A Terrible Beauty (Season of the Furies Book 1) by Stephanie Patterson Page A
Authors: Stephanie Patterson
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caught Michael’s attention.
“Faithful marriages are not common in society. What if he strays first? Will you follow suit?”
“No.” She spoke with passion. “He can stray, that is a man’s province, is it not? I shall remain faithful. It is the honorable thing to do.”
Michael stepped closer. Damn it, she was intriguing him again. “What if you fancy yourself in love?”
“Then I shall be unhappy, but I will remain faithful to my husband.”
“And what of passion?” he whispered as he closed the gap between them.
“I’ll have my home and my children – things which count a good deal more than a few stolen moments, Mr. Lassiter.”
He gave a short, jaded laugh. “You speak with the righteous conviction of a woman who’s never been bedded.” Araby breathed sharply and her cheeks colored. He couldn’t fault her reaction. It was an outrageous thing to say.
“I speak with the assurance of a lady who knows how quickly fortunes can change, as well as a reputation. If you’ll excuse me, I must find my friends.” She turned to leave.
“Why did you do it?” Michael asked. He would have no further reason to seek her out for the rest of the day and he didn’t want her leaving – not yet.
She sighed. “I told you that Drew....”
“No, I mean the flower girl. You paid for her damaged flowers and then told her to come to the theater that night.”
She looked startled. “How did you know about that?”
“I was there, but at a discreet distance. You reduced Cathcart’s little sister to tears and then gave the flower girl money. I repeat, why? Don’t bother telling me it’s none of my business.” She opened her mouth to vent her fury at his intrusion, but his last words forestalled her tirade.
“If I tell you, will please keep your observations to yourself?”
“Afraid your friends might not find an act of kindness very witty?”
“Something like that,” she muttered looking at her feet. She raised her eyes and he was struck anew at the clarity, the brilliance of her golden eyes. “Muriel Cathcart is a heffer,” she said succinctly. Michael raised an eyebrow and she continued. “Muriel and her friend, Susannah Grantham have been trying to storm the walls of my set for the past two Seasons. Membership is a dubious honor at times, I’ll admit. Still, they incited Edmond Bennet and his friends to behave in a particularly foul manner to someone who couldn’t defend herself.”
“I would think you’d find their actions amusing.”
She regarded him steadily. “So did they, but I didn’t. I took it upon myself to remind Muriel that the Furies hold tremendous sway in the ballrooms of London and if she ever wished to leave Wallflower Corner again she’d refrain from hurting my friends. Then I made one or two pointed remarks about her looks.”
“Justice dispensed.”
She lifted her chin, giving him a haughty look. “Yes, I think so.”
Michael grinned at her. “And the flower girl?”
“It would have taken her days to earn enough money for even a basket, let alone the nosegays to fill it. Who knows what she might have had to resort to. I don’t like senseless cruelty.”
“So I’m to assume there’s always a point to your cruelty.”
“Yes.” She spoke in a whisper, a hint of desperation in tone as though the admission both shamed and frightened her. Michael’s amusement at her peculiar sense of honor waned and irritation took its place.
“I wonder what Damaris Kingsford would say about your notions of honor and justice,” he said quietly. She looked as if she’d been kicked in the stomach, but she recovered herself quickly.
Her voice trembled a little when she spoke. “Perhaps not as much as you think, Mr. Lassiter. After all, she landed herself a future duke, didn't she. Good day.”
Michael watched her go, his anger building – anger at her for whatever she’d done to Kingsford’s sister and anger at himself for caring that he’d hurt her.
Chapter
“Faithful marriages are not common in society. What if he strays first? Will you follow suit?”
“No.” She spoke with passion. “He can stray, that is a man’s province, is it not? I shall remain faithful. It is the honorable thing to do.”
Michael stepped closer. Damn it, she was intriguing him again. “What if you fancy yourself in love?”
“Then I shall be unhappy, but I will remain faithful to my husband.”
“And what of passion?” he whispered as he closed the gap between them.
“I’ll have my home and my children – things which count a good deal more than a few stolen moments, Mr. Lassiter.”
He gave a short, jaded laugh. “You speak with the righteous conviction of a woman who’s never been bedded.” Araby breathed sharply and her cheeks colored. He couldn’t fault her reaction. It was an outrageous thing to say.
“I speak with the assurance of a lady who knows how quickly fortunes can change, as well as a reputation. If you’ll excuse me, I must find my friends.” She turned to leave.
“Why did you do it?” Michael asked. He would have no further reason to seek her out for the rest of the day and he didn’t want her leaving – not yet.
She sighed. “I told you that Drew....”
“No, I mean the flower girl. You paid for her damaged flowers and then told her to come to the theater that night.”
She looked startled. “How did you know about that?”
“I was there, but at a discreet distance. You reduced Cathcart’s little sister to tears and then gave the flower girl money. I repeat, why? Don’t bother telling me it’s none of my business.” She opened her mouth to vent her fury at his intrusion, but his last words forestalled her tirade.
“If I tell you, will please keep your observations to yourself?”
“Afraid your friends might not find an act of kindness very witty?”
“Something like that,” she muttered looking at her feet. She raised her eyes and he was struck anew at the clarity, the brilliance of her golden eyes. “Muriel Cathcart is a heffer,” she said succinctly. Michael raised an eyebrow and she continued. “Muriel and her friend, Susannah Grantham have been trying to storm the walls of my set for the past two Seasons. Membership is a dubious honor at times, I’ll admit. Still, they incited Edmond Bennet and his friends to behave in a particularly foul manner to someone who couldn’t defend herself.”
“I would think you’d find their actions amusing.”
She regarded him steadily. “So did they, but I didn’t. I took it upon myself to remind Muriel that the Furies hold tremendous sway in the ballrooms of London and if she ever wished to leave Wallflower Corner again she’d refrain from hurting my friends. Then I made one or two pointed remarks about her looks.”
“Justice dispensed.”
She lifted her chin, giving him a haughty look. “Yes, I think so.”
Michael grinned at her. “And the flower girl?”
“It would have taken her days to earn enough money for even a basket, let alone the nosegays to fill it. Who knows what she might have had to resort to. I don’t like senseless cruelty.”
“So I’m to assume there’s always a point to your cruelty.”
“Yes.” She spoke in a whisper, a hint of desperation in tone as though the admission both shamed and frightened her. Michael’s amusement at her peculiar sense of honor waned and irritation took its place.
“I wonder what Damaris Kingsford would say about your notions of honor and justice,” he said quietly. She looked as if she’d been kicked in the stomach, but she recovered herself quickly.
Her voice trembled a little when she spoke. “Perhaps not as much as you think, Mr. Lassiter. After all, she landed herself a future duke, didn't she. Good day.”
Michael watched her go, his anger building – anger at her for whatever she’d done to Kingsford’s sister and anger at himself for caring that he’d hurt her.
Chapter
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