Tempting Fate by Alissa Johnson

Author:Alissa Johnson
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2010-11-10T05:00:00+00:00

(T&M

One of the great benefits of centering a social gathering around a meal is that one can always use the excuse of a full mouth to avoid conversation. Whit had been taking advantage of this boon for the last hour. He chewed each bite of dinner slowly and extensively, and he made certain to have the next forkful ready before swallowing.

It was probably rude, no doubt childish, and his jaw was beginning to cramp from the exercise, but it was well worth it to be able to point at his mouth and shake his head apologetically every time Mrs. Jarles leaned over to speak to him. At least his mother had shown him the mercy of balancing the nuisance of Mrs. Jarles sitting to his left, by seating William Fletcher on his right.

Whit would have preferred to have had Mirabelle seated next to him, or at least within shouting distance. He'd barely seen her today and hadn't spoken to her once. When he'd searched her out this morning, the staff had reported that the women had gone "for a stroll."

When they were still strolling after midday, Whit quietly sent a pair of footmen out to check on them. They were safe and sound at the edge of the lake, he'd been informed, and a trifle annoyed for having their ladies' outing interrupted.

Whit had been a trifle annoyed in return. It was the last day of the party. Hadn't they spent the whole of yesterday separated into ladies' this and gentlemen's that? Was she seeking ways to avoid him? Perhaps he'd pushed things too far or too quickly. It was damnably hard to say as he hadn't figured out for himself how far he cared to take things, nor how quickly he wanted to get there.

"I'd like a chance to speak with you."

William's voice pulled Whit away from his musings. He shot a quick look at Mrs. Jarles. Finding her sufficiently occupied with a conversation farther down the table, he relaxed.

"Certainly," he replied to William. "What about?"

"I'd prefer to speak in private."

"Ah," he gave a wry smile. "About that sort of thing."

"Indeed. Will midnight in your study be convenient?"

"It will, provided dinner goes no later than eleven."

"Oh, Lord Thurston," Lady Jarles chimed at the back of his head. "I've been meaning to ask if you intend to visit Alinacks when next in London?"

Whit crammed a forkful of food in his mouth before turning his head. He'd have to make the bite last, as the footmen were even now replacing his plate of pork loin with a covered bowl he could only assume contained some sort of soup. There was no chewing of soup.

He needn't have bothered with the ruse, nor worried over how he was to continue it, because even as he was shaking his head to indicate to Mrs. Jarles that he did not intend to visit Ahnacks, but was unfortunately unable to elaborate at this time, the footmen were uncovering the bowls.

And all hell was breaking loose.

Toads and lizards

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