to certain women. Anne frowned and wondered at those particular smiles. Had those ladies once dampened their satin skirts and met him for champagne in certain conservatories? A dark, ugly niggling clutched at her. Hard and cruel and ugly. And something she didn’t wholly understand or care to evaluate in the moment. But she detested the memory of Lady Kendricks and all the other simpering beauties who’d surely held a spot in his bed.
All the dislike she’d carried for the roguish Lord Stanhope surged through her and she welcomed the familiar sentiment to the burning red emotion that felt a good deal like jealousy.
Her sister’s gasp pulled her back to the moment. She swung around and followed Katherine’s stare.
A frown marred Katherine’s lips. “I recognize that look in your eyes Anne Adamson and if Mother were smart she’d recognize it too.” She shot a pointed look at her husband. “I told you she required my assistance.”
Since she’d been a girl, her sisters and mother had gone to extraordinary efforts to keep Anne from pain, treating her no different than her young brother Benedict. As much as she appreciated and loved them for their devotion, she’d forever resented that everyone saw her as nothing more than an empty-headed silly child.
Just as Harry did. The idea of that dug at her. She peeked around her brother-in-law’s shoulder.
“Do not encourage him,” Katherine said warningly.
She gave a flounce of her curls. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Her sister snorted. “Mother informed me he’s paid you a morning visit. She fears Harry will ruin your reputation with a single look,” her sister spoke in hushed tones.
Guilt settled like a stone in her belly. “Don’t be silly.” What would her mother and sister say if they knew Anne had all but asked the earl to ruin her? Only with instruction, of course, and no physical acts of intimacy. What of his kisses, Anne? a jeering voice needled. “Do you truly have such a low opinion of Lord Stanhope?” she shot back.
Katherine and Jasper wore matching frowns. “Yes,” they answered in unison.
Humph. Well, then . “Rest assured, the earl doesn’t have any interest in me.” No, he’d been very clear on that score. Not that she desired his interest. After all, she’d set her marital cap upon the Duke of Crawford—a vastly safer, more respectable match than Harry. She looked to Harry once more. Her heart fell somewhere in the vicinity of her soles.
His gaze remained fixed on Katherine’s back. The expression in his eyes inscrutable. The pain of his interest unbearable. She didn’t know why after more than a year of them needling one another, she should care that he desired her more serious, more interesting twin sister. Harry stopped beside them. “Bainbridge,” he drawled lazily.
“Stanhope.” The duke stiffened. It was clear to all that Jasper had little fondness for the rogue. After all, what sane gentleman would care to keep company with the scoundrel who’d tried to seduce his wife? Nonetheless, the duke sketched a deep bow.
“Lord Harry,” Katherine said with a more waspish tone than Anne ever remembered her sister using.
Harry murmured a quick greeting and then shifted his focus to Anne.
Heat unfurled in her belly. He had a way of making a lady feel like she was the only woman in a room, which was all rather silly because Anne well knew how very many ladies present in this particular room had been the recipient of that intense scrutiny.
Katherine’s lips tightened.
“May I?” he motioned to the empty seat beside Anne’s chair.
“Yes.”
“It is occupied.” Katherine glared. “Er…that is to say, it was occupied.”
Anne reclaimed her chair.
Katherine made to take the seat alongside Anne, but Harry only sat in the vacant seat, a delicate Egyptian-style Klismos chair at the end of the row—the direct
All the dislike she’d carried for the roguish Lord Stanhope surged through her and she welcomed the familiar sentiment to the burning red emotion that felt a good deal like jealousy.
Her sister’s gasp pulled her back to the moment. She swung around and followed Katherine’s stare.
A frown marred Katherine’s lips. “I recognize that look in your eyes Anne Adamson and if Mother were smart she’d recognize it too.” She shot a pointed look at her husband. “I told you she required my assistance.”
Since she’d been a girl, her sisters and mother had gone to extraordinary efforts to keep Anne from pain, treating her no different than her young brother Benedict. As much as she appreciated and loved them for their devotion, she’d forever resented that everyone saw her as nothing more than an empty-headed silly child.
Just as Harry did. The idea of that dug at her. She peeked around her brother-in-law’s shoulder.
“Do not encourage him,” Katherine said warningly.
She gave a flounce of her curls. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Her sister snorted. “Mother informed me he’s paid you a morning visit. She fears Harry will ruin your reputation with a single look,” her sister spoke in hushed tones.
Guilt settled like a stone in her belly. “Don’t be silly.” What would her mother and sister say if they knew Anne had all but asked the earl to ruin her? Only with instruction, of course, and no physical acts of intimacy. What of his kisses, Anne? a jeering voice needled. “Do you truly have such a low opinion of Lord Stanhope?” she shot back.
Katherine and Jasper wore matching frowns. “Yes,” they answered in unison.
Humph. Well, then . “Rest assured, the earl doesn’t have any interest in me.” No, he’d been very clear on that score. Not that she desired his interest. After all, she’d set her marital cap upon the Duke of Crawford—a vastly safer, more respectable match than Harry. She looked to Harry once more. Her heart fell somewhere in the vicinity of her soles.
His gaze remained fixed on Katherine’s back. The expression in his eyes inscrutable. The pain of his interest unbearable. She didn’t know why after more than a year of them needling one another, she should care that he desired her more serious, more interesting twin sister. Harry stopped beside them. “Bainbridge,” he drawled lazily.
“Stanhope.” The duke stiffened. It was clear to all that Jasper had little fondness for the rogue. After all, what sane gentleman would care to keep company with the scoundrel who’d tried to seduce his wife? Nonetheless, the duke sketched a deep bow.
“Lord Harry,” Katherine said with a more waspish tone than Anne ever remembered her sister using.
Harry murmured a quick greeting and then shifted his focus to Anne.
Heat unfurled in her belly. He had a way of making a lady feel like she was the only woman in a room, which was all rather silly because Anne well knew how very many ladies present in this particular room had been the recipient of that intense scrutiny.
Katherine’s lips tightened.
“May I?” he motioned to the empty seat beside Anne’s chair.
“Yes.”
“It is occupied.” Katherine glared. “Er…that is to say, it was occupied.”
Anne reclaimed her chair.
Katherine made to take the seat alongside Anne, but Harry only sat in the vacant seat, a delicate Egyptian-style Klismos chair at the end of the row—the direct
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