Never Cross A Wallflower (Revenge of the Wallflowers, #2) by Sydney Jane Baily

Author:Sydney Jane Baily
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: wallflower romance, regency romance, friends to lovers, revenge, ugly duckling, historical romance
Publisher: Cat Whisker Press
Published: 2024-03-12T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

As soon as Evelyn and her brother entered Vauxhall’s Pleasure Gardens, at four shillings a head, her head began turning like an owl’s. There was so much to see. She still could hardly believe Graham had allowed her to attend. He obviously didn’t know that their mother had strongly advised against it, and had actually forbidden her to attend the year before.

Now, on a warm evening, Evelyn was to enjoy her first taste of a more risqué environment than a ballroom. There was something about being outdoors in the impending darkness that made it seem as if anything could happen.

As soon as they passed through the entrance of roughly-painted boards and sawdust, no longer through a fine house from the previous century, her senses were assaulted. The aroma of food, the splendid rotunda, the supper boxes spread out in three graceful arcs, and the three-story semi-circular orchestra, with an organ on the top level, which someone was already playing.

And there was Lord Flintshire, waiting for them by the famed alabaster statue of Handel, sculpted to look like Orpheus playing a lyre.

She had dreaded their first encounter after his visit. However, instead of being cold as she’d feared, the earl offered a deeper bow than usual.

“Greetings, Miss Blythe.”

Evelyn curtsied in return, trying not to let the sight of him set her pulses to racing. He looked dashingly handsome, as usual. Irresistible. But resist, she would. At least, anything more than a dance. She must keep her wits sharp and her mind focused on her task.

Graham greeted his friend with a question, “Where is Lady Singleton?”

“My mother awaits us in our supper box.”

Evelyn’s excitement over the evening had been tempered by embarrassment upon learning the earl’s own mother was to be her chaperone. She’d hardly said two words to Lady Singleton over the years. Moreover, she had recently rejected the lady’s son’s offer to woo her. If his mother knew what had transpired, Evelyn could expect an awkward few hours.

Graham had made it clear — accept Lady Singleton as chaperone or Evelyn could not attend.

Therefore, Evelyn squared her shoulders. After all, she was at Vauxhall’s Pleasure Gardens, smelling the food, hearing the musicians warming up, and about to see the famed illumination when thousands of lamps in various colors would light simultaneously. A wonder of their modern world that everyone should see once. Even though it had been going on in a smaller measure since at least the late seventeen hundreds, Evelyn was finally going to witness it for herself.

“We are in the north range of boxes,” Percy said, taking in her appearance with his piercing gaze and then an approving smile. His perusal caused a few thousand flames to light inside her, too. “The supper box has a perfectly respectable Hogarth Maypole painting to remind us which one is ours. Let me lead the way.”

Evelyn took his proffered arm, surprised at how little his manner toward her had changed despite her having declined his suit. Soon, she was curtseying to Lady Singleton before watching while her brother strode away with Lord Flintshire at his side.

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