tonight?” Jennelle shook her red head in disbelief.
Aimee shrugged her shoulders. “Appears so.”
“I don’t believe it. We were there only a few hours, and all of us noticed it. Mrs. Gerthing may be a dull-witted woman, but she is not blind,” Jennelle replied, skeptical that anyone could be so imperceptive.
“Some women only see what they want to,” Cecilia offered.
Jennelle countered, “How can you miss seeing your husband squeeze women’s derrieres all evening? And I cannot believe that rumors of his appalling behavior have never met her ears.”
“I’m just glad he did not attempt such a move on me,” sighed Aimee, shaking her head.
“I, also, am thankful to have escaped. But a strange little part of me wished he had attempted his uncivilized stunt on our Millie, though,” Jennelle mused aloud.
Aimee nodded. “It certainly would have spiced up the evening.”
The sensation of possession and protectiveness suddenly surged through Chase, causing him to respond before he considered how his abrupt reaction would be perceived. “He didn’t touch you, did he?” His voice was low, demanding, and the question was directed toward Millie.
Jennelle noticed the swift change in Chase’s body and tone and silently wondered at its meaning. Aimee, however, was oblivious to her brother’s sudden reaction. “Hah, I only wish.”
Confused, Chase asked, “Why would you want someone to mistreat Millie?”
His sister smiled as if she knew some great secret. “Not just someone—Mr. Gerthing. And the reason is that he wouldn’t have gotten away with it as he did with all the others. Probably the worst thing that is going to happen to the man is that he finds himself sleeping in the parlor for the next fortnight. If Mr. Gerthing attempted such a stunt on our Millie, he would never be able to paw a woman again.”
“I see,” Chase replied skeptically.
Jennelle carefully regarded his doubting expression. “I doubt that you do. Millie?”
Millie turned to look at her friend. “Yes?” she replied, speaking for the first time since leaving the party.
“What would you have done if Mr. Gerthing had tried any of his revolting antics on you?”
Millie narrowed her eyes. Jennelle’s question had mysterious and duplicitous undertones. “I am not altogether positive how I would have responded.”
Jennelle took a quick sidelong glance at Chase and decided to press the issue. “Yes, you do. How much of the toad would you have damaged? His hand? His arm? How about his smug face? I would have loved to see that pompous expression wiped off it by one of your fancy moves.”
Millie rolled her eyes. “My, look who is being dramatic now.” She took a deep breath and exhaled. Jennelle was about to ask again when Millie put a hand up to stop her. “Enough. Yes, I most likely would have disabled his hand. And depending on what he did and where, his injury would have been permanent. Satisfied?” she asked, not expecting a reply. Feeling strangely uncomfortable discussing her skills in front of Chase, Millie moved the carriage window’s thick brocade curtain aside, hoping to find something outside to focus on.
Chase regarded her for several seconds as she stared out the small window. She had meant every word. Millie truly believed she could inflict harm on a much larger and stronger man. And while the concept seemed ludicrous, he knew it to be otherwise. “I have no doubt that you could.”
Chase’s low, serious tone compelled Millie to glance at him, and she was instantly seized by his heated gaze. The others in the carriage disappeared and she became aware of only Chase and the mysterious pull growing between them. It frightened her, but she could not look away. Then Aimee leaned forward, cutting off their intense gaze. Millie felt herself yanked out of their private realm and was back in the carriage. She immediately resumed her study of the passing buildings and fought to steady her racing pulse.
Aimee
Aimee shrugged her shoulders. “Appears so.”
“I don’t believe it. We were there only a few hours, and all of us noticed it. Mrs. Gerthing may be a dull-witted woman, but she is not blind,” Jennelle replied, skeptical that anyone could be so imperceptive.
“Some women only see what they want to,” Cecilia offered.
Jennelle countered, “How can you miss seeing your husband squeeze women’s derrieres all evening? And I cannot believe that rumors of his appalling behavior have never met her ears.”
“I’m just glad he did not attempt such a move on me,” sighed Aimee, shaking her head.
“I, also, am thankful to have escaped. But a strange little part of me wished he had attempted his uncivilized stunt on our Millie, though,” Jennelle mused aloud.
Aimee nodded. “It certainly would have spiced up the evening.”
The sensation of possession and protectiveness suddenly surged through Chase, causing him to respond before he considered how his abrupt reaction would be perceived. “He didn’t touch you, did he?” His voice was low, demanding, and the question was directed toward Millie.
Jennelle noticed the swift change in Chase’s body and tone and silently wondered at its meaning. Aimee, however, was oblivious to her brother’s sudden reaction. “Hah, I only wish.”
Confused, Chase asked, “Why would you want someone to mistreat Millie?”
His sister smiled as if she knew some great secret. “Not just someone—Mr. Gerthing. And the reason is that he wouldn’t have gotten away with it as he did with all the others. Probably the worst thing that is going to happen to the man is that he finds himself sleeping in the parlor for the next fortnight. If Mr. Gerthing attempted such a stunt on our Millie, he would never be able to paw a woman again.”
“I see,” Chase replied skeptically.
Jennelle carefully regarded his doubting expression. “I doubt that you do. Millie?”
Millie turned to look at her friend. “Yes?” she replied, speaking for the first time since leaving the party.
“What would you have done if Mr. Gerthing had tried any of his revolting antics on you?”
Millie narrowed her eyes. Jennelle’s question had mysterious and duplicitous undertones. “I am not altogether positive how I would have responded.”
Jennelle took a quick sidelong glance at Chase and decided to press the issue. “Yes, you do. How much of the toad would you have damaged? His hand? His arm? How about his smug face? I would have loved to see that pompous expression wiped off it by one of your fancy moves.”
Millie rolled her eyes. “My, look who is being dramatic now.” She took a deep breath and exhaled. Jennelle was about to ask again when Millie put a hand up to stop her. “Enough. Yes, I most likely would have disabled his hand. And depending on what he did and where, his injury would have been permanent. Satisfied?” she asked, not expecting a reply. Feeling strangely uncomfortable discussing her skills in front of Chase, Millie moved the carriage window’s thick brocade curtain aside, hoping to find something outside to focus on.
Chase regarded her for several seconds as she stared out the small window. She had meant every word. Millie truly believed she could inflict harm on a much larger and stronger man. And while the concept seemed ludicrous, he knew it to be otherwise. “I have no doubt that you could.”
Chase’s low, serious tone compelled Millie to glance at him, and she was instantly seized by his heated gaze. The others in the carriage disappeared and she became aware of only Chase and the mysterious pull growing between them. It frightened her, but she could not look away. Then Aimee leaned forward, cutting off their intense gaze. Millie felt herself yanked out of their private realm and was back in the carriage. She immediately resumed her study of the passing buildings and fought to steady her racing pulse.
Aimee
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