The Rake's Midnight Lady Read Online Free
Yorkshire Bascombes.’
One corner of Hanwood’s mouth quirked upwards. ‘A branch I am not acquainted with.’
She managed a little shrug. ‘Well I suppose you cannot be expected to know everybody .’
‘You are in town for the Season?’
Really, Abbey thought with a touch of hysteria, it was a conversation she could have expected to have at any respectable party. Anyone overhearing would never guess that only moments before he had been kissing her senseless. ‘Indeed I am.’
‘Then perhaps it would be best if I –‘ He broke off when the door burst open and what appeared to be a crowd of people fell into the room. It was obvious that most of the gentlemen were very drunk while the ‘ladies’ that were draped over them were hardly in a better state. Hanwood swung about, clearly impatient with the interruption.
‘Really Tris, what have you been doing?’ Harry, the Marquis of Bedford demanded plaintively. ‘You cannot be expected to do a bunk at your own party. Not the thing at all.’
Hanwood could cheerfully have throttled his oldest friend. His business with the mysterious young woman was far from over. Before the night was through, he had every intention of knowing a great deal more about her and no subterfuge on her part would stand in his way. Besides, this was hardly the kind of thing a respectable female should be witnessing and he knew a sudden, overwhelming urge to protect her from this new intrusion. ‘Damn it Harry!’ he said, exasperated, ‘I am sure you have entertainment enough without me standing by holding your hand.’
‘Yes, but delightful little Mary here is going to dance for us and I knew you would not want to miss that.’ He indicated the sultry brunette who was clinging to his arm, giggling. As the night had worn on her clothing had come off and now she was clad in only her corset and pantaloons, full breasts spilling out of the tightly laced stays.
Hanwood winced. Outrageous as the mysterious intruders behavior might be, making her way into a gentleman’s house, she must be a long way from being used to such things. He moved forward to usher the group out of the room. ‘Really Harry, go and amuse yourself as you will. I will join you when I can.’
‘Yes, but what are you doing in here?’ Harry demanded, ‘And who was that bit of skirt that was in here with you? Rosie is miffed about something. What have you been up to in here?’
‘Never mind what I –‘ He broke off as his friend’s words penetrated, swinging around. Was , indeed. His beautiful stranger appeared to have taken advantage of the diversion and fled. Hanwood strode across to the open French doors and stepped out onto the flagged terrace but the moonlight garden was bare of any living creature.
His nocturnal temptress had disappeared without a trace.
Chapter Three
‘I really do not think you have any reason to be nervous,’ Cecile murmured, glancing around the crowded room. It was the first engagement that Abbey had attended since her encounter with Hanwood almost a week before and she was in a flutter of nervous anticipation. Still, it would look most odd if Abbey begged off from the Marchioness of Embrey’s ball; it was one of the most anticipated of the season. ‘This isn’t Hanwood’s sort of thing at all.’
‘I thought you said everybody would be here!’ Abbey knew she was being foolish – she could hardly hide in her aunt’s house for the rest of her stay in London! – but the idea of meeting Hanwood again after their last encounter was simply too humiliating to be borne. Not only had she breached every tenet of polite society by being alone with a man, but she had allowed herself to be kissed, not once but twice! It was all very well to plead she’d had little choice in the matter. In her heart of hearts Abbey might have been able to absolve herself of that first kiss, but the second? Why, she’d practically asked him to do it! The memory of it had warmed her cheeks over and
One corner of Hanwood’s mouth quirked upwards. ‘A branch I am not acquainted with.’
She managed a little shrug. ‘Well I suppose you cannot be expected to know everybody .’
‘You are in town for the Season?’
Really, Abbey thought with a touch of hysteria, it was a conversation she could have expected to have at any respectable party. Anyone overhearing would never guess that only moments before he had been kissing her senseless. ‘Indeed I am.’
‘Then perhaps it would be best if I –‘ He broke off when the door burst open and what appeared to be a crowd of people fell into the room. It was obvious that most of the gentlemen were very drunk while the ‘ladies’ that were draped over them were hardly in a better state. Hanwood swung about, clearly impatient with the interruption.
‘Really Tris, what have you been doing?’ Harry, the Marquis of Bedford demanded plaintively. ‘You cannot be expected to do a bunk at your own party. Not the thing at all.’
Hanwood could cheerfully have throttled his oldest friend. His business with the mysterious young woman was far from over. Before the night was through, he had every intention of knowing a great deal more about her and no subterfuge on her part would stand in his way. Besides, this was hardly the kind of thing a respectable female should be witnessing and he knew a sudden, overwhelming urge to protect her from this new intrusion. ‘Damn it Harry!’ he said, exasperated, ‘I am sure you have entertainment enough without me standing by holding your hand.’
‘Yes, but delightful little Mary here is going to dance for us and I knew you would not want to miss that.’ He indicated the sultry brunette who was clinging to his arm, giggling. As the night had worn on her clothing had come off and now she was clad in only her corset and pantaloons, full breasts spilling out of the tightly laced stays.
Hanwood winced. Outrageous as the mysterious intruders behavior might be, making her way into a gentleman’s house, she must be a long way from being used to such things. He moved forward to usher the group out of the room. ‘Really Harry, go and amuse yourself as you will. I will join you when I can.’
‘Yes, but what are you doing in here?’ Harry demanded, ‘And who was that bit of skirt that was in here with you? Rosie is miffed about something. What have you been up to in here?’
‘Never mind what I –‘ He broke off as his friend’s words penetrated, swinging around. Was , indeed. His beautiful stranger appeared to have taken advantage of the diversion and fled. Hanwood strode across to the open French doors and stepped out onto the flagged terrace but the moonlight garden was bare of any living creature.
His nocturnal temptress had disappeared without a trace.
Chapter Three
‘I really do not think you have any reason to be nervous,’ Cecile murmured, glancing around the crowded room. It was the first engagement that Abbey had attended since her encounter with Hanwood almost a week before and she was in a flutter of nervous anticipation. Still, it would look most odd if Abbey begged off from the Marchioness of Embrey’s ball; it was one of the most anticipated of the season. ‘This isn’t Hanwood’s sort of thing at all.’
‘I thought you said everybody would be here!’ Abbey knew she was being foolish – she could hardly hide in her aunt’s house for the rest of her stay in London! – but the idea of meeting Hanwood again after their last encounter was simply too humiliating to be borne. Not only had she breached every tenet of polite society by being alone with a man, but she had allowed herself to be kissed, not once but twice! It was all very well to plead she’d had little choice in the matter. In her heart of hearts Abbey might have been able to absolve herself of that first kiss, but the second? Why, she’d practically asked him to do it! The memory of it had warmed her cheeks over and
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