At the Highwayman's Pleasure by Sarah Mallory

left Wheelston she inherited a small fortune from an aunt, which made her a very eligible match. I suppose poor Mr Durden was distraught that she hadn’t married him , for that would have solved all his financial problems. No, no, it was Phineas Weston who charged him with blasphemy. That might have gained Mr Durden some sympathy in Allingford, had he not chosen to keep himself so aloof.’ She laughed. ‘Such a pity that you should have chosen to style yourself as Mrs Weston, my dear. It is not at all a popular name around here, you know.’
    The familiar chill crept over Charity. Her father was still wrecking lives, although now he was using the law as well as the Bible to justify himself. Her eyes strayed back to Ross. No wonder he rarely smiled, if he had been robbed of a promising career by a few ill-chosen words, uttered under severe provocation.
    She tried to put the matter from her mind as she worked her way around the room, chatting to the rich patrons she already knew and charming the new ones that Hywel introduced to her. There was no opportunity to speak to Ross again, but she was very aware of him in the room. He spoke to very few people and spent most of his time standing at the side of the room. He was a man apart.
    She blocked the thought. If she did not take care, she would be feeling sorry for the gentleman, and that would never do. Her father had frequently flown into a rage at the slightest provocation and she had suffered the consequences. She had no intention of allowing her sympathies to lead her into any kind of liaison with a penniless hothead.
    * * *
    Her smile never faltered, and she continued to chatter and laugh as if she had not a care in the world, yet Charity was exceedingly tired. She longed to send for Betty and to take her leave. However, there were still a number of people seeking her out and it was nearly an hour before she could go in search of Hywel Jenkin. She found him talking to a little group that included Ross Durden as well as Sir Mark and Lady Beverley. Charity hesitated, wondering if she should wait until Hywel was alone, but the hour was advanced and she was longing to go home.
    Hywel smiled as she came up beside him.
    ‘Ah, and here is the leading light of our group of players!’
    ‘I wonder how you manage it, Mrs Weston,’ declared Sir Mark. ‘To be performing night after night and then to stay up to all hours, entertaining us with your sparkling wit and conversation. It must be very fatiguing.’
    ‘One grows accustomed.’ Charity included them all in her smile, her eyes sliding away from Ross Durden’s dark, intense gaze.
    However, it seemed he was determined to gain her attention, for he asked her quietly, ‘And when is your next performance, Mrs Weston?’
    His deep voice was like warm velvet on her skin. Ideas and half-formed sentences chased around in her head. She had heeded the warnings to avoid Ross Durden, but now realised that she had spent the entire evening thinking of him, wanting to impress him by saying something witty and clever. Now when she had her chance, she could not even open her lips! She was relieved when Hywel answered.
    ‘The first week in April, sir. We are presenting The Clandestine Marriage .’
    ‘Ah, that is a particular favourite of mine!’ exclaimed Lady Beverley. ‘And Mrs Weston is to play Fanny, am I correct? Of course I am, for who else could play the beautiful young heroine? But April? Why, that is weeks away. How are we to entertain ourselves until then?’
    ‘We must allow our players a little break before we begin rehearsals,’ Hywel responded. ‘They need a holiday.’
    Charity met his smiling gaze and chuckled.
    ‘We need our sleep, too, so I will bid you all adieu .’
    Lady Beverley put out her hand.
    ‘Before you go, Mrs Weston, pray tell me you will come to my little soirée on Tuesday next? Just a few friends, you know, and you need do nothing but come and enjoy yourself.’ She continued with an arch smile,