Romancing the Heiress by Darcy Burke

Author:Darcy Burke [Burke, Darcy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781637261071
Publisher: Zealous Quill Press

“I can’t believe my mother gave me a list of gentlemen to dance with,” Genevieve whispered to Leah as they’d walked into the botanical gardens that night. Now, more than an hour later, Genevieve had already struck two of them off the list, including Phin.

Watching them dance together, laughing and smiling, had made Leah’s insides twist until she thought she might toss up her accounts. The jealousy she’d fought against since the day Genevieve had met Phin was impossible to ignore or dispel. All because of the kiss she and Phin had shared earlier that day.

Every emotion she’d felt toward Phin had intensified, and that included frustration. He’d finally seen her as a woman, had desired her…and now he was acting as if it had never happened.

Just like when they’d been children.

Back then, she’d been guilty of the same, acting as if their kiss hadn’t really occurred. She could, and should, do the same now.

He hadn’t even lingered to speak with her after dancing with Genevieve. He’d inclined his head toward her while avoiding eye contact. Leah had never felt more awful.

Did that include all the times her mother had verbally abused her? Or the occasions she’d raised a hand or a switch to deliver a point that her words could not?

No, nothing could be more awful than that, and yet Leah couldn’t deny that heartbreak, even the second time, was a horrible, searing pain. Not that it hadn’t been bad the first time, when she’d left Marrywell. When she’d left Phin. But she’d had to go, and she had no regrets about doing so. Especially when it now seemed there would not have been a future for her with him, regardless of the time or what had passed between them. They could be the best of friends and share secrets as well as passionate kisses, but they were simply not meant to be.

“You look more maudlin than usual,” Mrs. Selkirk observed from a bench adjacent to the one Leah occupied.

Did she typically appear maudlin? Leah knew better than to ask. “I don’t feel maudlin.” No, just disappointed, sad, angry, and disconsolate. Well, maudlin wasn’t far off. Might as well include that too. Not that she would tell Mrs. Selkirk that.

Mrs. Selkirk angled herself toward Leah. “You often wear a very blank expression. I assumed you were unhappy. Is that not the case?”

Leah couldn’t believe Mrs. Selkirk really cared. “I’m quite content.”

“I should hope so since you dragged us here to your birthplace.”

Forcing a smile so she’d appear less maudlin, Leah asked, “It’s turned out well, hasn’t it? Genevieve looks to have her pick of gentlemen, and even Mrs. Dunhill seems to have made a match.” She was spending more and more time with Mr. Bilson. In fact, they were currently on a promenade, and Leah was sure she’d heard them discussing the brewer’s field. That could become quite raucous in the evenings, and she wondered if that would be appealing to them or not. Leah rather thought Mrs. Dunhill possessed a more…wild nature than Mrs.

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