Improper Miss Darling by Gail Whitiker

Author:Gail Whitiker [Whitiker, Gail]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-4603-4964-9
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-05-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Word of Lord Widdicombe’s illness was accepted without question by the guests gathered for Linette and Peter’s engagement ball, and when at midnight, the toast was offered by Alex rather than his father, not a single well-groomed eyebrow was raised. Most of the guests knew the earl had not been well, so it came as no shock that the rigours of the journey had forced him back to bed. They simply expressed their concern at hearing of his discomfort and sent wishes for his speedy recovery.

As for Linette, her future father-in-law’s absence provided some much-needed breathing space; contrary to what Alex had feared, she was not shunned by the guests who were introduced to her, but was now welcomed by them, most probably because no outright rift between her and the earl had been declared. Everyone seemed to know that a meeting had taken place between the two families earlier in the evening, but, given that no obvious signs of condemnation had followed, the guests accepted as fact the earl’s approval of the match.

And in light of that acceptance, Linette blossomed. The pride on her face at being introduced as Peter’s fiancée lent her a new and even more beautiful glow. Emma could hardly believe that the confident young lady moving around the room was the same nervous girl who had quaked at the thought of being the centre of attention only a few hours ago.

An opinion shared by more than one person in the room.

‘Your sister is utterly charming,’ Alex said quietly at Emma’s side later in the evening. ‘I am beginning to understand why my brother has fallen so deeply in love with her.’

They were the words Emma had been longing to hear—the words she had never expected to hear. But hearing them from Alex now made her pleasure in the evening complete. ‘I admit, she has exceeded even my expectations,’ Emma said. ‘Linette has always been so quiet and unassuming. Completely unpretentious. She wears her heart on her sleeve; while she can fly as high as a kite, she can also be cut down by an unkind word. But I have never seen her rise to an occasion the way she did tonight, or shine the way she is shining now.’

‘Obviously, love does work miracles for some people,’ Alex commented drily.

Emma sent him a curious look. ‘You sound as though you still doubt the power it wields.’

‘Oh, I know full well its power. Wars have been waged over it. Kingdoms lost and reputations forfeited because of it. All as a result of man being a constant victim to his stronger desires.’

‘But why do you see only the harm that it does?’ Emma asked, turning to face him. ‘Men have done miraculous things in the name of love. They have created masterpieces of art and music. Built magnificent castles and crossed vast expanses of land and ocean, all because they were inspired by something bigger than themselves.’

His gaze softened as he looked at her. ‘You truly are a romantic, aren’t you, Emma?’

‘No!’ His caustic tone made her flush.

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