Duel of Hearts Read Online Free Page B

anything?”
    â€œCome now, Cory, don’t take me for a flat.”
    â€œI don’t know what you mean,” she persisted, but her eyes wavered.
    â€œYes, you do.” He tossed the letter onto her lap, leaned back in his chair and put his booted feet up on the hearth. “Your aunt probably hasn’t given you a passing thought in all this time. You wrote and asked her for this invitation, didn’t you?”
    Corianne was about to phrase a heated denial, but she thought better of it. “Well, what if I did? ” she demanded defensively. “I see nothing so very terrible in that.”
    Edward stared into the flames, frowning. “Don’t you? I should have thought—Well, never mind. It’s not my place to lecture you.”
    â€œDon’t look like that, Edward,” Corianne pleaded, leaning forward and looking at him with worried eyes. “You know how much I want to go back to London. It’s the only thing I’ve ever really wanted.”
    He sighed. “Yes, I know.”
    â€œThen say you’re glad for me.”
    He tossed her a quick glance. “I don’t see why I should. In fact, I don’t see why this news should have brought you rushing over here in the first place. What’s behind all this?”
    â€œNothing. Really! I was just so excited that I had to come and tell you—”
    â€œNonsense. You know perfectly well that I’m expected at Daynwood this evening to play chess with your father. You could have told me then.”
    â€œI couldn’t wait!”
    He shook his head. “I’ve never known you to be so eager to bring me news that you’d run out into the rain and spoil your coiffure. It’s not like you, my girl.”
    She put her hand to her hair which was hanging in limp tendrils about her face. “I did spoil my coiffure, didn’t I! I must look a sight .”
    He didn’t bother to reassure her. If Corianne was aware of anything, she was aware of her beauty. She had heard it praised since she was a dewy-eyed, dimpled infant. She was one of the few fortunate females who had never gone through an awkward phase. Even in her adolescence she’d been breathtaking. Her hair was of a gold color which was deeper and richer than ordinary blond. Her eyes were of a blue just bordering on violet. Her complexion was the envy of all her friends, so unblemished and creamy that it put other skin to shame. She had a tantalizingly full mouth and fascinating dimples that appeared just before she smiled. And now that she was fully grown, her shapely form had reached the perfection that her face had always had.
    There was scarcely a man or boy in the county who had not been captivated by her appearance. Edward was no exception, but he would never tell her so. He disliked to see her so self-satisfied and spoiled, and he had no intention of adding to her rapidly developing sense of power over men. Because her beauty had brought easy gratification of all her desires, she was showing signs of setting too great store by appearances and of neglecting the more important facets of character and intellect. It troubled him that her personality was being adversely affected by her outward appearance, but, in truth, her maturation and development were not his affair. She might think of him as an elder brother, but he was no relation to her at all.
    This London madness troubled him, too. Ever since her come-out, the girl had been wild to return to the scene of her triumph. That first London season had been a spectacular success. She had certainly made a mark. Why, there were several of her London admirers who still made their way to Lincolnshire to gape at her. They would appear without warning on the doorstep of Daynwood on the pretext of “being in the neighborhood.” Corianne very much enjoyed these surprise visits, although Edward could notice no young man of whom she seemed especially fond. He couldn’t