Harlequin Historical August 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Amanda McCabe

Author:Amanda McCabe
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

‘Surprisingly, I am truly looking forward to tonight’s soirée,’ Cecily confided to Nell. Both young ladies were in Cecily’s chamber, and the maids were almost done dressing their hair for the evening. Cecily loved the feeling of anticipation she sometimes enjoyed with Nell when they were preparing for an evening event together. Even with all the tiresomeness of unwanted attentions from bosky gentlemen, of crushes, of overheated rooms and a lack of air, there was something wonderful about wearing a pretty gown, having one’s hair dressed, and going out.

Tonight Cecily had donned a gown of gold transparent gauze over a gold-and-yellow satin slip, while Nell had chosen a pale green silk, trimmed with a full fall of lace. Both dresses were long in the waist and cut low around the bust, in line with the current fashion. With glossy curls, matching fillets, satin slippers and white kid gloves, both ladies were now almost ready.

‘Me, too,’ Nell agreed as their eyes met in the dressing-table mirror. The maids finished their task and departed, taking the curling irons with them, and the young ladies smoothed their dresses and picked up their fans, ready to descend.

Cecily grinned, sensing that Nell’s excitement matched her own. ‘Although I am enjoying our quiet sojourn in the country, I confess an occasional soirée is always welcome.’

‘I care not whether we have soirées, or walks, or whether we simply stay in beautiful Hazledene all the while. What I care about is having you and Tom with me. At times I still cannot believe my good fortune!’ She frowned. ‘There are still worries, of course. But I do not feel unsupported.’

They both knew there was no time to speak of important matters just now, which was something of a relief, since Cecily wondered if Nell had noticed the flirtation she had begun with the Earl, and if she had, what Nell made of it.

In a turn of events she had not anticipated, Cecily’s own time and attention had been happily taken up simply by being at Hazledene. She was fast building firm friendships with the entire party, and for the first time in her life could plausibly claim to have friends who were men. She had come to know them all fairly well already, and was developing something like affection for all of them.

Needless to say, her burgeoning friendship with the Earl was complicated by that thrilling attraction she felt towards him. They frequently walked out together, and Cecily had come to rely on the thrill of being in his company, of learning more about him, and of the tingle of excitement that she always felt in his company. They discussed all manner of topics—none of them personal—but she had come to understand him a little more, while also gradually sharing more of her own thoughts and opinions with him.

She lived for those occasions when he would give her a look that made her senses tingle. He had not done so at any point today, she realised. The

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.