Wicked Rivals by Lauren Smith

Author:Lauren Smith [Smith, Lauren]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: No Publisher
Published: 2016-09-23T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

“If I ever have to look at another bonnet again, I’ll die.” Rosalind laughed as she exited the milliner’s shop.

Joanna yawned. “Agreed. I didn’t know there would be so many to try on.”

After spending two hours at various clothing establishments searching for gowns and other assortments of items needed for a trousseau, the Lennox House footman was laden with boxes piled so high he could barely see. Rosalind and Joanna couldn’t stop giggling each time the poor fellow bumped into something while they walked along the street.

Regina joined them, pulling on her gloves. “I believe we must have bought half the shops out.” She nodded to the footman. “Thank you, Jacob. We’re done for the day. I believe it’s time to return home.”

“Yes, I’m famished.” Joanna laid a hand on her stomach. “I missed luncheon because…well, Charles was there, and that man always makes me so nervous. Besides, Ashton will be home soon.”

Rosalind’s heart gave a wild thump. I should not be so excited to see him. She reminded herself that he had tricked her into that chess match. There needed to be a reckoning for that deception.

But then he’d taken her to bed and changed everything she’d understood about lovemaking. She’d never known a man and woman could come together with such passion. And she’d slept soundly afterward, feeling the safest she’d ever felt in her life.

Now for the first time, she’d gone shopping with two other ladies and enjoyed herself—even if she had tried on far too many bonnets. It had been a day of frivolous pleasantries instead of hard business and dealing with men who consistently dismissed her talents. Rosalind was afraid to trust that life would grant her such a luxury for long. But that treacherous little emotion of hope made her want that more than she should.

They climbed into the waiting coach as the footman loaded the boxes.

Regina and Joanna were smiling as they watched Rosalind remove her gloves and tuck them into her reticule.

Rosalind noticed and stared back at them in some concern. “What?” Was something on her clothing amiss? Was her hair coming undone?

“You look happy, my dear,” Regina noted. “For the first time since meeting you, you seem at ease.”

“Do I?” Rosalind hadn’t given much thought to the idea, but she did feel relaxed.

“I know Ashton can be positively overbearing at times,” Joanna added, “but I think he’s happy to be marrying you. He hasn’t smiled this much in years.”

That shouldn’t have mattered, but the moment Joanna said it, Rosalind couldn’t help the flutter of nerves at the thought of Ashton and his smiles. They could be so lovely, when he wasn’t acting so distant.

Rosalind glanced out the coach window as it pulled away, lost in daydreams and trying to hide the little fear inside of what would happen when her dreams were shattered. Soon they were riding past Kingsley Stream, the water high from the recent storms.

Suddenly a woman was running alongside the bank, waving at the coach. Rosalind jerked up in her seat as the coach halted.

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.