Surrender to Sin by Nicola Davidson

Author:Nicola Davidson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC (Scorched)
Published: 2016-10-31T18:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Wincing as Nell arranged her hair into the ugliest, plainest, most no-nonsense coiled braid in the history of style, Grace worried her tender lower lip, the recipient of her anxiety for several hours now. “Stop looking at me like that. I hate it as much as you do.”

Her maid harrumphed. “My eyes are merely encouraging you to tell me what on earth is going on. When your father and stepmother arrived in high dudgeon this morning, I thought for sure the Vauxhall outing had worked a treat and Baxter was no more. But now the four of you are attending a church roof fundraiser?”

“I don’t understand it myself. The Prince Regent made such a fuss over us last night, and Sebastian—”

“Sebastian now, is it?” said Nell with raised eyebrows. “My, my.”

“Oh hush up. Anyway, he told me half the Carlton House set were there and galloping the news to the four corners of the Gardens and beyond, so it is impossible for Lord Baxter not to have heard. I’m going to send Sebastian a note. Ask him to meet me at the fundraiser.”

Nell nodded as she sank into an unhappy heap on Grace’s bed. “I think that is a good idea. You may need a friend later, especially with the bishop and your stepmother firmly on the side of Lord Baxter.”

Anger flared again, the foot-stomping, vase-hurling kind, and her fingers clenched around her small jewelry box. She’d asked for two weeks. Just fourteen nights on her own, and her father had again broken a sworn promise, bursting in with vile Edwina in tow. “No need to remind me. I just hope Sebastian doesn’t have a prior engagement.”

“Indeed. Oh, Lady C, although I truly hope the Vauxhall outing worked, I’m sad you never got to try out some other toys. Or see the pirate room…”

Grace’s shoulders slumped. “You and me both.”

Several hours later, she strolled into the parlor of a stately wood and stone London townhouse. Lord Baxter’s grip on her elbow was more gaoler than fiancé. In her heeled slippers she was an inch taller than him, and despite the fact she wore a high-necked gray silk gown adorned with a single, discreet cameo, and her hair in the terrible bun, the wretched man had still tightened his lips and insisted she showed more flesh than appropriate for a respectable lady. Only already running late had prevented him imposing his preference for a complete change in clothing.

“Ah, Lord Baxter! You are most welcome,” chirped a plump matron clad entirely and rather unfortunately in orange satin. “And who is this fetching…why, it’s Lady Carrington. My dear, I’m so relieved to see you two together! Miles returned from his club late last night with the most frightful tale…but here you are, and his lordship in escort with all proper devotion. How wonderful!”

“Lady Miles,” Lord Baxter chided coldly. “A refined female pays no heed to the idle gossip of curs and whores. Your husband is most lax in his instruction.”

Their hostess drooped. “You are right, my lord.

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