Secrets of a Viscount by Rose Gordon

Author:Rose Gordon [Gordon, Rose]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Romance, Historical, Victorian, Regency, Historical Romance
Amazon: B00HRHB22O
Publisher: Parchment & Plume, LLC
Published: 2014-01-07T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Isabelle eyed the tray of discarded biscuits that sat beside the cold pot of tea on the sideboard. It would seem the maid had forgotten to collect the tea service after the afternoon tea. She licked her lips and wondered just how hard those biscuits would be. Just a little hard would still be edible, but it wouldn’t do for her to break one of her teeth just to escape dinner—no matter how tempting it was to do just that.

The remainder of the day had not gone any better than the morning. Simon wasn’t completely unbearable, at least not on purpose, but he’d been so distracted it was hard to talk to him. While it was true that most marriages of the ton were cold or arranged between two people who could barely tolerate each other, neither she nor Simon were truly of Society. Sure, she was now an heiress and his father was a wealthy enough cit that his deep coffers afforded them some invitations by some of the lower gentry, but once they married that wouldn’t matter any longer. She paused. Well, there was his mother’s connection to Lady Cosgrove, a countess, by way of her first marriage, which is likely how Simon was invited to attend this house party. But again, once they married, they’d both be regarded as common cits again and would have to spend more time in each other’s company than those of rank. She needed to know she could grow to care for him even just a little. It wouldn’t be fair to either of them, especially him, if she could only ever see him through a veil of reserved tolerance.

Unfortunately, if she had to sit next to him for dinner tonight, she just might call the whole thing off—which would be just as much to her disadvantage as his.

In the corner of the room, she spotted a stoic Giles with Lady Cosgrove on his arm. Lady Cosgrove said something to a young lady who tittered and rapped Giles with the end of her fan. Giles winced. Isabelle bit her lip. She should do something. The poor man wasn’t used to the way young ladies flirted.

Murmuring something she hoped passed as an apology to Edmund, Mrs. Finch and Lady Vessey, she walked toward Lady Cosgrove. Simon’s gaze bore into her from across the room with each step she took, but she couldn’t stop. As odd as he might be, Giles needed a friend. Not that they were what most would consider to be bosom friends. She nearly snorted. They were the furthest thing from it, but from what she could gather, a friend, no matter how little they knew each other, would be appreciated.

By the time she reached Giles and Lady Cosgrove, it was quite clear that Lady Cosgrove was vexed at Giles’ reaction to Lady Mary’s forward flirtations.

“Miss Knight,” Giles greeted with a nod in her direction before she’d even come to a stop.

“Lord Norcourt, Lady Cosgrove, Lady Mary.” Isabelle flashed them all her best smile.

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