Forbidden by Jo Beverley

Author:Jo Beverley [Beverley, Jo]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, General
ISBN: 9781420120547
Google: IXQHkgAACAAJ
Publisher: Zebra Books
Published: 1993-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Serena spent the time before they were to leave trying to think of sensible ways to improve matters, but with little success. She knew nothing about Society life.

She had gone from school into prison, and she did not know the world at all. She did see, however, that her husband would be miserable if they were socially ostracized. How was it to be avoided once it was known that she was the relict of Randy Riverton? The wedding announcement would reveal that, but even if that hazard was avoided, it would only take one encounter with a man who had visited Stokeley Manor to create a scandal.

As Matthew’s wife, she had never been forced to take part in the public displays of bed-work that had amused his guests so, but she had been made to watch. In the later years of her marriage, it seemed to excite Matthew to make her uncomfortable.

She had been forced to perform “attitudes,” as made famous by Emma Hamilton, and sometimes lewd ones, skimpily dressed. It had depended largely on whether Matthew had been pleased with her or angry. After he had been told she was barren, he had been angry more often than not.

She looked back on that existence now as a bad dream, but one that still shadowed her present life. Cowering under that shadow, she had little faith that a meeting with Beth Armitage would help her. Beth had stayed safe at Miss Mallory’s school until leaving to marry. She could know nothing of the life Serena had lived, and would certainly not understand.

Nor did Serena feel at ease about meeting Francis’s friends. She was about to be pitchforked into a group of people who would side with him, who would see all the evils of his situation and blame her.

As the carriage rolled into one of London’s finest squares, she wondered how much Francis had told his friends. Surely he wouldn’t have told all. But how else had he explained his actions?

The carriage drew up at the majestic steps of a great house on Marlborough Square. The footman went to ply the knocker, then opened the carriage door and let down the steps. By the time Serena and Francis were approaching the massive doors, a small army of servants had appeared to attend to them.

They were ushered into a magnificent marble and gilt entrance hall. Serena stared, having never seen anything quite so grand in her life. It merely intensified her fears, and she stayed close to Francis’s side.

As soon as her cloak was off, however, she was warmly and informally greeted by a handsome woman she still easily recognized as Beth. “Serena! This is of all things wonderful!” She linked arms. “We are going to have such fun and become sickeningly maternal together. Speaking of sickening, have you been? No? I haven’t, either, but I do feel queasy at times…”

Serena was swept up to a cozy saloon and introduced to a startlingly handsome blond man. Thus Serena found herself

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