A Kiss With Scandal (Scandals & Secrets 4) by Janelle Daniels Page A

was married or allowed to toast a special announcement, society demanded she drink the tart beverage.
    Heavens, would she ever move past this phase in life? She looked forward to the time she’d be labeled on the shelf. At least then she’d have a bit more freedom.
    “My dear,” Lady Howard trilled, cutting through the crowd to get to her. Lady Pembroke, fast on her rival’s heels, towed an unwilling Lady Norland behind her, not about to let Lady Howard capture the first morsel of gossip. “We had no idea things between you and the viscount had become so serious!”
    “Yes, you sly thing.” Lady Pembroke huffed. “You declare Viscount Lawrence the catch of the season while you had him on the hook.”
    And so it begins. True to the plan, Charlotte sipped her drink and countered the bloodhounds surrounding her. Except for Lady Norland, of course. Charlotte could only feel sorry for the young widow. Lady Pembroke grasped the sweet woman in her claws, and for that alone, Charlotte wanted to be extra kind. “I did nothing of the sort. Viscount Lawrence is a good friend of mine.”
    “It looked like much more than that to me.” Lady Howard’s eyes gleamed. “I would wager he is declaring himself.”
    Lady Pembroke fumed. “That’s exactly what I was saying to Lady Norland.” She turned to the lady in question. “Isn’t that so?”
    Lady Norland’s slim shoulders rounded. “Yes. Exactly so. Just a moment ago.”
    Lady Howard’s eyes narrowed, never one to stay out of the light. “I think it was obvious to everyone in the room, Lady Pembroke.”
    “Perhaps.”
    “Lady Charlotte,” Lady Norland interrupted. “Do you think anything more will happen with the viscount?”
    Normally Charlotte would never answer such an impertinent question, but since Lady Norland had asked and was obviously trying to keep the peace between the other two ladies, Charlotte smiled. “I’m afraid I cannot say. We’ll all just have to see what the future holds.”
    Lady Norland’s lips curved at the diplomatic answer. “Yes, we—”
    A shout echoed through the room. Then another.
    “Heavens, what could that be?” Lady Howard’s eyes lit up as her eyes darted between the commotion across the room and Charlotte, torn between two juicy bones of gossip.
    “Fire!” someone shouted.
    The room froze a split second before chaos erupted.
    “Fire! Fire! Everyone out!” a man yelled, but there was no need. The moment the word fire was spoken, panic ensued as bodies stampeded for the exits.
    Screams abounded as Charlotte tried to make her way to her family. But she was too far away, and the crowd surged in the opposite direction.
    Smoke tickled her nose as she skirted the edge of the room. She could see her parents frantically searching the floor for her as they moved toward a door, but they didn’t see her.
    “Mother!” Her call didn’t move past the screams in the room. She would have to find them outside in the madness.
    She pressed against the wall, desperate to escape the crowd and reach the door quicker.
    Hands shot out from an alcove, gripping her as they yanked her into darkness. Relief swelled within her. She should have known Derek would come for her. “We should head outside.”
    His hands snaked around her waist, gripping her hard. Charlotte glanced at the livery sleeve in confusion a second before she kicked in panic. The assailant yanked her hard against him, knocking the breath from her.
    A knife pricked under her chin. “If you scream, I’ll kill you.”
----
    D erek smelled smoke before the alarm sounded. It wasn’t strong. About the same as one smells when an ember singes a rug, but it was the beginning of something unstoppable.
    His eyes darted across the room to Charlotte, knowing there’d be no way to get to her before panic set in.
    “Fire!” the cry rose.
    The crowd moved as one. Once caught in the flood to the door, no one was released. And Derek happened to be standing by an exit.
    Damn.
    A woman