Rake's Redemption (Scandalous Miss Brightwells Book 1) by Oakley Beverley

Author:Oakley, Beverley [Oakley, Beverley]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2019-06-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

In a daze, Fanny gave herself up to the rocking motion of the carriage as she sat quietly between Lady Harwood and her sister. Antoinette’s chatter was a welcome diversion. Clearly, the girl felt no shame or remorse about her conduct with Bramley.

But what of Fanny’s own behaviour?

“I heard you behaved badly tonight, Antoinette.” Isadora’s tone was disapproving. “Fanny was very disappointed in you.”

Yet the look Isadora trained on Fanny told a different story. Isadora had her own doubts about Fanny’s behaviour and not without reason. For when Fanny had emerged from the ‘mending’ room, she knew her eyes were too bright and her cheeks too flushed. She and Fenton had done their best to set her dress to rights and although she’d quickly covered her pale blue sarcenet with an opera cloak after she’d hurried to leave, she knew Isadora had seen the damage. Whether that was the damage caused by her tumble down the stairs or the damage that had occurred afterwards, she could only guess.

“I was only trying to please mama and make a match with Mr Bramley,” said Antoinette on a sniff. “You know he’s in line to inherit from Lord Quamby who is never going to take a wife.”

Fanny gave a hollow laugh. “That thug will never make you a respectable offer, Antoinette. You can count on that.”

Lord Fenton, however, was cut from different cloth.

He was a gentleman of honour. Lord Quamby had reassured her of it. And every glance and touch told the same story.

Sinking into her cloak and closing her eyes, she relived the heady passion followed by its sweet aftermath.

The urgency of their physical need had taken them both by surprise. Even now, she was conscious of heightened awareness of her entire body at the mere thought of him. He’d invaded the very core of her in more ways than one. Lord Fenton was bound to her. He’d said as much as he’d cradled her in his arms, whispering sweet endearments while he gently kissed her eyes and lips.

Yet despite his assertions that what they’d shared was the most real and true moment of his life, doubt needled.

Should she have allowed herself to get so carried away? Had she been a fool? A mere conquest?

As Antoinette chattered, seemingly without remorse over her behaviour with Mr Bramely, Fanny sank deeper into hopelessness. Tomorrow she would marry Lord Slyther. What choice did she have? Neither he nor her mother would allow further postponement, so what possible hope had she of eliciting anything from Lord Fenton before it was too late? Anything that would give her reason to delay her nuptials for a few more days.

How had she allowed him to take her virtue when she was to marry another?

Well, the answer to that was easy. There was no way Fanny had intended allowing Lord Slyther to take her virtue when the man for whom she’d fallen was so willing.

But why hadn’t she told Lord Fenton she was to marry Lord Slyther in less than twenty-four hours.

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