PM
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because of Maggie’s strength, her untiring nature and unrelenting belief that Lizzy could succeed. She owed much of what she was to her companion, who had been with her since Lizzy was fifteen and Maggie barely eighteen. They could have been sisters, and despite the difference in their social status, got on as if they were family.
At some point, Lizzy was going to have to once more bring up the topic of her friend living her own life. The trouble was, Maggie was every bit as stubborn as she, and would hear none of it.
“Now, then, you’re down to your chemise. Why don’t you sit at the dressing table and I’ll brush out your hair?” With one last nuzzle, Elizabeth left the dog and turned, making her way across the room without assistance. She found her way to the table and slowly lowered herself onto the waiting chair.
“I met a gentleman tonight,” she said, trying to keep her thoughts away from Alynwick and what had transpired between them at the musicale.
“Did you now? Must be a handsome gent for just the mention of him put those roses in your cheeks.” Smiling, Elizabeth flicked her hair over her shoulders.
“I’ve blushed more tonight than I did when it was actually acceptable for me to blush.”
“Nonsense, ’tis a woman’s right to blush whenever the spirit moves her. Nothing to do with age or steadfast sensibilities.”
“I allow it was rather nice,” she said, recalling how it felt to walk beside a man who was not her brother, or her brother’s friends. “Lady Lucy assures me that he is most handsome—and tanned.”
“Tanned?” Maggie mumbled. She had hairpins in her mouth again, Lizzy could tell. “What proper English gentleman allows his flesh to get tanned?” BOUND GALLEY EDITION March 23, 2012
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“A perfectly improper one, I think,” Elizabeth answered, chuckling when Maggie gasped in surprise.
“And you, an innocent speaking like a coquette!” How she wished she could see Maggie’s expression.
In her heart she knew her companion was not shocked by her frank speaking, but was actually smiling. Maggie was not an old matron. She was in the prime of her life, and must occasionally think of the opposite sex.
“I am nearly thirty, Maggie. Coquettes are young women who flirt and flit about. I am the furthest thing from one.”
“What would you know of improper gentlemen?” Maggie asked, and Elizabeth lowered her sightless gaze to her hands, folded neatly in her lap. Quite a bit, actually, was her first response, but she bit it back, knowing Maggie would be standing behind her, watching her face in the dressing-table mirror.
“Nothing, other than they can be rather enticing, don’t you think?”
“I cannot say,” Maggie scoffed. “Myself, I think I would prefer a nice gentleman to a rogue that made me blush.”
Elizabeth laughed. “You’re a terrible liar, Miss Maggie Farley. You’d throw over a nice ‘gennleman’ any day for a rogue. Do not bother to deny it. I can hear the excitement in your voice. You’re enticed by the very image.” Maggie tsked. “This is proper talk for two respectable ladies?”
“No, it isn’t, is it? But just once I think it might be all right to be completely unrespectable, don’t you?”
“Indeed, I do not.”
“Oh, Maggie, you will not give an inch, will you?”
“Only an inch, mind,” she allowed as she pulled the brush through Elizabeth’s long, thick hair. “I will admit I BOUND GALLEY EDITION March 23, 2012
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hope you invited him to call. I would like to get a glimpse of this tanned improper gentleman. And I shall give you a good accounting of him. Not that I doubt for a second that the mischievous Lady Lucy did not do so!” Lizzy smiled at the memory of Lucy’s hushed descriptions. “She did indeed. But I would like to see him
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TEMPTATION & TWILIGHT
because of Maggie’s strength, her untiring nature and unrelenting belief that Lizzy could succeed. She owed much of what she was to her companion, who had been with her since Lizzy was fifteen and Maggie barely eighteen. They could have been sisters, and despite the difference in their social status, got on as if they were family.
At some point, Lizzy was going to have to once more bring up the topic of her friend living her own life. The trouble was, Maggie was every bit as stubborn as she, and would hear none of it.
“Now, then, you’re down to your chemise. Why don’t you sit at the dressing table and I’ll brush out your hair?” With one last nuzzle, Elizabeth left the dog and turned, making her way across the room without assistance. She found her way to the table and slowly lowered herself onto the waiting chair.
“I met a gentleman tonight,” she said, trying to keep her thoughts away from Alynwick and what had transpired between them at the musicale.
“Did you now? Must be a handsome gent for just the mention of him put those roses in your cheeks.” Smiling, Elizabeth flicked her hair over her shoulders.
“I’ve blushed more tonight than I did when it was actually acceptable for me to blush.”
“Nonsense, ’tis a woman’s right to blush whenever the spirit moves her. Nothing to do with age or steadfast sensibilities.”
“I allow it was rather nice,” she said, recalling how it felt to walk beside a man who was not her brother, or her brother’s friends. “Lady Lucy assures me that he is most handsome—and tanned.”
“Tanned?” Maggie mumbled. She had hairpins in her mouth again, Lizzy could tell. “What proper English gentleman allows his flesh to get tanned?” BOUND GALLEY EDITION March 23, 2012
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53
“A perfectly improper one, I think,” Elizabeth answered, chuckling when Maggie gasped in surprise.
“And you, an innocent speaking like a coquette!” How she wished she could see Maggie’s expression.
In her heart she knew her companion was not shocked by her frank speaking, but was actually smiling. Maggie was not an old matron. She was in the prime of her life, and must occasionally think of the opposite sex.
“I am nearly thirty, Maggie. Coquettes are young women who flirt and flit about. I am the furthest thing from one.”
“What would you know of improper gentlemen?” Maggie asked, and Elizabeth lowered her sightless gaze to her hands, folded neatly in her lap. Quite a bit, actually, was her first response, but she bit it back, knowing Maggie would be standing behind her, watching her face in the dressing-table mirror.
“Nothing, other than they can be rather enticing, don’t you think?”
“I cannot say,” Maggie scoffed. “Myself, I think I would prefer a nice gentleman to a rogue that made me blush.”
Elizabeth laughed. “You’re a terrible liar, Miss Maggie Farley. You’d throw over a nice ‘gennleman’ any day for a rogue. Do not bother to deny it. I can hear the excitement in your voice. You’re enticed by the very image.” Maggie tsked. “This is proper talk for two respectable ladies?”
“No, it isn’t, is it? But just once I think it might be all right to be completely unrespectable, don’t you?”
“Indeed, I do not.”
“Oh, Maggie, you will not give an inch, will you?”
“Only an inch, mind,” she allowed as she pulled the brush through Elizabeth’s long, thick hair. “I will admit I BOUND GALLEY EDITION March 23, 2012
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hope you invited him to call. I would like to get a glimpse of this tanned improper gentleman. And I shall give you a good accounting of him. Not that I doubt for a second that the mischievous Lady Lucy did not do so!” Lizzy smiled at the memory of Lucy’s hushed descriptions. “She did indeed. But I would like to see him
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