A Fallen Woman by Kate Harper

concern her. ‘It was a little awkward,
perhaps. We did not part on the best of terms, last time we saw
each other. I thought that if I engaged him in conversation it
might ease the tension a little. I had not realized he was Adam’s
best friend. It would be a pity if Worsley and I did not get
along.’
    ‘ I suppose that is true,’ her mother agreed. ‘I very much fear
that you will experience an uncomfortable day, my love. It has been
some time since we have entertained at Thorncroft.’
    ‘It is
high time we did,’ Rachel returned firmly. She might be dreading
the evening ahead but she had no intention of admitting it.
‘Perhaps this will be a new beginning for us. I daresay people will
grow used to seeing me again and perhaps, in time…’ she trailed
off, uncertain of how to end the sentence. Perhaps what? That if
the local gentry looked at her for long enough, they would forgive
her the past? As if it was theirs to forgive. The only people whose
good opinion she wanted or needed was that of her family. She
smiled at her mother. ‘It will be all right. You cannot expect
others to treat me with the same understanding that you and Papa
have. I don’t expect them to. But we do need to move on and prepare
the way for Liza. Charlotte will be settled somewhere else, it is
true, but you have one daughter left to launch.’
    ‘That is
true,’ her ladyship sighed. ‘Although never have I met a girl who
is so disinclined to care about such things. Truthfully, Liza would
cheerfully wish our neighbors to the ends of the earth. I cannot
imagine how your father and I produced such a contrary
creature.’
    ‘She will be all right. Liza knows how to behave,’ Rachel assured her
mother with complete confidence. If the Sheridans could weather a
scandal like hers, there would be little Liza could do to disturb
her family’s composure.
    Lady Sheridan
rose to her feet. ‘I had best go and see to Charlotte. I am sure
she is awake by now. Are you sure…?’
    ‘Stop
worrying. I shall survive tonight and whatever nights lie ahead. Go
and soothe the bride to be. She should be quivering with nerves.’
But probably was not. Charlotte Sheridan was looking ahead with
considerable enthusiasm to her new life, of that Rachel had no
doubt, but she would be doing so with the usual calm that
characterized most of her behavior.
    Once her mother was gone, she reluctantly turned her
thoughts back to Worsley, more because he refused to stay out of
them than
because she had any real desire to continue thinking of the man.
She recalled the chill in his fine grey eyes and frowned a little.
As disconcerting as it was to have him at Thorncroft – and in such
an unfortunate state of mind – she had to confess to being
surprised at the changes three short years had wrought. He looked
quite different from the fresh faced creature who had taken pains
to secure a dance with her. While his lordship had always been a
good-looking fellow, there had been a wholesomeness about him that
had spoken of the quintessential country gentleman; fresh air,
horses and dogs by the fire. And while he’d had no difficulty
squiring her around a dance floor with competent efficiency, it had
been all too easy to picture him in riding clothes; the well cut
evening apparel had seemed to sit on his tall form a little
uncomfortably, as if he were not quite used to it. Apparently he
had grown used to it now, for there had been an easy self-assurance
in his manner that suggested the man had grown into his position.
Whatever had occurred to the earl on the Continent had undoubtedly
matured him. It was unfortunate his new found maturity had not
given him the wisdom of kindness and compassion, but they were
qualities unfamiliar to many members of the ton . The new Worsley was even more of a
stranger than he had been and she had to admit that she missed the
shy, youthful suitor. He had had a great deal to recommend him,
from his gentle good manners to his sudden forays into