How to Talk to Nice English Girls by Gretchen Evans

Author:Gretchen Evans [Evans, Gretchen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Romance
Publisher: Carnation Books
Published: 2019-01-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Marian was halfway through the nightly ritual of five hundred brush strokes through her honey-blonde hair when a soft knock finally tapped against the wooden door. She was out of her seat and across the room before she remembered to breathe. Marian rested her hand against the door and pulled in a calming breath, then another, before opening the door just wide enough to look into the hall.

Just as she imagined, Katherine was on the other side. Katherine’s smile was small but full of genuine warmth. “Are you going to let me in?” she whispered.

Marian tugged the door open more widely and stepped to the side. Katherine ducked in with only a quick glance behind her.

“No one would think it scandalous for me to be in your room so soon after dinner, but I didn’t want to take any chances.” Katherine’s smile spread and it was all Marian could do to keep herself from closing the distance between them. She did step closer, just a small, wavering step.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to find me.” That wasn’t the greatest of Marian’s fears, but she couldn’t tell Katherine that she was afraid she had been abandoned. That Katherine no longer wanted her in Kent, or in her life. That the certainty she felt at dinner about Katherine’s feelings had waned as she waited.

“The hotel’s not that big. A little thing like that wouldn’t keep me away from you.” Katherine’s smile went from warm and comforting to positively mischievous. “Besides, I may have bribed the young man at reception.”

“Katherine!” Bribery sounded bad but Katherine’s desire to be with her, to find Marian and reunite with her, burned warm in her chest.

“Bribe isn’t the right word. I just smiled and batted my eyelashes at him a bit.” Katherine demonstrated the technique used on the desk clerk and Marian could easily see why he broke the rules. “And he let me know in which room my dear friend Lady Marian Fielding was staying so that I could check on her and make sure she was not feeling too poorly.” Katherine laughed out loud. Her laugh was full of mirth and joy for life. That may have been the thing that drew Marian to her the most.

Despite loving this about Katherine, Marian felt the need to be the responsible one. It was so ingrained in Marian to be calm, to be sensible, and Katherine made her want to toss all that to the side. “Still, it was a risk. He could have refused to tell you, or he could tell someone you’re here.”

Katherine stepped forward, close enough that Marian’s first instinct was to step back. That was immediately followed by the need to step forward again, into Katherine’s arms. She did neither. Marian pushed down years of expectation and social nicety to stay close to Katherine. Katherine’s arms came up and her hands gently cupped Marian’s elbows.

“No one will know. And it’s not as if I’m a man sneaking into your room.”

“Isn’t it?” Marian was breathless and bold.

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