Sin & Sensibility by Suzanne Enoch

Author:Suzanne Enoch [Enoch, Suzanne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780060543259
Publisher: Avon Books
Published: 2004-12-08T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

Chapter 12

PreviousTopNext

"Just how many new gowns do you have?" Charlemagne asked as they entered the Caster ballroom.

Eleanor twirled in the emerald creation so that it swished around her ankles. "They're still arriving. I've ordered at least fifteen. Why do you ask?"

"No reason, except each one you wear shortens my life span by at least a decade."

Grinning, Eleanor headed off to greet some friends. "Then I'll expect to attend your funeral by next Wednesday."

When they'd arrived she hadn't been able to help looking around the room for both Cobb-Harding and Deverill, dreading seeing the first and anxious to see the second, if only to inform him that his letter-writing skills left something to be desired. Neither man, though, appeared to be in attendance. She supposed this might be one of those myriad events Valentine neglected because something more interesting had come along, but artfully or not, he had said he would be there.

Once she began thinking along those lines, however, she couldn't help wondering what—or rather, who—the more interesting something might be. She knew of at least three lovers he'd had already this Season, but lately he seemed to appear whenever she needed assistance. Maintaining a schedule that flexible and still keeping a lover would not have been easy, even for someone of his skill and imagination.

She greeted her friends, chatting and laughing about the Season and about who had already received proposals from whom, but half her attention remained on the doorway. It continued to flood with guests, but not one of them was the Marquis of Deverill.

"Did you hear that Phillipa Roberts eloped?" Rachel Edderly whispered, just loudly enough for the dozen giggling and laughing ladies in their circle to hear. "With Lord Ulbright."

"No!" Barbara gasped, covering her mouth. "Her father threatened to disown her if she saw the baron again."

"Yes, but with Ulbright's fortune, what does she care?"

"But he's twenty years older than she is," Eleanor put in, glancing again at the doorway. Blast him, where was he? She'd managed to save a stupid quadrille, since that was the dance he'd suggested, but she hadn't been able to help reserving a waltz as well. If he didn't appear she'd either have to sit out the most popular dance of the evening or attempt to ascertain whether one of her brothers would partner her. Considering Sebastian's mindset about her rebellion, she didn't hold out much hope for that.

"Can you imagine Ulbright climbing a ladder in the middle of the night to whisk her away? It's pure luck that no one's neck was broken."

"She'll hate living through the scandal when she returns," Barbara commented. "She's so shy."

"Not that shy, if she inspired an elopement," Rachel countered, chuckling again. "It must have been romantic, even with Ulbright involved."

"I hope so, for Phillipa's sake," Eleanor muttered.

Rachel looked in her direction. "Speaking of scandal," she said slyly, "what about you and the Marquis of Deverill?"

Eleanor frowned, feigning puzzlement even while her heart pounded. They hadn't done anything, for heaven's sake. Just one secret ride in a carriage and one luncheon.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.