be congratulated, Your Grace.”

“What?” Elise asked, turning from the mantel clock.

The ladies had left the men to their port, as usual. Elise hadn’t been able to meet Colin’s eyes as she’d followed the others. She’d been grateful that he’d been placed beside the Marquis in a place of honor.

It seemed like every one of her heartbeats was repeating over and over what he’d said.

Far our marriage . . . for our marriage . . .

“I quite like how you’ve done your hair tonight, Your Grace. Are you attempting another fashion coup?”

“I’ve left those days behind me, Lady Beckon.”

Anyone within hearing distance could tell a snide tone colored everything Lady Beckon said to Elise. Elise let each and every one of her comments pass without one sly, biting, or querulous answer. It was unlike her, but everything felt like it was anymore. She hadn’t known that Sophie’s viscount’s parents would attend. Anyone who read the papers would have known that it would cause a problem. Perhaps that was what the Marquise had in mind when she’d created her guest list. Had she hoped to discomfit Elise for her reported dalliances with her husband, the Marquis, last year?

If she had, it wasn’t working. Elise glanced at the clock again. She’d lost another minute!

“Your husband told me at dinner about his plans. It is so very romantic,” Lady Norwich said.

He did? Elise bit her tongue to still the question. She’d barely found out what Colin intended, and he’d told others as well?

“Why, my husband hasn’t taken me on a moonlit drive in ... well, never.”

Again, the women giggled, and Elise closed her eyes.

So she was going on a moonlit drive. A drive that would include a preacher, a pulpit, and a real wedding ceremony! Her palms were wet with worry, and she didn’t have anything to wipe them on. She wondered what Colin would say if she feigned an illness and returned to her chamber.

The choice was taken from her as the men arrived. Colin wasn’t the first through the door, so she scanned for him. The Quorns had filled their banquet hall with guests. There must have been forty, but there could have been four times that number and Elise wouldn’t have noticed.

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.