to stay away from him. But in such close quarters, there wasn’t much she could do.
He had stretched across the bed in a wholly inappropriate manner and napped for an hour. She watched the rise and fall of his chest as he slept. With his eyes closed, his face relaxed and he looked even more handsome. She had to get that image out of her head. The man was a rake. And her employer for the moment, nothing else.
“You look quite beautiful this evening,” he said as they reached the grand staircase.
“Thank you.”
“Do not show your nervousness, Victoria,” he whispered in her ear.
The heat of his breath sent shivers down her back. “I will not forget what I’m here to do.”
“Then show me.”
Victoria plastered a smile on her face and gave him a loving look. She reached over and touched his jaw with her gloved hand. His hazel eyes darkened to an emerald green.
“You have nothing to worry about, Somerton. I know my part.”
“Too well,” he muttered.
Stupid man thought she was some kind of strumpet. Perhaps she should tell him the truth, but for the moment, she wouldn’t. She needed the little distance they had between each other for her own sanity. Although after that kiss, she had almost told him everything. She didn’t understand his reaction to her. He wasn’t the type of man who should care if she’d been with several men. From what she’d heard, he frequented Lady Whitely’s house regularly.
“Let’s go,” he said and held out his arm to her.
She looped her arm with his and ignored the sensual awareness running up her arm. As they walked down the stairs, she kept the smile on her face and tried to pretend he really was her protector.
They entered the room together and heads turned to look at the woman on Somerton’s arm. The men smiled back at her appreciatively while some of the women glared in jealousy at her.
One man approached them slowly. With her arm linked with Somerton’s, she felt him tense as the man came closer.
“Somerton, interesting to see you here. I can only assume you could not resist Hannah’s invitation?”
“Farleigh, some day perhaps you will get over your jealousy.” Somerton led her away without even an introduction.
“That was rather rude,” she commented. “Especially to our host.”
“Leave it be, Mrs. Smith.”
He moved them off to the edge of the room. Victoria scanned the room for anyone she might know. Thankfully, Somerton seemed to be correct in his assumption that no one would know her.
Lord Farleigh approached them again, only this time with a beautiful woman with auburn hair leading him to them. The woman smiled at Somerton in an entirely inappropriate manner. Victoria glanced up to see a smile of appreciation on Somerton’s face.
She tried to ignore the stab of envy that attacked her. This woman was one of the most beautiful that Victoria had ever seen. The lady carried herself in a way that showed her confidence to everyone in the room.
“Somerton,” she said in a breathy tone.
“Lady Farleigh, it is a pleasure to see you again.”
Lady Farleigh looked down at Victoria. “And who is this little gem?”
“Lord and Lady Farleigh, this is Mrs. Anne Smith.” He pulled her slightly closer. “Anne, Lord and Lady Farleigh.”
Victoria curtsied with her eyes locked on the earl’s. She knew enough that mistresses were always looking for their next protector, and she could act no differently. Besides, after the interaction between Lady Farleigh and Somerton, she wanted a little retribution. Lord Farleigh took her hand and kissed it.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Smith. I do hope you and Lord Somerton will enjoy my little party.”
Little party? Victoria glanced around the room and counted at least fifty people. “Thank you, my lord. I am certain Somerton and I will enjoy ourselves.” She hoped the tone of her voice sounded flirtatious to the earl and told Lady Farleigh that Somerton was taken.
Somerton leveled her a
He had stretched across the bed in a wholly inappropriate manner and napped for an hour. She watched the rise and fall of his chest as he slept. With his eyes closed, his face relaxed and he looked even more handsome. She had to get that image out of her head. The man was a rake. And her employer for the moment, nothing else.
“You look quite beautiful this evening,” he said as they reached the grand staircase.
“Thank you.”
“Do not show your nervousness, Victoria,” he whispered in her ear.
The heat of his breath sent shivers down her back. “I will not forget what I’m here to do.”
“Then show me.”
Victoria plastered a smile on her face and gave him a loving look. She reached over and touched his jaw with her gloved hand. His hazel eyes darkened to an emerald green.
“You have nothing to worry about, Somerton. I know my part.”
“Too well,” he muttered.
Stupid man thought she was some kind of strumpet. Perhaps she should tell him the truth, but for the moment, she wouldn’t. She needed the little distance they had between each other for her own sanity. Although after that kiss, she had almost told him everything. She didn’t understand his reaction to her. He wasn’t the type of man who should care if she’d been with several men. From what she’d heard, he frequented Lady Whitely’s house regularly.
“Let’s go,” he said and held out his arm to her.
She looped her arm with his and ignored the sensual awareness running up her arm. As they walked down the stairs, she kept the smile on her face and tried to pretend he really was her protector.
They entered the room together and heads turned to look at the woman on Somerton’s arm. The men smiled back at her appreciatively while some of the women glared in jealousy at her.
One man approached them slowly. With her arm linked with Somerton’s, she felt him tense as the man came closer.
“Somerton, interesting to see you here. I can only assume you could not resist Hannah’s invitation?”
“Farleigh, some day perhaps you will get over your jealousy.” Somerton led her away without even an introduction.
“That was rather rude,” she commented. “Especially to our host.”
“Leave it be, Mrs. Smith.”
He moved them off to the edge of the room. Victoria scanned the room for anyone she might know. Thankfully, Somerton seemed to be correct in his assumption that no one would know her.
Lord Farleigh approached them again, only this time with a beautiful woman with auburn hair leading him to them. The woman smiled at Somerton in an entirely inappropriate manner. Victoria glanced up to see a smile of appreciation on Somerton’s face.
She tried to ignore the stab of envy that attacked her. This woman was one of the most beautiful that Victoria had ever seen. The lady carried herself in a way that showed her confidence to everyone in the room.
“Somerton,” she said in a breathy tone.
“Lady Farleigh, it is a pleasure to see you again.”
Lady Farleigh looked down at Victoria. “And who is this little gem?”
“Lord and Lady Farleigh, this is Mrs. Anne Smith.” He pulled her slightly closer. “Anne, Lord and Lady Farleigh.”
Victoria curtsied with her eyes locked on the earl’s. She knew enough that mistresses were always looking for their next protector, and she could act no differently. Besides, after the interaction between Lady Farleigh and Somerton, she wanted a little retribution. Lord Farleigh took her hand and kissed it.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Smith. I do hope you and Lord Somerton will enjoy my little party.”
Little party? Victoria glanced around the room and counted at least fifty people. “Thank you, my lord. I am certain Somerton and I will enjoy ourselves.” She hoped the tone of her voice sounded flirtatious to the earl and told Lady Farleigh that Somerton was taken.
Somerton leveled her a
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