Utterly Devoted by Regina Scott

Author:Regina Scott [Scott, Regina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Regency Romance
Publisher: Belgrave House
Published: 2002-08-28T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Jareth presented himself at the Watkin townhouse exactly at three on Friday as requested. The two days had gone entirely too slowly for him. For one thing, he could not seem to forget the feel of Eloise in his arms as they danced. Indeed, the wondrous look on her face as he’d held her had raised in him such a fierce desire to protect her that he found it hard not to call on her sooner. Yet he sensed that if he called sooner, she would feel as if he were pursuing her, and he wasn’t sure how she’d react to that pursuit.

Something was clearly troubling her. At first he had thought she feared that the ton might learn of their illicit affair. Then there was the issue of whether she actually feared him. Now he began to suspect that what she feared was forming a deeper attachment to him. Her heart had evidently been more involved in their earlier affair than he had thought, and she sought to protect it from him this time.

None of his other ladies had ever pretended to love him. The idea that Eloise had loved him and might still be vulnerable to that emotion was surprisingly sweet. Yet he was not sure he was capable of succumbing to the same emotion. He admired the ladies with whom he dallied, cared about their well being, but the soul-sharing love the poets praised had never been his.

Yet he could not deny that what he felt for Eloise was perilously close to that emotion. Certainly he could not escape her. Thoughts of Eloise seemed to follow him by day and by night. He’d smile at a pretty young miss only to notice that her hair was not as lustrous as Eloise’s. He’d engage a more seasoned lady in conversation and find that her responses were not as witty as Eloise’s. He’d even gone so far as to visit one of the more reputable gaming houses, where the hostess had been willing to let him sample her wares. To his surprise, he found himself uninterested. Instead, he wondered how Eloise would feel if she knew he was not as reformed as he claimed.

He couldn’t even forget her through activities. While he had learned the locations of some of his old friends, he had not managed to call on them. One was in Bethlehem mental hospital, another recuperating from a bout of gout, and the rest happily married and raising children in various country estates. By the time the two days had passed, he was more than ready for some excitement and could not imagine a better companion in it than Eloise.

She looked ready for it. There was a decided sparkle in those green eyes as the butler escorted him into the pale room. She generally did not dress with ostentation, but today her gown was a simple calico frock with a practical green broadcloth spencer. The crisp lines of the gown, however, only served to call attention to her curves.

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