Revealed by Kate Noble

Author:Kate Noble [Noble, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, General
ISBN: 9781101024751
Google: sWd6ch0sPZgC
Amazon: 0425233081
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 2009-03-02T16:00:00+00:00

Upon exiting the dining room, leaving the men to their port, the women repaired again to the main parlor, leaving Phillippa in a quandary. She knew what Broughton was expecting of her. He had been sending her heated looks and pointed conversation all evening. His eyes had followed her form like a lion hunting its prey as she exited the room. However, her heart, which should not have entered into the equation, was suddenly forestalling her assignation with Broughton. It was not her emotions, she told herself; it was some other small feeling entirely: if Marcus and Byrne were going to search the premises that evening, she’d be damned if she was going to let them go alone.

So she needed some excuse to retire early—and alone. Illness was the easiest, and the one with a foundation already laid.

For the next twenty minutes, Phillippa acted unfocused, fractured. And it had not gone unnoticed that she had been discomfited at dinner.

“Darling, are you quite well?” Totty asked, her gaze suspicious over the rim of her glass.

Lady Hampshire had decided that there would be some music that evening, and until the gentlemen emerged from their masculine conversation, she allowed the younger ladies to practice their pianoforte and vocal exercises in the drawing room. Therefore, Totty had to raise her voice a bit above normal to be heard. And Phillippa had to raise her voice back.

“Totty, I’m afraid I’ve a bit of a headache—” she began, interrupted by Totty’s nodding.

“God, yes, terribly loud in here. Can’t understand anyone with the caterwauling going on.” Unfortunately, just before Totty said “caterwauling,” the cacophony came to an abrupt halt, causing no small amount of embarrassment for Totty, and Miss Louisa Dunningham and Miss Penny Sterling, who were the creators of the noise, and, of course, everyone in between.

Phillippa caught a slight smirk from Nora, as Louisa and Penny began to awkwardly pack up their music. With a disapproving frown at Nora, Phillippa said, a bit lower now, although their conversation became the focus of everyone, “No, it isn’t that. In fact, I found the music rather lovely, soothing in its way. No, I’m afraid, the, ah, travel from this morning has finally worn me out. I’ll take my leave.”

Penny and Louisa, after letting out visible sighs of relief, returned to their music. And Phillippa, assisted by Totty and Nora, excused themselves from the room.

“Phillippa, how could you!” Nora exclaimed as soon as they were out in the hall. “There’s nothing as dreadfully dull as a debutante bent on musical display; you told me so yourself!”

“Quite right, Nora,” Phillippa said patiently, “and if it had been anyone other than Louisa Dunningham, I would have let it be, but truth be told, she is a very accomplished soprano.”

“Well,” Nora, hemmed, knowing fully of Phillippa’s rightness but unwilling to admit to it.

“I should hate to ruin her confidence on that score, don’t you agree, Totty?” Phillippa asked, turning to her astonished companion.

“I . . . I suppose.”

“But you’re off to bed; I’m the one that will have to listen to her!” Nora wailed.

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