Lady Impetuous by Wendy Soliman

Author:Wendy Soliman [Soliman, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Published: 2019-10-07T23:00:00+00:00

*

Despite Daniel’s tedious determination to remain at her side, Adela was enjoying herself. Ezra’s appearance at a party he would normally avoid caused quite a stir. But it was nothing to the stirring that occurred in Adela’s heart when he waltzed with her. Being held in the strong circle of his arms had been the most intoxicating experience of her entire life. The heat that spiralled through her body was quite scandalous and entirely inappropriate. It felt totally divine, and she hadn’t wanted the dance to end.

But it did, and now she found herself being escorted by him into the supper room. Others joined them and the opportunity for further private discourse was denied. Daniel tried to push his way in, but Ezra was having none of it, pointedly excluding him from the general conversation. He eventually got the message, and sauntered away again, trying to look unconcerned at having been snubbed.

‘He is becoming tiresome,’ Ezra remarked in a quiet aside to Adela.

‘You don’t have him living in your house.’

‘My advice is to lock your door at night when you retire.’ He glowered at Daniel’s back. ‘He’s desperate and I wouldn’t put anything past him.’

‘Thank you. I shall.’

‘I shall be leaving after supper,’ he said. ‘There is only so much of this I can endure, even for your sake, especially since I cannot monopolise you for the entire evening.’

‘I begin to understand now why society’s rules are so rigid. Some of them actually make sense.’

‘What do you mean?’ He took a glass of peach ratafia from a passing footman’s tray and handed it to her. She thanked him and took a delicate sip before responding.

‘Isn’t it obvious?’

‘Not to me, or I would not have asked.’

‘People form attachments for all sorts of reasons, and from my observations, the feelings of one determined party are not always returned by the person at whom they are directed. And so rather than being impolite, the dissatisfied party can hide behind the rules of conduct.’ She sent him a sparkling smile. ‘As you say, you cannot dance with me again without creating even more speculation. It’s very unfortunate.’ She sent him a conspiratorial grin.

‘True, but in your case I doubt whether you will ever need to remind your admirers about society’s expectations. I cannot imagine you leaving the unfortunate coves in any doubt about your feelings. Or lack of them.’

She bit her lip, but a giggle still escaped. ‘It’s true. I really am a hopeless case, I’m afraid. But, as I think I explained to you once before, I much prefer to speak plainly. That way there can be no possibility of any misunderstanding. I have already upset Mama by telling Daniel that I would prefer it if he didn’t carry through with his stated determination to protect me from what he described as the shark-infested waters of the ton.’

Ezra snorted. ‘It takes one to know one.’

‘That is what I more or less implied.’

‘Be careful, Adela. He may seem harmless, but beneath that urbane exterior I sense a man who bears a massive grudge.

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