gaze met hers once again in the glass, her eyes silently pleading for help.
Jane dropped her hand, resolved to conceal her fears, to show nothing but support . She would help her cousin through this. “Emily, if you ever experience such doubts, such thoughts again, I implore you to come to me at once. I’ll do whatever I can to help you. Will you promise me this?”
A single tear escaped to trail down one cheek as Emily nodded her assent . “Thank you,” she choked out. “I’m so frightened.”
“Don’t be frightened . Perhaps a change in scene would do you good. Cecil spoke of going to London next month–perhaps we can convince him to bring us all along.”
“Perhaps,” Emily answered, a faint smile appearing at last . “It’s been so very long since I’ve been to Town. My cousin Harriet is being presented this year. It would be lovely to attend her come-out.”
“I agree . But what shall I tell your guests? Are you well enough to come down to dinner?”
“I believe I am.” Emily allowed Jane to thread her arm through hers . “I cannot tell you how much better I feel for having shared my fears. Thank you, Jane. I...I don’t know how I’d get through this without you.”
“There’s no need to find out . I’ll stay with you as long as you want my company.”
***
“At last, my lovely wife,” Tolland said.
Hayden looked up from his port as Emily and Jane appeared together in the doorway . Tolland strode over to join them, taking Emily’s arm in his. Jane’s icy gaze met his, and he immediately looked away.
Hayden wished he were anywhere but there in Tolland’s drawing room . And yet, this was meant as a celebratory dinner and he would not insult Emily by his absence, no matter his personal discomfort. It was bad enough that Adele was there, pretending to be Emily’s friend while shamelessly casting sultry glances at the woman’s husband every time her back was turned. But worse still was suffering Jane Rosemoor’s company. Hayden tipped back his port, draining the glass in one long draught.
Impertinent chit . It wasn’t as if she had any other prospects, as far as he could tell. He turned to eye her coldly as she perched beside Emily on the sofa. Her butter-colored frock skimmed her figure enticingly, stretched taut across her bosom. Alabaster skin, flushed the palest pink, spilled from the deeply cut neckline, beckoning to his eyes. He forced his gaze up to her face, her dimpled cheek flushed, her blue eyes fringed by thick lashes. A band of cream-colored lace encircled her chestnut tresses, one lock brushing a perfectly curved shoulder. He leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, watching her curiously as she hovered protectively over an usually wan Emily.
“I hear Amelia is a darling,” Adele said, leaning toward Emily, her tone patronizing at best . “Why, just last night Tolland was telling me–”
“Last night?” Emily interrupted, her brow furrowed.
“Yes, last night. I had the pleasure of meeting him in the village last night, isn’t that so?” Adele simpered, smiling seductively at Tolland.
“It’s true,” he answered curtly . “A very unexpected surprise, of course.”
“Of course,” Adele murmured .
Emily’s face went white.
Everyone in the room fidgeted visibly in discomfiture.
What the hell was Adele playing at ?
“As I was saying, Tolland was telling me what a dear she is . Very disappointing not to have a son, of course, but–”
“Lady Adele, might I request a private word with you?” Hayden crossed the room in several strides .
The look of sheer delight that crossed Adele’s features sickened him as he reached for her arm . In stone silence, the pair made their way across the room, every eye trained on them. Hayden could barely contain his rage that simmered just beneath the surface, threatening to boil over before they reached a private spot.
As soon as they crossed the threshold and the door swung shut behind them,
Jane dropped her hand, resolved to conceal her fears, to show nothing but support . She would help her cousin through this. “Emily, if you ever experience such doubts, such thoughts again, I implore you to come to me at once. I’ll do whatever I can to help you. Will you promise me this?”
A single tear escaped to trail down one cheek as Emily nodded her assent . “Thank you,” she choked out. “I’m so frightened.”
“Don’t be frightened . Perhaps a change in scene would do you good. Cecil spoke of going to London next month–perhaps we can convince him to bring us all along.”
“Perhaps,” Emily answered, a faint smile appearing at last . “It’s been so very long since I’ve been to Town. My cousin Harriet is being presented this year. It would be lovely to attend her come-out.”
“I agree . But what shall I tell your guests? Are you well enough to come down to dinner?”
“I believe I am.” Emily allowed Jane to thread her arm through hers . “I cannot tell you how much better I feel for having shared my fears. Thank you, Jane. I...I don’t know how I’d get through this without you.”
“There’s no need to find out . I’ll stay with you as long as you want my company.”
***
“At last, my lovely wife,” Tolland said.
Hayden looked up from his port as Emily and Jane appeared together in the doorway . Tolland strode over to join them, taking Emily’s arm in his. Jane’s icy gaze met his, and he immediately looked away.
Hayden wished he were anywhere but there in Tolland’s drawing room . And yet, this was meant as a celebratory dinner and he would not insult Emily by his absence, no matter his personal discomfort. It was bad enough that Adele was there, pretending to be Emily’s friend while shamelessly casting sultry glances at the woman’s husband every time her back was turned. But worse still was suffering Jane Rosemoor’s company. Hayden tipped back his port, draining the glass in one long draught.
Impertinent chit . It wasn’t as if she had any other prospects, as far as he could tell. He turned to eye her coldly as she perched beside Emily on the sofa. Her butter-colored frock skimmed her figure enticingly, stretched taut across her bosom. Alabaster skin, flushed the palest pink, spilled from the deeply cut neckline, beckoning to his eyes. He forced his gaze up to her face, her dimpled cheek flushed, her blue eyes fringed by thick lashes. A band of cream-colored lace encircled her chestnut tresses, one lock brushing a perfectly curved shoulder. He leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, watching her curiously as she hovered protectively over an usually wan Emily.
“I hear Amelia is a darling,” Adele said, leaning toward Emily, her tone patronizing at best . “Why, just last night Tolland was telling me–”
“Last night?” Emily interrupted, her brow furrowed.
“Yes, last night. I had the pleasure of meeting him in the village last night, isn’t that so?” Adele simpered, smiling seductively at Tolland.
“It’s true,” he answered curtly . “A very unexpected surprise, of course.”
“Of course,” Adele murmured .
Emily’s face went white.
Everyone in the room fidgeted visibly in discomfiture.
What the hell was Adele playing at ?
“As I was saying, Tolland was telling me what a dear she is . Very disappointing not to have a son, of course, but–”
“Lady Adele, might I request a private word with you?” Hayden crossed the room in several strides .
The look of sheer delight that crossed Adele’s features sickened him as he reached for her arm . In stone silence, the pair made their way across the room, every eye trained on them. Hayden could barely contain his rage that simmered just beneath the surface, threatening to boil over before they reached a private spot.
As soon as they crossed the threshold and the door swung shut behind them,
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