Intolerable by Darcy Burke

Author:Darcy Burke [Burke, Darcy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781637260388
Publisher: Zealous Quill Press

Chapter 13

Delight warred with dread as Ruark looked toward Cassandra’s profile. An alluring smile curved her lips, beckoning him to kiss her. Not that he would in the middle of bloody Hyde Park. Walking with her was bad enough—this was not distancing himself as he needed to do.

He managed to ask, “Dare I ask who that is?”

She clucked her tongue. “If you don’t know, you’re not as clever as I’ve given you credit for. Just to be clear, it’s you.”

They were veering into dangerous territory. But they’d been there since kissing at her birthday party. No, they’d been firmly in Danger Land since the cupboard at the Phoenix Club. He had to steer them back to propriety. To the relationship they had before.

Was that even possible? He hadn’t ever tried with the others. He’d walked away and moved forward. How could he do that with his best friend’s sister?

He attempted to direct the conversation to safer ground. “I would be grateful if you could keep an eye on Kat at the assembly on Friday. You will be there, won’t you? Or has the duke forbidden your attendance again?”

“He hasn’t said I can’t go. My plan is to be there. I would be happy to assist your sister in any way I can.”

“Thank you. My mother is intent on seeing her wed, but I won’t force her. I suspect I’m going to have to tell my mother to stop meddling.”

“Tell her that meddling parents are horrid. I’d be happy to share my own experience,” she added with a laugh.

He smiled, appreciating her camaraderie. “Thank you, but I daresay that wouldn’t help.”

“Why is your mother so insistent if your sister is reluctant?”

He hesitated, and she almost said he didn’t have to tell her. But then he blurted, softly, “My sister got into some trouble in Gloucestershire. She kissed a gentleman when she shouldn’t have and was seen doing so. Her reputation is in tatters, so Mother brought her here to wed. She’s in a hurry to do so before the gossip follows them here.”

“Oh dear.” She sent him a sympathetic look as she leaned toward him. “The good news is that it may take some time for that information to reach London. The bad news is that it may not.”

“I keep thinking of how that could have been us.” He spoke in a low tone, not that Kat would be listening to them. And he highly doubted Miss Lancaster could hear anything over Kat’s talking. His sister possessed a louder than average speaking voice, particularly when she was engaged in a topic that interested her.

“We were seen,” Cassandra murmured.

“Yes. But that was two days ago, and, fortunately, no one has said anything. I take it Lady Aldington and Evie are doing as they indicated and keeping the information to themselves.” He’d wondered if he’d run into Evie at the club last night but hadn’t seen her.

“Sabrina called on me yesterday to discuss it. She supposed it could have been a one-time occurrence. I did not correct her.

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