Lady Bess Read Online Free Page B

beauty after what you must be used to,” she answered easily.
    “M’lovely Lady Bess, ye canna be unaware of yer looks? I am no offering ye a piece of flattery, mark me on that.” He had an easy smile and gave it to her as though reassurance of his words before he asked, “So, tell me, how is it ye aren’t engaged yet?”
    “Why not ask Mrs. Huxley that question,” she said with a tease in her voice, “the next time you two choose to gossip about me?”
    “I already did, and she directed me to ask ye,” he said easily.
    Bess laughed. “Well, I should think the answer rather obvious. I was not in love with any of my very fine suitors. I do not wish to marry for convenience.” She felt herself blush, as she didn’t know this man well enough to discuss such a private matter.
    He surprised her further by asking softly, “And what of Fleetwood? Ye two seemed destined,” he said and smiled encouragingly at her. “Ye look shocked, lass. But ye must realize that the two of ye seem much in accord with one another.”
    She was shocked, shocked at his daring to pose such an intimate question. All at once, though, friends surrounded them, allowing no opportunity to respond to his provocative remark.
    Donna arrived with Robby in tow, but she sent him off. She then nudged Bess and stepped back to twirl for her and asked, “What do you think? Is not this gown lovely? You didn’t think the color would suit me, but it does, doesn’t it?”
    Bess bit her bottom lip and agreed, “Indeed, Donna, I was wrong, and this shade of brown and gold suits you quite well. I suppose I thought it a bit daring, but then you are married and may do so.” It was too late to do anything about it. Donna had insisted on buying this gown, and the truth was she was too large a woman for its busy print. Reaching up and touching her dangling auburn curl, Bess said, “I like your hair tonight. The style makes you look like a Greek goddess.”
    “As soon as you are wed, you can wear a daring gown like this!” Donna teased.
    “Ah, but perhaps I need something more daring than I have to catch the interest of the man I wish to wed,” said Bess archly.
    “Oh, no, Bessy, what are you saying? Get that Scotsman out of your head. He is not for you. He is an outrageous flirt, and I see he has already caught your interest far too much. This will not do. Robby says he is a confirmed bachelor and if he marries anyone, it will be that wretched woman, Lady Sonhurst.”
    “Hmmm, I was forgetting the Lady Sonhurst,” Bess said thoughtfully and glanced towards the earl. Just at that moment, he looked her way, and their eyes met. She felt her heart shaken loose from her chest as it broke free and flew across the room into his hands. Whatever was wrong with her? She had to get control. This was absurd.
    Sir George Fleetwood arrived at that moment. He had dressed, it appeared to Bess, with more concern than usual. He wore a dark blue cutaway that fitted his tall and lanky self quite nicely. His brown hair was combed in the windswept style, and his hazel eyes came to life as he found hers and called her name, even as he put away the distance between them in long, hard strides.
    She and ‘Fleet’, as she had always called him, stood on no ceremony whatsoever. He arrived before her, took her hands, and held her away to say, “Stunning little pet!”
    Donna rapped his arm and did a twirl for him. “What do you think of my gown?”
    He eyed her. “Too busy, and brown even with the gold makes you look like a dowager. And I don’t like the fandangles at the shoulders—makes you look absurd.”
    “Oh,” said Donna, touching the beaded short sleeves of her gown, “I loved the beads.”
    “Do not pay him any mind. He is a man—what does he know about high fashion?” Bess said and laughed.
    Sir George didn’t reply to this, and in fact, Bess doubted that he had even listened to it. He was already off and heading for her father. She shook her head and said to