sure to pronounce each word slowly and distinctly. You have a tendency to speak hastily and all the sounds become jumbled together. The more carefully you speak, the more people are likely to listen to you."
Harriet could not help glancing in the direction of a hastily muffled cough from the back of the room. It was a mistake. One dark brow shot up and the gentleman grinned in a way that very nearly overset her. She tossed her head and continued. "Now Violet, do carry on." Somehow, though she was not quite sure how, Harriet managed to get to the end of the lesson for the day without further incident. After the cough, the gentleman remained quiet, offering no further provocation beyond his intense scrutiny of her as she listened to the others performing their readings.
58
My Wayward Lady
by Evelyn Richardson
At last every girl in the room had recited and Harriet was free to go. Hastily she donned her bonnet and pelisse and hurried toward the door, but it was too late. The intruder reached it before she did and effectively blocked her escape as, leaning one broad shoulder against the doorway, he offered to conduct her to her carriage.
"That will not be necessary," Harriet snapped, thoroughly exasperated. She wished for nothing more than to leave her tormentor behind, but there was no way of getting past him without indulging in an unladylike shoving match which she was not about to do.
Taking pity on her, for after all he had done his best to provoke her, Adrian at last relented. Stepping aside to let her pass, he murmured apologetically, "I do beg your pardon. I am behaving badly when what I really wish to do is to convey my deepest admiration to someone who has the courage to involve herself in the lives of those less fortunate than she, to sympathize with them and to help them." That stopped Harriet more effectively than blocking the doorway had. Her eyes opened wide as she gazed up at him in astonishment. For once the mocking smile was gone. Not a trace of guile showed in the handsome face. The amber eyes were warm with appreciation, and the tone of voice was sincere rather than teasing. Her anger evaporated and she was left with nothing to say. "Why—why, thank you," she stammered, mesmerized by the expression in those amazing eyes.
Then, realizing that she was gawking up at him like a perfect ninny, she blushed furiously, ducked her head, and 59
My Wayward Lady
by Evelyn Richardson
hurried out to the waiting carriage. What was wrong with her she wondered as Rose closed the door behind them and she leaned back against the cushions. Ordinarily she was never flustered. She had managed to ignore the rude heckling of the stranger in her classroom, yet when he had spoken kindly to her she had fallen to pieces. You are turning into a ninnyhammer allowing someone to overset you like that, Harriet, she scolded herself. Shaking her head at her own weakness, she resolved not to let such a thing happen to her again.
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60
My Wayward Lady
by Evelyn Richardson
Chapter 6
Meanwhile, the disconcerting stranger was subject to his own unsettling reflections. The blush had thrown him as it transformed the feisty little Quakeress from a tigress into an adorable young woman. Those eyes, so dark a blue that one could drown in them, had stopped him dead in his tracks. Their overriding expression had been one of surprise, but underneath that was intelligence and curiosity. Truly the force of her character was reflected in their sapphire depths. Adrian had encountered many people in the course of his varied and colorful existence and he had gazed into the eyes of countless women, but he could not recall ever before having felt that he was seeing so much of the person behind them. In fact, he was so struck by the thought that for some moments he completely forgot his intention to follow her and discover more about her.
Rousing himself from his reverie he rushed to the outer door, but the carriage had
Harriet could not help glancing in the direction of a hastily muffled cough from the back of the room. It was a mistake. One dark brow shot up and the gentleman grinned in a way that very nearly overset her. She tossed her head and continued. "Now Violet, do carry on." Somehow, though she was not quite sure how, Harriet managed to get to the end of the lesson for the day without further incident. After the cough, the gentleman remained quiet, offering no further provocation beyond his intense scrutiny of her as she listened to the others performing their readings.
58
My Wayward Lady
by Evelyn Richardson
At last every girl in the room had recited and Harriet was free to go. Hastily she donned her bonnet and pelisse and hurried toward the door, but it was too late. The intruder reached it before she did and effectively blocked her escape as, leaning one broad shoulder against the doorway, he offered to conduct her to her carriage.
"That will not be necessary," Harriet snapped, thoroughly exasperated. She wished for nothing more than to leave her tormentor behind, but there was no way of getting past him without indulging in an unladylike shoving match which she was not about to do.
Taking pity on her, for after all he had done his best to provoke her, Adrian at last relented. Stepping aside to let her pass, he murmured apologetically, "I do beg your pardon. I am behaving badly when what I really wish to do is to convey my deepest admiration to someone who has the courage to involve herself in the lives of those less fortunate than she, to sympathize with them and to help them." That stopped Harriet more effectively than blocking the doorway had. Her eyes opened wide as she gazed up at him in astonishment. For once the mocking smile was gone. Not a trace of guile showed in the handsome face. The amber eyes were warm with appreciation, and the tone of voice was sincere rather than teasing. Her anger evaporated and she was left with nothing to say. "Why—why, thank you," she stammered, mesmerized by the expression in those amazing eyes.
Then, realizing that she was gawking up at him like a perfect ninny, she blushed furiously, ducked her head, and 59
My Wayward Lady
by Evelyn Richardson
hurried out to the waiting carriage. What was wrong with her she wondered as Rose closed the door behind them and she leaned back against the cushions. Ordinarily she was never flustered. She had managed to ignore the rude heckling of the stranger in her classroom, yet when he had spoken kindly to her she had fallen to pieces. You are turning into a ninnyhammer allowing someone to overset you like that, Harriet, she scolded herself. Shaking her head at her own weakness, she resolved not to let such a thing happen to her again.
[Back to Table of Contents]
60
My Wayward Lady
by Evelyn Richardson
Chapter 6
Meanwhile, the disconcerting stranger was subject to his own unsettling reflections. The blush had thrown him as it transformed the feisty little Quakeress from a tigress into an adorable young woman. Those eyes, so dark a blue that one could drown in them, had stopped him dead in his tracks. Their overriding expression had been one of surprise, but underneath that was intelligence and curiosity. Truly the force of her character was reflected in their sapphire depths. Adrian had encountered many people in the course of his varied and colorful existence and he had gazed into the eyes of countless women, but he could not recall ever before having felt that he was seeing so much of the person behind them. In fact, he was so struck by the thought that for some moments he completely forgot his intention to follow her and discover more about her.
Rousing himself from his reverie he rushed to the outer door, but the carriage had
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