sister only partly accounted for her excitement.
Eleven
Sebastian took a moment to savor the mouthwatering aroma of ham and eggs the footman at Brooks’s set before him. Even though he was ravenous from his morning ride, he delayed satisfying his appetite. He had learned taking his time often wrought the most pleasure when he finally rewarded himself.
Lady Prestwick’s plump bottom lip came to mind and he smiled. Their daily encounters over the last week to report on his search for the servant girl increased his hunger for the lovely viscountess, and when he finally had her beneath him, it would be the sweetest of rewards.
He lifted his fork in preparation of devouring his meal just as the Earl of Ellis entered the room. Sebastian’s appetite vanished.
The earl scanned the room, locked his gaze on Sebastian, and headed in his direction with a determined set to his jaw. Several members of the club abandoned their activities to gawk.
God’s blood! He didn’t want to deal with Ellis or the curious stares. Before he knew it, he could be at the center of a ridiculous wager not of his doing, which was typically the case where he and Ellis were concerned.
Sebastian snatched up his knife with a snarl and vigorously sawed the ham on his plate.
Ellis stopped at the table and lifted a brow. “I don’t know what the ham did to earn your displeasure, but I’m sure it meant no offense.”
Sebastian popped a piece in his mouth, ignoring the earl and his oh-so-clever quip.
Ellis sat across the table as if they hadn’t had a falling-out. A ripple of whispers traveled the room and several gents perked up. Eyes locked on them, perhaps hoping for some excitement. Sebastian ignored them.
“Have you seen this yet?” Ellis pulled a bundle from under his arm and plopped it on the table. It was a copy of the ladies’ magazine Le Monde Couture .
“Following ladies’ fashions now, are you?”
Despite his irritation with the earl, Sebastian couldn’t help smiling as he recalled his conversation with Lady Prestwick about ladies’ drawers. The attractive pink that had infused her cheeks had been worth the risk of shocking her. It reminded him of that just-shagged flush ladies got.
Ellis opened the magazine and pushed it toward him. “She looks lovely.”
Staring back at him in glorious splendor was Eve in one of Madame Girard’s elegant gowns. The engraving caught her likeness in fine detail and the caption made him choke up. Miss Thorne turned heads at the Marblewick Ball in a stunning creation by talented modiste, Madame Girard.
When he looked up, Ellis grinned. “According to my mother-in-law, Miss Thorne drew many compliments at Lady Langston’s soiree last week too. I know it’s not your habit to read the Society column, but your sister’s beauty, charm, and amiable disposition have been mentioned several times recently.”
Sebastian glanced at The Morning Times lying on the table. After his failed attempt to stop Ellis and Lady Gabrielle from eloping, he had changed his habits and began scouring the gossip column for any mention of his name. He had even begun purchasing the gossip rags, much to his embarrassment. The tidbits written about him were mean-spirited and often fabrications, such as the last report he’d read in The Informer that claimed he arrived at “Lady L’s” door in the middle of the night naked and babbling nonsense.
Celeste denied any involvement in feeding the story to the paper, and her utter bewilderment had convinced him she knew nothing about it. If he could discover who owned the reviled paper, he would put a stop to the bloody lies. These last few days, however, Sebastian had been too preoccupied to care what was written about him.
“There is mention of Miss Thorne in the newssheet again today,” the earl said. “Very complimentary. Your sister has made quite the splash. Congratulations.”
Sebastian wanted to reject Ellis’s conciliatory gesture, but he couldn’t bring
Eleven
Sebastian took a moment to savor the mouthwatering aroma of ham and eggs the footman at Brooks’s set before him. Even though he was ravenous from his morning ride, he delayed satisfying his appetite. He had learned taking his time often wrought the most pleasure when he finally rewarded himself.
Lady Prestwick’s plump bottom lip came to mind and he smiled. Their daily encounters over the last week to report on his search for the servant girl increased his hunger for the lovely viscountess, and when he finally had her beneath him, it would be the sweetest of rewards.
He lifted his fork in preparation of devouring his meal just as the Earl of Ellis entered the room. Sebastian’s appetite vanished.
The earl scanned the room, locked his gaze on Sebastian, and headed in his direction with a determined set to his jaw. Several members of the club abandoned their activities to gawk.
God’s blood! He didn’t want to deal with Ellis or the curious stares. Before he knew it, he could be at the center of a ridiculous wager not of his doing, which was typically the case where he and Ellis were concerned.
Sebastian snatched up his knife with a snarl and vigorously sawed the ham on his plate.
Ellis stopped at the table and lifted a brow. “I don’t know what the ham did to earn your displeasure, but I’m sure it meant no offense.”
Sebastian popped a piece in his mouth, ignoring the earl and his oh-so-clever quip.
Ellis sat across the table as if they hadn’t had a falling-out. A ripple of whispers traveled the room and several gents perked up. Eyes locked on them, perhaps hoping for some excitement. Sebastian ignored them.
“Have you seen this yet?” Ellis pulled a bundle from under his arm and plopped it on the table. It was a copy of the ladies’ magazine Le Monde Couture .
“Following ladies’ fashions now, are you?”
Despite his irritation with the earl, Sebastian couldn’t help smiling as he recalled his conversation with Lady Prestwick about ladies’ drawers. The attractive pink that had infused her cheeks had been worth the risk of shocking her. It reminded him of that just-shagged flush ladies got.
Ellis opened the magazine and pushed it toward him. “She looks lovely.”
Staring back at him in glorious splendor was Eve in one of Madame Girard’s elegant gowns. The engraving caught her likeness in fine detail and the caption made him choke up. Miss Thorne turned heads at the Marblewick Ball in a stunning creation by talented modiste, Madame Girard.
When he looked up, Ellis grinned. “According to my mother-in-law, Miss Thorne drew many compliments at Lady Langston’s soiree last week too. I know it’s not your habit to read the Society column, but your sister’s beauty, charm, and amiable disposition have been mentioned several times recently.”
Sebastian glanced at The Morning Times lying on the table. After his failed attempt to stop Ellis and Lady Gabrielle from eloping, he had changed his habits and began scouring the gossip column for any mention of his name. He had even begun purchasing the gossip rags, much to his embarrassment. The tidbits written about him were mean-spirited and often fabrications, such as the last report he’d read in The Informer that claimed he arrived at “Lady L’s” door in the middle of the night naked and babbling nonsense.
Celeste denied any involvement in feeding the story to the paper, and her utter bewilderment had convinced him she knew nothing about it. If he could discover who owned the reviled paper, he would put a stop to the bloody lies. These last few days, however, Sebastian had been too preoccupied to care what was written about him.
“There is mention of Miss Thorne in the newssheet again today,” the earl said. “Very complimentary. Your sister has made quite the splash. Congratulations.”
Sebastian wanted to reject Ellis’s conciliatory gesture, but he couldn’t bring
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