The Virgin’s Secret by Victoria Alexander

Author:Victoria Alexander
Language: ron
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2009-06-02T21:00:00+00:00

“Your less than completely honest behavior of late is an aberration. It is not your nature.” Florence raised a shoulder in a casual shrug. “I suspect a man like Mr. Harrington would understand and overlook this temporary flaw in your character.”

“Perhaps he could overlook that.” Gabriella shook her head. “But as you said, he is an honorable man. I daresay an honorable man couldn’t possibly overlook—”

“Not if you don’t give him the opportunity to do so.”

“I am…” It was hard to even say the words. Ruined. Fallen. Soiled goods.

“Gabriella, you were scarcely more than a child. You were fifteen.”

“And I should have known better.”

“Yes, you should have, and if you had been raised properly instead of being hauled around from one uncivilized place to another, pretending to be a boy, surrounded by men not substantially better than your brother, you would have known better.”

“I know better now.”

It had come as a shock to her, when she began attending school in England, how a single incident with a boy scarcely older than she would impact the rest of her life. When she realized that by allowing her own seduction—even though she had not comprehended the significance of the act at the time—she would never be an acceptable match for a decent man. When she understood that what she had done with the son of a German archeologist was the same thing she’d heard bandied about in snippets of conversation from men like her brother in lewd and vulgar terms. Shame had filled her then, and she abandoned any thoughts of love and marriage and ever finding someone to trust with her heart.

“But enough about me.” She drew a calming breath. “How is your Mr. Dennison this evening?”

“He’s not my Mr. Dennison.” Florence grinned. “Yet.”

Gabriella raised a brow. “Oh?”

“I rather thought any chance I had to marry had passed me by long ago, and I never thought I’d meet a man like Mr. Dennison. He is good and kind and clever. And he makes me feel…well, special.” Florence sighed. “As if I were the most beautiful, most clever, most special woman in the entire world. And I must confess, when he kissed me—”

“You allowed him to kiss you?”

“Allowed him? My dear child, I encouraged him.” Florence leaned toward her in a confidential manner, a smug smile on her lips. “And he did so exceptionally well.”

Gabriella laughed.

Florence looked across the room. “I sent him for refreshments and I see he is back. I should return to him.” She studied Gabriella for a moment. “Are you all right, my dear?”

“Of course.” She mustered her brightest smile. “I am having nearly as lovely an evening as you. You needn’t worry about me tonight. Go back to your Mr. Dennison and have a grand time. I shall send you a note tomorrow and tell you all about my evening.”

“Are you any closer to finding the seal?”

“Probably not.” Gabriella shrugged. “But we are no farther away, at least.”

“The Verification Committee begins its meeting tomorrow.” A warning note sounded in Florence’s voice.

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.