Statuesque by Chera Zade & Fanny Mills

Author:Chera Zade & Fanny Mills [Zade, Chera & Mills, Fanny]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Redingote Reads
Published: 2019-12-03T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Lord Standish

Lord Standish's eyes were about to close when he thought he saw a ghost.

No, not a real ghost- he didn’t believe in such things, but someone resembling a ghost had just appeared and disappeared from his field of vision.

Somewhat unceremoniously, he extricated himself from Lady Batherton‘s grasp and lunged after the intruder.

Behind him, he heard Lord Pye groan in dismay.

Wincing with pain, he somehow managed to catch up with her, and pulled her into an adjoining room. He shut the door behind them.

Her face was indeed ashen, but it was a familiar face.

“Miss Halliday,” he growled upon recognizing her.

“Your Lordship,” she squeaked, color suddenly flooding her face as she became aware of his open shirt and tented breeches.

“You appear to be uninvited.”

“I’m sorry. I only wished to... I saw Lord Carrington enter and I— I was curious. I won’t tell anyone what I saw, I promise,” she said hurriedly. “Are all gentleman’s clubs this wicked? Or is it just this one?”

“Horrified, are you?”

“Certainly, I should be,” she answered slowly, as if just regaining the power of speech.

“Don’t tell me you aren’t.”

“Expect it would be a lie?” She shook her head. “It’s rather overwhelming, and I’m not certain how to politely describe any of what I’ve seen, but it does seem... rather freeing.”

He stared at her.

“Wasn’t expecting that from a good little wallflower?”

“A very naughty little wallflower, apparently. And like all naughty girls, you shall be dealt with appropriately,” he said, his hand slapping against his thigh.

Her eyes widened. “You wouldn’t!”

“I don’t think you know me well enough to know what I would or wouldn’t do. At least not yet. Here’s what I do know- a very cheeky girl snuck out of her home, followed a certain guest to my Club, where she then entered, pretending to be in my employ, to witness Club members, members that include my good friends, engaged in activities that they do not wish for the Ton to know about. That merits punishment. You can either take that punishment here, or, I can share a modified version of your offenses with your Uncle, and you may receive your punishment at home, under... more respectable conditions.”

“And if I told my story?”

“You’d get punished twice as hard at home, for being a terrible liar. My reputation is spotless.”

She wanted to laugh, but she knew it was true. Not that it made any sense- up until tonight all that she had ever vaguely known of Lord Standish was that he was high on the instep. No one would ever believe what she had just witnessed him doing. Her gaze returned to the prominent bulge in his evening wear. Or what he had been about to do with Lady Batherton.

They were barely alone for a moment, the two of them still trying to catch their breath, trying to understand what had just happened, when there was a knock on the door.

“I do not wish to disturb you, Your Lordship, but I wished to make certain that all is well.

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