Stolen Away: A Regency Novella Read Online Free

ears. No hot glances. No stolen presses of her hand in his wonderfully large ones.
    He did look quite handsome, however, in his black evening clothes, his hair smooth as old gold. Although she wished he did not always look so sober. She could also wish that he had dark hair, and not such hard features. However, when she glimpsed their reflection in the library mirror after dinner and saw how well they looked together, she almost forgave him for his restraint. She did so like men with broad shoulders.
    But, lud, what a dull, dull evening.
    Would every night be like this?
    That thought swept terror into her as she sat in the carriage on the way home, wedged between her cousin and her aunt. They had come along, too, although Audrey had looked oddly pale and said hardly anything to anyone. Anyone might have thought she was sickening, but Audrey was never ill.
    Aunt Colbert was going on and on about such a beautiful house, and such polite company, and how Arncliffe was such a gentleman.
    Chloe took a breath and forced her shoulders to relax. It could not possibly be like this every night. His mother would not live with them, nor would the aunts. Thank heavens his father had passed away years ago, otherwise, he would not now be a marquess. And he did have a lovely house, with its own square even—Arncliffe Square.
    Why had he not at least kissed her hand?
    Wistfully, Chloe stared out the window, remembering a man who had not been a gentleman with her—a man who had taken the kiss he wanted from her. A searing kiss, his lips so warm and firm, his tongue coaxing open her mouth until a jolt of intimacy at such a thing when straight through her.
    He had also told her right after that he wanted her for her money, and her good looks were just a bonus. When she had scorned him, he had laughed at her. His Irish brogue lifted his taunting words as he told her that he would have her anyway. She had been thrilled—and a little terrified. She had slapped his dark face, spun on her heel and run from him, away from the terrace where he had led her after their dance.
    She had met him since, riding in the park, or at the theater. Sometimes he escorted other ladies. But always he came to her, staying away long enough to make her angry with him, teasing her with his touches, with his assumption that she would have him.
    Him? An Irishman? An obvious fortune hunter?
    Never!
    But still he had watched her. And she had watched him as well. She also had wondered what might have happened if she had not run from him that night?
    However, a rogue such as him would not have made her a marchioness. He could give her nothing she really wanted. No position. No real security. She would always be fretting about his wandering eye, and would probably have to watch him fritter away her fortune.
    No, she would marry Arncliffe. She would. And she would stay away from his boring mother, and his dull aunts, and she would make him make life fun for her. She would.
    Even so, she fell asleep dreaming of black eyes and a dark-haired man with a glinting smile.
    * * *
     
    Audrey smothered a yawn as she opened the morning paper. She had always had breakfast with her father, she with The London Times and he with The Morning Post . She had still not given up the habit, even with him gone these past eight years.
    However, the real truth behind her early rising of late was that she had been unable to sleep. It showed on her face, she feared, in the dark circles gathering under her eyes and the fatigue that even now numbed her mind.
    But it would pass. Ten days had slipped away since the betrothal. The announcement had appeared in the papers. The vicar had only two more Sundays to call out and say that Connor Derwent, Lord Arncliffe, was to marry Miss Chloe Anne Colbert unless there should be anyone who could say why they should not marry. Of course, no one would ever say such a thing.
    The invitations had gone out three days ago. No one would think twice now of how tired Audrey