[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
still, staring down at her as he continued to grip her upper arms.
It was a long time before he spoke. You re all right. It was neither a statement nor a question but
something in between.
Yes. Lidian lowered her face and struggled to keep her tears at bay. Let me go.
His grip loosened, but he didn t release her. I happened to be visiting the club tonight. Derek Craven
came to me a few minutes ago. Apparently his factotum had told him there was a dark-haired girl at the
front entrance asking for Lord Spencer. I knew it couldn t be you, but I decided to have a look, just in
case. Why in God s name are you here?
Because you told me that Chance was here almost every night.
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Of all the idiotic, reckless& I didn t think you d be fool enough to come here alone!
Well, I was, she retorted, gazing up at him through a wet blur. And Chance turned me away. Now I
know that all his promises to me were false. I hope you re very h The wordhappy wouldn t seem to
come out, and she bit her lip hard to keep from breaking into sobs.
Lidian expected him to sneer then and continue telling her what a fool she was& but instead she felt the
light brush of his hand on her hair, and she heard theping of a hairpin dropping to the street.
Your hair always seems to be coming loose, he murmured, toying with the shiny dark lock that had
come free. His touch moved to her cheek, his knuckles drifting over the smooth curve. You have the
power to twist Spencer, or any other man of your choosing, around your little finger. Don t you know
that?
Oh, of course, she said bitterly, thinking that he was mocking her.
Her dazed misery began to abate, her heartbeat returning to its normal pace. She began to feel more like
herself. Pulling away from De Gray, she adjusted her bodice and rumpled skirts. As she reached up to
her hair, she discovered that most of her hairpins were falling out. She jabbed them back in tightly,
welcoming the tiny needles of pain in her scalp.
My driver and carriage are waiting nearby, De Gray said as he watched her. I ll take you back to De
Gray House.
Lidian winced. She didn t want to face the coming hours of tossing and turning in her bed, tormented
with memories, regrets, and unwanted emotions. I ll never be able to sleep tonight, she murmured.
There was a long moment of silence, and then De Gray replied casually, If that s the case, you may as
well stay with me.
She glanced at him suspiciously. What do you mean?
A calm, slightly mocking expression had settled on his face, as if he were contemplating a proposal he
fully expected her to refuse. Would you like to have an adventure tonight, Miss Acland?
No one had ever said anything like that to her before. She readied herself for an insult, an offensive
proposition but she couldn t stop herself from asking, What kind of adventure?
Just a small one.
She knew she should refuse immediately& yet the temptation to agree was strong. The thought of going
back to De Gray house right now, fresh from such crushing defeat, was none too appealing. What if my
mother discovers that I m gone?
You were willing to risk that for Spencer, weren t you?
Yes, but& Lidian fell silent, unable to believe that she was hesitating.Tell him to take you straight
home , she thought.After all that s happened, you should know what comes of trusting men, no matter
how appealing they seem . She was caught in the position of being unwilling to say no and unable to say
yes. She settled for looking up at him helplessly, her brows quirking in a frown.
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Suddenly De Gray laughed and straightened her cloak, drawing the hood protectively around her face.
Come with me, he said, making the decision for her.
Where are we going?
The pleasure gardens at Vauxhall.
I ve heard of that place. Aren t there prostitutes there? And thieves?
Every kind of person you can imagine, he said, walking her toward the long line of private carriages
waiting outside the club.
Lidian was at once worried and intrigued, wondering how she had come to this turn in her life, going to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl karpacz24.htw.pl
still, staring down at her as he continued to grip her upper arms.
It was a long time before he spoke. You re all right. It was neither a statement nor a question but
something in between.
Yes. Lidian lowered her face and struggled to keep her tears at bay. Let me go.
His grip loosened, but he didn t release her. I happened to be visiting the club tonight. Derek Craven
came to me a few minutes ago. Apparently his factotum had told him there was a dark-haired girl at the
front entrance asking for Lord Spencer. I knew it couldn t be you, but I decided to have a look, just in
case. Why in God s name are you here?
Because you told me that Chance was here almost every night.
Page 29
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
Of all the idiotic, reckless& I didn t think you d be fool enough to come here alone!
Well, I was, she retorted, gazing up at him through a wet blur. And Chance turned me away. Now I
know that all his promises to me were false. I hope you re very h The wordhappy wouldn t seem to
come out, and she bit her lip hard to keep from breaking into sobs.
Lidian expected him to sneer then and continue telling her what a fool she was& but instead she felt the
light brush of his hand on her hair, and she heard theping of a hairpin dropping to the street.
Your hair always seems to be coming loose, he murmured, toying with the shiny dark lock that had
come free. His touch moved to her cheek, his knuckles drifting over the smooth curve. You have the
power to twist Spencer, or any other man of your choosing, around your little finger. Don t you know
that?
Oh, of course, she said bitterly, thinking that he was mocking her.
Her dazed misery began to abate, her heartbeat returning to its normal pace. She began to feel more like
herself. Pulling away from De Gray, she adjusted her bodice and rumpled skirts. As she reached up to
her hair, she discovered that most of her hairpins were falling out. She jabbed them back in tightly,
welcoming the tiny needles of pain in her scalp.
My driver and carriage are waiting nearby, De Gray said as he watched her. I ll take you back to De
Gray House.
Lidian winced. She didn t want to face the coming hours of tossing and turning in her bed, tormented
with memories, regrets, and unwanted emotions. I ll never be able to sleep tonight, she murmured.
There was a long moment of silence, and then De Gray replied casually, If that s the case, you may as
well stay with me.
She glanced at him suspiciously. What do you mean?
A calm, slightly mocking expression had settled on his face, as if he were contemplating a proposal he
fully expected her to refuse. Would you like to have an adventure tonight, Miss Acland?
No one had ever said anything like that to her before. She readied herself for an insult, an offensive
proposition but she couldn t stop herself from asking, What kind of adventure?
Just a small one.
She knew she should refuse immediately& yet the temptation to agree was strong. The thought of going
back to De Gray house right now, fresh from such crushing defeat, was none too appealing. What if my
mother discovers that I m gone?
You were willing to risk that for Spencer, weren t you?
Yes, but& Lidian fell silent, unable to believe that she was hesitating.Tell him to take you straight
home , she thought.After all that s happened, you should know what comes of trusting men, no matter
how appealing they seem . She was caught in the position of being unwilling to say no and unable to say
yes. She settled for looking up at him helplessly, her brows quirking in a frown.
Page 30
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
Suddenly De Gray laughed and straightened her cloak, drawing the hood protectively around her face.
Come with me, he said, making the decision for her.
Where are we going?
The pleasure gardens at Vauxhall.
I ve heard of that place. Aren t there prostitutes there? And thieves?
Every kind of person you can imagine, he said, walking her toward the long line of private carriages
waiting outside the club.
Lidian was at once worried and intrigued, wondering how she had come to this turn in her life, going to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]