this latest encounter did not assuage her rioting emotions. She would have preferred to handle the situation in a manner that displayed a little more sophistication, but there was no help for it now.
As the carriage pulled to a stop in front of Anna’s house, Leif bravely broke the silence.
“It’s a shame to turn in when the night is still so young. Are you certain you don’t want to go kick up your heels somewhere? Really let loose?”
Anna’s laugh was shaky and stiff. “I think I’ve been loose enough for one evening, don’t you? Nearly half the ton just witnessed my husband interrupting what everyone will assume was a lover’s embrace.”
“I know,” Leif laughed. “The most amusing bit is that you might have been one of the very few ladies at the party I haven’t tupped. Did you see the look in Blackbourne’s eyes when we came out of hiding?”
“I did,” Anna admitted, thinking of the foreboding glare she saw in Jude’s eyes for a brief moment before he replaced it with casual indifference.
“And what did he mean by that parting remark?”
“I haven’t the slightest idea. Just more of his intimidation, I suppose.” She pressed a gloved hand to her flushed face. “I’ve had more than enough excitement for tonight, but if you wish to continue your evening, just make sure my carriage makes it back before dawn.”
“So soon?” Leif exclaimed. “I try never to end my evenings before noon,” he added with a naughty grin.
Anna took the hand offered by her footman and descended the carriage before turning to scold in half-teasing reproach.
“Don’t go breaking any vulnerable young hearts.”
“I never bother with such tender morsels. It’s the jaded and disillusioned who are in most dire need of my particular set of skills.”
Anna chuckled at his brazen rejoinder and turned away with a wave. The carriage door closed and the conveyance started off down the street before she even reached her front door. Leif was clearly in a hurry to search out brighter amusements. She didn’t even realize that her shoulders slumped and her chin tipped down a notch while she waited until he was out of sight before she entered her quiet house alone.
Chapter Ten
Anna never went riding on a full stomach. Of course, by the time she finished her lengthy morning sojourn through Hyde Park, she was usually starving. She had a running order for breakfast to be hot and ready upon her return, and she usually went to eat even before changing out of her riding clothes. The fact that she didn’t dress for breakfast was something that would have infuriated Olivia and their father. But it was one small way Anna had been able to exert control over her own life. If she chose to break her fast in breeches, then by damn she would.
Today, unfortunately, Anna’s appetite slid away as a brief column in the gossip pages of the newspaper caught her attention and sparked her annoyance. She groaned in dismay then folded up the paper in jerky movements, no longer interested in reading any of the other articles. By noon, the entire city would know of the scene that had transpired between the Earl and Countess of Blackbourne at Fitzherbert’s soiree.
Fabulous. Her marriage was turning into a circus. She only wished she could find the whole thing as amusing as everyone else was likely to.
She made deliberate work of stabbing a small sausage with her knife and bringing it to her mouth for a bite. She had never worried much about what people thought of her personally as long as the general opinion of her as a businesswoman was favorable. But today’s article was a good argument for taking steps to be more circumspect in her interactions with her husband.
Before Jude’s return, she had never done anything to garner negative press. A few whispers and some slight speculation, maybe. But she had never been featured in the gossip pages. Of course, no one had known she was the Countess of Blackbourne rather than simply Mrs.
As the carriage pulled to a stop in front of Anna’s house, Leif bravely broke the silence.
“It’s a shame to turn in when the night is still so young. Are you certain you don’t want to go kick up your heels somewhere? Really let loose?”
Anna’s laugh was shaky and stiff. “I think I’ve been loose enough for one evening, don’t you? Nearly half the ton just witnessed my husband interrupting what everyone will assume was a lover’s embrace.”
“I know,” Leif laughed. “The most amusing bit is that you might have been one of the very few ladies at the party I haven’t tupped. Did you see the look in Blackbourne’s eyes when we came out of hiding?”
“I did,” Anna admitted, thinking of the foreboding glare she saw in Jude’s eyes for a brief moment before he replaced it with casual indifference.
“And what did he mean by that parting remark?”
“I haven’t the slightest idea. Just more of his intimidation, I suppose.” She pressed a gloved hand to her flushed face. “I’ve had more than enough excitement for tonight, but if you wish to continue your evening, just make sure my carriage makes it back before dawn.”
“So soon?” Leif exclaimed. “I try never to end my evenings before noon,” he added with a naughty grin.
Anna took the hand offered by her footman and descended the carriage before turning to scold in half-teasing reproach.
“Don’t go breaking any vulnerable young hearts.”
“I never bother with such tender morsels. It’s the jaded and disillusioned who are in most dire need of my particular set of skills.”
Anna chuckled at his brazen rejoinder and turned away with a wave. The carriage door closed and the conveyance started off down the street before she even reached her front door. Leif was clearly in a hurry to search out brighter amusements. She didn’t even realize that her shoulders slumped and her chin tipped down a notch while she waited until he was out of sight before she entered her quiet house alone.
Chapter Ten
Anna never went riding on a full stomach. Of course, by the time she finished her lengthy morning sojourn through Hyde Park, she was usually starving. She had a running order for breakfast to be hot and ready upon her return, and she usually went to eat even before changing out of her riding clothes. The fact that she didn’t dress for breakfast was something that would have infuriated Olivia and their father. But it was one small way Anna had been able to exert control over her own life. If she chose to break her fast in breeches, then by damn she would.
Today, unfortunately, Anna’s appetite slid away as a brief column in the gossip pages of the newspaper caught her attention and sparked her annoyance. She groaned in dismay then folded up the paper in jerky movements, no longer interested in reading any of the other articles. By noon, the entire city would know of the scene that had transpired between the Earl and Countess of Blackbourne at Fitzherbert’s soiree.
Fabulous. Her marriage was turning into a circus. She only wished she could find the whole thing as amusing as everyone else was likely to.
She made deliberate work of stabbing a small sausage with her knife and bringing it to her mouth for a bite. She had never worried much about what people thought of her personally as long as the general opinion of her as a businesswoman was favorable. But today’s article was a good argument for taking steps to be more circumspect in her interactions with her husband.
Before Jude’s return, she had never done anything to garner negative press. A few whispers and some slight speculation, maybe. But she had never been featured in the gossip pages. Of course, no one had known she was the Countess of Blackbourne rather than simply Mrs.
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