The Heart of a Bluestocking by Renee Dahlia

Author:Renee Dahlia [Dahlia, Renee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781489264626
Goodreads: 39898422
Publisher: Escape Publishing
Published: 2018-10-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

She thanked Clemton as she walked in the front door of her parents’ house, in time for the evening meal. Voices mumbled out into the hallway, making her glad that she’d gone home first to remove all the travel grit and change into a fresh gown. She wanted to run and hide from the conversations that would come next. She told herself it had nothing to do with Ravi and his rather extraordinary kiss. The rapid debate they’d had afterwards had kept her pulse beating, drawing her into his world. Thankfully, Ravi had also gone to his house to change out of his travelling outfit and she had gained some breathing room.

She wore a warrior’s outfit, ready to do battle with society, and Mother’s expectations. She halted in the hall as she caught an unwanted voice. Mr Thackery was here? She cursed under her breath, then dragged in a deep gulp of air, and lifted her chin. She forced herself to walk confidently into the drawing room. Father and Mr Thackery stood in one corner, while Mother hovered nearby. Ravi lounged in an armchair on the other side of the room, watching everyone. He’d obviously arrived before her, a typical man able to change quickly and still look amazing without much work. No, scratch that. Most men didn’t look amazing, but the way Ravi’s suit fitted him only highlighted how much she needed to keep her distance. He was dangerous to her, far too much risk was wrapped up in the way her body reacted to his. She dragged her view away from him, then marched with her chin in the air over to her father.

‘Good evening,’ she said, keeping her gaze firmly on her father and trying to ignore the unease that sent cold skipping over her skin as Mr Thackery stared at her.

‘Mr Thackery, have you met my marvellous, brilliant daughter?’ said Mr Carlingford.

‘Yes, I have had the pleasure, sir,’ he said.

She bit the inside of her cheek to prevent a sneer.

‘Excellent.’ Her father turned to her, and continued. ‘I have just given Mr Thackery a promotion. He has an idea for centralising several of our units into large scale combined shops, so he will be taking on that challenge for us.’

She nodded, and tried not to let the sudden rush of angry heat in her cheeks spill over into words that couldn’t be taken back. That had been her idea.

‘He is simply brilliant,’ said Mother, in the gushing voice she used for society. The back of Claire’s neck prickled at the praise.

‘Excuse me, Father. Can I have a quick moment?’ she said, and walked to the far corner of the room. She’d prefer to do this in his office, away from the gaze of Mr Thackery and her mother, but that would be too obvious. She reached the corner of the room, and turned. The chill on her skin dissipated as her Father had followed her.

‘Yes?’ he whispered.

‘About Mr Thackery …’ she started to explain, but her father interrupted her.

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