Secrets of a Spinster by Rebecca Connolly

Author:Rebecca Connolly [Connolly, Rebecca]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Phase Publishing LLC
Published: 2016-05-31T18:00:00+00:00

Mary felt cold standing there abandoned in the middle of the ballroom. That kiss… Through the fabric of her glove she had felt an almost painful heat racing up her arm, and it tingled still.

Applause filled the room and she was shaken from her stupor. She forced a bright smile and applauded the musicians with the others, then made for the terrace as fast as she could. She needed air. She needed space. She needed… to think.

What in the name of Medusa’s great gorgons was that?

Her cheeks were on fire. She lifted the back of a gloved hand to one, then dropped it quickly when she remembered he had kissed that one.

“Mary!”

She moved faster, not knowing who was calling her, and not caring.

“Mary!”

Her sister’s voice broke through her frantic haze. She cautiously looked over one shoulder and saw Cassie moving towards her with as much speed as one gracefully could in a crowded ballroom.

She almost left anyway.

“Mary,” Cassie said with a smile as she reached her. “I’m so glad I have a moment with you at last. How was the opera?”

Mary exhaled harshly through her nose. “Cassie, I can’t talk about it right now. Later?”

Concern darkened her sister’s features. “What is wrong? Are you unwell?”

Unwell? Mary nearly laughed out loud. But her sister’s confusion meant that she had somehow missed the last dance and therefore would have no idea of the turmoil she was facing. She forced a kind smile. “Just a bit overheated, I’m afraid. Too much dancing.”

Cassie grinned and gave her the very briefest of eye rolls. “You still have a weak endurance for dancing. How sad.”

Mary shrugged helplessly and turned to go out to the terrace.

“When you have recovered, dance with Christian, will you?”

She turned back with a question in her eyes.

Cassie smiled. “He told me he would like to, but he wasn’t sure he could get to you. I think he is quite shy about that sort of thing.”

A bit of breath escaped Mary’s lungs without her intent and she glanced over to see Christian standing where she had seen Cassie earlier, watching the dancing with enjoyment. “Of course,” she murmured as she considered him, a fond smile forming. “Of course, tell him I would be glad to. I only need a minute.”

Cassie nodded and whirled about, practically skipping back to Christian to tell him.

Mary took her escape and fled to the relatively cool night, thanking the heavens that the terrace was, for the moment, empty. She rested her hands on the balustrade and took in several deep, cleansing breaths.

The smoldering anger between her and Geoffrey as they danced was so palpable she could still taste it on her tongue. Their emotions had been running high, even surrounded by other couples and in plain sight of the highest members of the London society. They couldn’t say what they had wanted to say, and yet they had said quite enough. The rest of the argument had taken place in their eyes alone, and had been even worse.

His eyes…

She shook her head and took another, unsteady breath.

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