perfectly matched out there on the dance floor.”
He looked uncomfortable, his blue eyes shadowed, and she knew he was trying to think of something to say but could not work out what.
“Let me make this easier on you, Lord Levermarch. We will be polite when in each other’s company but we need never dance or talk alone again. We will be as many others are in society, polite but distant strangers.”
“Strangers,” he said softly. “You want us to be strangers?”
“Yes, that sounds perfect.”
The food suddenly lost its delight for Phoebe and she knew if she ate anything more she would likely choke on it, but she picked up a small patty which contained she knew not what, and, opening her mouth wide, she placed the entire amount inside and then chewed it in front of him. He stood quietly watching her, his eyes holding hers until she finally managed to swallow the last bite.
“That looked hard work.”
“Actually, it was delicious,” she said, reaching for another and doing the same. However, as she swallowed Phoebe wondered if she was going to spit it all over his jacket, which of course he deserved, but she didn’t think she could stand the humiliation. “And now if you will excuse me I am ready to leave, my lord, as the company is no longer to my liking.” Offering him a quick curtsy she hurried around the table to Livvy.
“Could we leave soon, Livvy? I’m weary as I’m sure you are.”
“Yes, dear, we can and I must admit that you are right, I am tired.”
With good reason, Phoebe thought. They had obviously not told anyone about the baby yet, deciding to tell Will’s family first and then everyone else. The Duke and Duchess of Rossetter were due in London within the next few weeks, and with them would come Will’s sister, Thea, who was Bella’s best friend.
“Phoebe and I are ready to leave, Will,” Livvy said to her husband.
She watched her brother-in-law immediately move to his wife’s side, food forgotten, his only concern now Livvy.
“Of course. Good evening, Woolly, Finn, Miss Wooller.”
Phoebe heard the rumble of goodbyes as she bent to kiss Hannah’s cheek.
“I shall see you at eleven o’clock tomorrow. We will visit Will’s warehouse,” Phoebe whispered in her ear.
“I shall hardly sleep with the excitement of it all.”
“Nor I,” Phoebe added.
“Good evening, Woolly.” Phoebe then said, moving towards him after leaving Hannah.
“Good evening, Phoebe,” he said, pulling her into a warm hug which made her smile.
“Papa, it is not done to hug woman you hardly know.” Hannah’s said, exasperated, which made her father harrumph.
“Yes, it is,” Phoebe said, patting his cheek. “It’s lovely,” she added, turning to leave.
“Good evening, Lord Levermarch.” Phoebe added the last because it would be blatantly rude if she did not and she did not want to draw any further attention to her dislike for the man.
“Good evening, Miss Langley.”
She felt his eyes on her as she walked from the room and wondered why it hurt so much that she could never be the woman he wanted, especially as she would never be happy married to a man who had so little respect for her.
CHAPTER NINE
As the carriage traveled slowly through the busy streets towards Hannah’s town house the following morning, Phoebe looked up at the darkening sky. London had woken to an overcast day and rain looked imminent before its end. The streets would soon be a muddy mess, and Phoebe hated both rain and mud so she would just as soon be tucked inside than walking in it when the deluge began.
Yawning, she looked at her reflection in the window. The bruise on her face was darker today. Sally had been unable to cover it completely and it matched the smudges under her eyes, anyway. She’d spent a sleepless night thinking about a horrid beast of a man who had made her feel alive with just a kiss, and
He looked uncomfortable, his blue eyes shadowed, and she knew he was trying to think of something to say but could not work out what.
“Let me make this easier on you, Lord Levermarch. We will be polite when in each other’s company but we need never dance or talk alone again. We will be as many others are in society, polite but distant strangers.”
“Strangers,” he said softly. “You want us to be strangers?”
“Yes, that sounds perfect.”
The food suddenly lost its delight for Phoebe and she knew if she ate anything more she would likely choke on it, but she picked up a small patty which contained she knew not what, and, opening her mouth wide, she placed the entire amount inside and then chewed it in front of him. He stood quietly watching her, his eyes holding hers until she finally managed to swallow the last bite.
“That looked hard work.”
“Actually, it was delicious,” she said, reaching for another and doing the same. However, as she swallowed Phoebe wondered if she was going to spit it all over his jacket, which of course he deserved, but she didn’t think she could stand the humiliation. “And now if you will excuse me I am ready to leave, my lord, as the company is no longer to my liking.” Offering him a quick curtsy she hurried around the table to Livvy.
“Could we leave soon, Livvy? I’m weary as I’m sure you are.”
“Yes, dear, we can and I must admit that you are right, I am tired.”
With good reason, Phoebe thought. They had obviously not told anyone about the baby yet, deciding to tell Will’s family first and then everyone else. The Duke and Duchess of Rossetter were due in London within the next few weeks, and with them would come Will’s sister, Thea, who was Bella’s best friend.
“Phoebe and I are ready to leave, Will,” Livvy said to her husband.
She watched her brother-in-law immediately move to his wife’s side, food forgotten, his only concern now Livvy.
“Of course. Good evening, Woolly, Finn, Miss Wooller.”
Phoebe heard the rumble of goodbyes as she bent to kiss Hannah’s cheek.
“I shall see you at eleven o’clock tomorrow. We will visit Will’s warehouse,” Phoebe whispered in her ear.
“I shall hardly sleep with the excitement of it all.”
“Nor I,” Phoebe added.
“Good evening, Woolly.” Phoebe then said, moving towards him after leaving Hannah.
“Good evening, Phoebe,” he said, pulling her into a warm hug which made her smile.
“Papa, it is not done to hug woman you hardly know.” Hannah’s said, exasperated, which made her father harrumph.
“Yes, it is,” Phoebe said, patting his cheek. “It’s lovely,” she added, turning to leave.
“Good evening, Lord Levermarch.” Phoebe added the last because it would be blatantly rude if she did not and she did not want to draw any further attention to her dislike for the man.
“Good evening, Miss Langley.”
She felt his eyes on her as she walked from the room and wondered why it hurt so much that she could never be the woman he wanted, especially as she would never be happy married to a man who had so little respect for her.
CHAPTER NINE
As the carriage traveled slowly through the busy streets towards Hannah’s town house the following morning, Phoebe looked up at the darkening sky. London had woken to an overcast day and rain looked imminent before its end. The streets would soon be a muddy mess, and Phoebe hated both rain and mud so she would just as soon be tucked inside than walking in it when the deluge began.
Yawning, she looked at her reflection in the window. The bruise on her face was darker today. Sally had been unable to cover it completely and it matched the smudges under her eyes, anyway. She’d spent a sleepless night thinking about a horrid beast of a man who had made her feel alive with just a kiss, and
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