The School of Charm: Books 1-5 by Maggie Dallen

Author:Maggie Dallen [Dallen, Maggie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Published: 2020-12-31T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

I will find you.

Conceited man. She scowled at the window even after he disappeared, only spinning around when the door flew open and her fiancé strode in with two men she did not know behind him.

They all stopped short at the sight of her. Everley recovered first. “Delilah. My dear.” He strode toward her with a brilliant smile that did not reach his eyes and left her cold. She forced a smile of her own as he approached, and they basically reenacted their first meeting earlier this same evening.

Which was to say, they said all the correct things as onlookers watched. They made pleasantries and pretended to be happy to see one another.

“What are you doing alone in here?” he asked.

As he did, his gaze moved to the open window. She took a step to the left to block his view, gesturing to the window as she did so. “I’m afraid I became overheated.” She fluttered her lashes and smiled sweetly. Her stepmother had taught her how to give this look many years ago and it was a skill she called upon often. The look said soft, sweet…innocent.

Everley’s look said concerned. At least, that was what he’d apparently aimed for. His eyes said curious. “Are you well or—”

“Oh yes,” she said with a little laugh. “I am just not used to such lavish parties, I’m afraid. The crowd became too much.”

His smile softened as he took her by the elbow and led her toward the hallway. “That is my fault, my dear. I should have been attending to your needs this evening.” He gestured toward the strange men who were watching her with matching fatherly smiles. “I am afraid I have been distracted by business endeavors.”

“Oh, please, do not let me interrupt you,” she said. “I was meaning to find my friends. I am certain they are wondering where I am.”

This, she knew, was very true.

His grip on her arm tightened as he smiled down at her, the sound of music swelling as they drew closer to the center of the action. “I expect they are,” he said. “You must not keep them waiting.”

She tried to match his smile and faltered. When her gaze met his, her skin crawled. Her stomach sank at the coldness she saw there, barely hidden beneath a smiling façade.

Lord Evil.

Silly nickname. But even as she thought it, Mr. Calloway’s accusations were swirling through her mind, making her doubt everything.

Murderer. The word flashed through her mind and she stumbled a bit as she kept pace with her fiancé. When they spotted her friends, gathered together nearby, Lord Everley’s grip on her loosened.

Louisa was waving madly as the others openly stared.

“If you’ll excuse me,” her fiancé said smoothly. “I must attend to business. Why don’t you enjoy some time with your delightful young friends and be sure to save me a dance, hmm?”

He didn’t bother to wait for an answer, and Delilah was left to face her friends.

Her very enthusiastic, much too curious friends.

When Miss Grayson gave her a kind smile, she knew there was nothing for it.

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