Susanna’s Secret: London Temptations Book One by Alec Joyce

Author:Alec, Joyce
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-05-10T00:00:00+00:00

8

The revelation that Miss Millerton had been the one sending him the notes had come as a great shock. He had never imagined that she could be involved in such a way. Even now, as he watched her seated to his left at the dining table, Benedict could feel his astonishment still running through him. It had taken him some moments to gain his composure, finding himself furiously angry and then, in the next breath, filled with compassion.

The way she had looked into his face with those tear-filled eyes of hers had begun to soften his heart toward her, even in the midst of his shock. When she had told him the truth, her voice hoarse and broken by emotion, he had found himself unable to hold onto his anger any longer. Of course, he recognized her struggle. He understood her fear, knew full well why she had given in without any ability to refuse. And finally, he had found himself filled with something akin to relief. Relief in knowing that he was no longer alone in his difficulty. That he finally had someone to whom he might speak. That was not to say, of course, that he was in any way glad that she had to deal with such adversity, but rather that he now felt able to speak to her in the full knowledge that she knew precisely how he felt.

Perhaps, together, they would be able to find their way out of this dire situation.

“Your shoulder, Lord Knightsbridge?”

Mr. Easthill looked at him from where he sat, one eyebrow lifted in question.

“My shoulder?” Benedict repeated, before recalling that the man was referring to the injury he had sustained earlier that day. “Yes, it is healing very nicely.”

“No doubt your jacket is quite ruined,” Miss Longleat chimed in, her face turning a very light shade of pink as he turned his gaze toward her. “Are you in a good deal of pain?”

He grimaced. “I feel more pain over the knowledge that my very fine jacket will now have to become nothing more than rags,” he said as the others in the room began to laugh. “Indeed, I feel almost entirely as normal, Miss Longleat, although I thank you for your concern.”

“I am very glad to hear it,” said another young lady of the group, clearly eager to have him notice her just as he had noticed Miss Longleat. “We should be very disappointed indeed if our host was no longer able to continue the house party.”

A few rumbled murmurings came at this remark and Benedict waved a hand in order to settle them.

“I can assure you, there is not even a single thought of that,” he assured everyone as the assembled guests all began to smile at him, evidently relieved. “We shall continue on as planned—although perhaps I myself will avoid any further shooting for the rest of the week!”

This brought a round of laughter to the group and Benedict allowed himself a small smile, only to notice that Miss Millerton did not permit her own lips to curve.

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