sides. “I have seen the consequences of men’s actions,” she whispered, her voice harsh. “More than once.”
The moment the words escaped her lips, Penelope broke her stare with a little gasp. Jeremy started. That was the second time she had eluded to some kind of personal pain in her past that had to do with her crusade. Perhaps ferreting that pain out was the key to silencing her.
“Penelope—” he began.
But before he could finish the door behind them opened, and a woman stepped inside. “Good evening, Penelope—”
The woman cut off with a gasp and staggered back, even as Penelope’s gaze jerked up and her wide eyes moved to him, filled with fear.
Jeremy drew back. What could cause such a reaction? He staredat the woman who had entered the room. She seemed familiar, with her pale blue eyes and brown hair. Where had he seen her?
Wait. He knew exactly where he had seen this woman before. Although she no longer wore the shocking, expensive gowns or sultry makeup that had once drawn men to her like flies to honey, there was no hiding the sensual sway to her hips or the familiar pout of her full lips. It was Fiona Clifton. The mistress who had left Jeremy’s best friend, Anthony Wharton, because of Penelope’s prying.
The woman whose desertion had driven his friends to force him into stopping Penelope.
Why had Fiona come into the room?
Penelope clenched her fists in utter terror. Dear God, any other lady’s maid would have inquired whether her mistress had a guest before she barged into the parlor to interrupt.
But that was the trouble. Fiona had no training in any of the little nuances that separated a servant from her mistress. And now she had walked into a very dangerous situation. Jeremy was staring at her friend, and it was perfectly clear that he recognized the former courtesan. He knew she was his best friend’s former mistress.
“Fiona?” he stammered. “Great God, is this where you scurried off to?”
If Fiona was a terrible maid, Penelope had to give her credit for having other talents. Although fear sparkled in her blue eyes, the young woman never missed a beat. She simply stepped up to Jeremy with a smile that could only be called flirtatious and laughed.
“Kilgrath! Goodness, how long has it been? And you are looking simply devilish, as usual.”
Penelope pursed her lips. The woman couldn’t learn the proper etiquette of serving tea, but she still had all the lessons of being a courtesan firmly in hand. She was looking at Jeremy like she could devour him right in the middle of the sitting room. And worse, Jeremy was staring back like he wouldn’t mind that in the least.
And thoughts of “devouring” only made Penelope think about the sinful scene she’d witnessed earlier and struck her mute as a hot blush colored her cheeks.
“And how do you know Lady Norman?” Jeremy asked with a quick side glance for Penelope.
Fiona smiled, but there was a tightness around her lips that spoke of her own nervousness. Penelope stuffed her shaking hands behind her back.
“Lady Norman was kind enough to offer me a position in her home,” Fiona said, and she gave Penelope a glance filled with genuine gratitude.
It was that gratitude that made it easy to overlook Fiona’s other failings.
“Is that right?” Jeremy said, his surprise evident in both his expression and tone.
Fiona nodded. “Yes. Actually, I came to deliver this for you, Penelope.”
Penelope winced as Fiona used her first name. She hadn’t corrected the young woman before, mostly because it seemed difficult for the sweet but flighty girl to remember any more than one or two things at once. But hearing Penelope’s name from aservant’s lips made Jeremy’s eyebrows arch. Damn, he would certainly have questions. And if she wanted him to keep Fiona’s presence here a secret, she’d be forced to answer them.
Penelope stepped forward, hand outstretched.
“What is it?” she asked, finally finding her missing
The moment the words escaped her lips, Penelope broke her stare with a little gasp. Jeremy started. That was the second time she had eluded to some kind of personal pain in her past that had to do with her crusade. Perhaps ferreting that pain out was the key to silencing her.
“Penelope—” he began.
But before he could finish the door behind them opened, and a woman stepped inside. “Good evening, Penelope—”
The woman cut off with a gasp and staggered back, even as Penelope’s gaze jerked up and her wide eyes moved to him, filled with fear.
Jeremy drew back. What could cause such a reaction? He staredat the woman who had entered the room. She seemed familiar, with her pale blue eyes and brown hair. Where had he seen her?
Wait. He knew exactly where he had seen this woman before. Although she no longer wore the shocking, expensive gowns or sultry makeup that had once drawn men to her like flies to honey, there was no hiding the sensual sway to her hips or the familiar pout of her full lips. It was Fiona Clifton. The mistress who had left Jeremy’s best friend, Anthony Wharton, because of Penelope’s prying.
The woman whose desertion had driven his friends to force him into stopping Penelope.
Why had Fiona come into the room?
Penelope clenched her fists in utter terror. Dear God, any other lady’s maid would have inquired whether her mistress had a guest before she barged into the parlor to interrupt.
But that was the trouble. Fiona had no training in any of the little nuances that separated a servant from her mistress. And now she had walked into a very dangerous situation. Jeremy was staring at her friend, and it was perfectly clear that he recognized the former courtesan. He knew she was his best friend’s former mistress.
“Fiona?” he stammered. “Great God, is this where you scurried off to?”
If Fiona was a terrible maid, Penelope had to give her credit for having other talents. Although fear sparkled in her blue eyes, the young woman never missed a beat. She simply stepped up to Jeremy with a smile that could only be called flirtatious and laughed.
“Kilgrath! Goodness, how long has it been? And you are looking simply devilish, as usual.”
Penelope pursed her lips. The woman couldn’t learn the proper etiquette of serving tea, but she still had all the lessons of being a courtesan firmly in hand. She was looking at Jeremy like she could devour him right in the middle of the sitting room. And worse, Jeremy was staring back like he wouldn’t mind that in the least.
And thoughts of “devouring” only made Penelope think about the sinful scene she’d witnessed earlier and struck her mute as a hot blush colored her cheeks.
“And how do you know Lady Norman?” Jeremy asked with a quick side glance for Penelope.
Fiona smiled, but there was a tightness around her lips that spoke of her own nervousness. Penelope stuffed her shaking hands behind her back.
“Lady Norman was kind enough to offer me a position in her home,” Fiona said, and she gave Penelope a glance filled with genuine gratitude.
It was that gratitude that made it easy to overlook Fiona’s other failings.
“Is that right?” Jeremy said, his surprise evident in both his expression and tone.
Fiona nodded. “Yes. Actually, I came to deliver this for you, Penelope.”
Penelope winced as Fiona used her first name. She hadn’t corrected the young woman before, mostly because it seemed difficult for the sweet but flighty girl to remember any more than one or two things at once. But hearing Penelope’s name from aservant’s lips made Jeremy’s eyebrows arch. Damn, he would certainly have questions. And if she wanted him to keep Fiona’s presence here a secret, she’d be forced to answer them.
Penelope stepped forward, hand outstretched.
“What is it?” she asked, finally finding her missing
Similar Books
