Engaging the Earl by Diana Quincy

Author:Diana Quincy
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781622667000
Publisher: Entangled: Scandalous
Published: 2014-06-08T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Fury rendered Kat speechless. Seeing Rand flirt with Lexie for the remainder of that day and then again two evenings later at Lady Clover’s musicale left her so heated she was liable to self-combust at any moment.

Instead she seethed, pretending to be engrossed in the music, even though she neither saw nor heard the performance. She was too busy casting surreptitious glances at Rand and Lexie, trying to keep her internal scowl from usurping the serene mask plastered on her face.

It wasn’t the most overt of flirtations, but Rand definitely made his interest clear; his hand at Lexie’s elbow, the way he inclined his head toward her with sincere interest whenever she uttered a word. As though Lexie ever had anything interesting to say. Lexie preened under the earl’s attentiveness in a manner that twisted Kat’s innards into painful knots.

Rand clearly preferred to countenance marriage to plain Lexie Campbell than to be forced into a scandalous match with her. Humph. So much for being the ton’s incomparable. It certainly didn’t land her anything she desired. Especially not Rand. He could barely stand to look at her since their indiscretion at the riding party.

Then there was Laurie’s puzzling behavior of late. He remained as present as always, escorting her everywhere, but his attentiveness seemed forced now, his manner more brittle beneath the genial facade. In the past, she’d longed for relief from the intensity of his unwavering regard, but now his distracted manner unnerved her. She missed the good-natured, dependable warmth she’d come to count on from him.

“Cozy little duo, wouldn’t you say?” She started at Toby’s voice. She’d been so lost in her own ruminations that she hadn’t heard her cousin slide into Bea’s empty seat next to her. “Where is Sinclair? And what happened to my sister? It appears everyone has abandoned ship.”

“Shhh.” Kat kept her eyes on the performance. “Laurie begged off. Bea pleaded a headache and excused herself,” she murmured, trying not to move her lips.

“This performance is headache inducing,” Toby whispered.

Suppressing a smile, Kat elbowed him. “People are looking at us.”

“Doubtful.” He pretended to give the performance his full attention. “They’re far more interested in Rand and Miss Campbell. One could suspect he’s courting the lady.”

A sick feeling stirred in her belly. “Perhaps he is.”

“She’s a departure from his usual type. He’s not the sort to attach to any one gel for long.”

His usual type. So he had a usual type. While she’d pined away for him for years, he’d been racing across the Continent planning battles and littering his path with discarded lovers. Polite applause erupted around her as the music came to an end. She clapped like an automaton and rose with Toby.

“Be a dear and do escort me to the carriage.” She was impatient to depart lest she witness more of Rand’s fawning over Lexie. There was only so much she could take.

Toby accompanied her outside. “I understand you visited the soldiers home again. Better be careful, cousin.” He handed her up into the carriage.

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