Harlequin Historical: July 2022 Box Set 2 of 2 by Ann Lethbridge

Author:Ann Lethbridge
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2022-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

The next afternoon, Evie carried Charm to the garden to play. Cuddling her to her heart, Evie decided she was the greatest hypocrite to draw breath. For all the care she gave Charm, she had released a flock of parrots to an uncertain fate. True, it was likely that, had she left them there, some would have died in the crate. But some of them would have found, if not freedom, at least safety in a home and people to care for them.

As soon as Minerva had suggested the rescue, Evie ought to have thought with her head and not her heart, should not have compared the birds’ situation to her own.

She had felt just like them, doomed to a fate not of her choosing. Because she was not imprisoned in a cage, she had been able to make a choice for her future.

Had she been as helpless as those poor birds were, she would be bound and fettered right now to a husband she did not want, did not love or even choose.

From now on she was going to behave more reasonably. She was going to think things through and weigh the consequences.

But there was one thing...

Had she thought things through last night, she would not have kissed Thomas.

Why, she’d barely known who she was in that moment. Not in a million years would she have predicted she would do something so rash as to kiss a man who intended to court another lady. Furthermore, a man who was not at all the sort she had long imagined kissing.

‘You can count on me not doing it again, Charm. You may dig your claws into me if you see me leaning that way.’

Oh...but it was a deliciously wonderful kiss, so unexpected and yet at the same time so anticipated. Now, wasn’t that a silly thing to think? There was no way something could be unexpected and anticipated at the same time.

‘But they might be,’ she told Charm. Perhaps puzzling it out aloud would make sense of it. ‘Because unexpected has to do with the brain while anticipated has to do with the heart. Anyone knows that the brain and the heart do not always agree.’

Perhaps it did make a bit of sense.

‘I did not know I was anticipating it, but I must have been,’ she admitted to the cat. ‘Otherwise... Well, the important thing is that it was not a betrayal to Miss Brownton, since Thomas is not yet courting her.’

Not in the strictest sense, at least. It was his intention to do so, but so far they had only taken tea together. And that only once.

‘Still, I will not kiss him again. It would not be prudent.’ She lifted Charm and peered into her eyes. ‘And if I attempt to rescue anything, you may hiss and scratch... Although I did rescue you and that has worked well.’

Charm purred. She accepted the gesture as a thank you.

She did not believe any of the birds were thanking her. Even though the day was sunny, it was cool and a slight breeze rippled through the garden.

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