Lisette Read Online Free Page B

hack for me.”
    “I’ll do no such thing, my lady,” he
answered, looking at her over a high scarf, he wore to block the
wind. “You’ve not a soul with you this evening, so I am driving you
and making sure you get home safe.” He winked. “I know you can
shoot better than myself, but I still prefer to drive you.”
    “Thank you.” She grinned. “I’m just going to
Vauxhall. I’m not even sure I will stay long.”
    She climbed in the coach and they were soon
on the road. Lisette settled back in the warmed interior. She
really should feel free, excited, less pressure—certainly less
dread, now that there was no expectation with Marston. However, all
she could think about was that nagging in the back of her mind—the
one she’d had from the first time she had seen him—before her
mother invited him to Wimberly. Something—drew her. Something
intangible, compelling about him. She could never completely ignore
it though she had pretended the opposite.
    Of course, she had. Lisette did not want to
lose her freedom. She did not want to be forced into accepting
someone who was her opposite. Still, there were times she reacted
violently, because she did not like how often that feeling came
over her around him. Once, no more than once, meeting his eyes, she
had felt the strangest urge to reach out and touch him, to soothe
what lay too deep to see.
    Lisette grunted at her thoughts. She had
gotten what she wanted. No more pressure from the duchess. She was
once again liberated.
    When she stepped out of the coach at
Vauxhall, she was delighted to recognize a couple doing
likewise.
    “Juliette!” She headed toward her friend.
    The lady looked up, having her arm through
her handsome husband’s.
    They met, and Juliette laughed. “I thought
you would be in bed all day after that amazing ball.”
    “Amazing and shocking.” Lisette chuckled. She
looked up at the Marquis of Wolford. “My lord.”
    “Lady Lisette.” He winked. They were
ordinarily informal with each other since he had been her brother’s
friend forever. He murmured, “I see you have no maid with you
tonight. What are you about, dodging the Viscount again?”
    She wrinkled her nose. “Not at all. I often
go about by myself. And you will be pleased for me,” She looked at
Juliette too. “I am once again free since Marston finally gave up
his pursuit.”
    “Pity,” Monty supplied dryly. “You need
someone of his maturity and steady character.”
    Though it was more forced tonight, she
quipped, “Steady? Aloof and arrogant, you mean. He all but declared
himself my intended.”
    “I’d hardly call that standoffish,” Monty
said under his breath. He looked at his wife with a resigned grin.
“Since I take it you two are up for a chat. I will step over here
and enjoy a cheroot. Let me know when you are ready to go to our
box.”
    “Oh, don’t let me intrude—” Lisette
began.
    However, Juliette took her arm and they
strolled a bit in the well-lit area. “Nonsense. We have plenty of
time, and besides, Monty knows I will be chaffing to hear to the
details if you don’t tell me.”
    “There is not much to tell.” Lisette did tell
her about their exchange at the ball. Her friend already knew what
had gone on at Wimberly, and how she had avoided him, because she
had gone to their estate to visit and nearly begged to stay there
instead of going back home and dealing with him.
    Under that lamplight, her face and red blond
curls framed by the fox fur on the hood of her long amber and black
cape, Juliette mused, “Monty was talking of him. They knew each
other, in a manner of speaking. There was a scene that took place
before the ball—Monty and the Viscount attempting to distract Deme
out by the study doors. But also, did you know that Deme got foxed
the night before—because of that misunderstanding with Haven and it
was the Viscount who fetched him from the tavern, and dried him
out—apparently talked sense into him?”
    “No. I didn’t know