The Wicked North (Hearts Touched By Fire Book 1) Read Online Free

gulped the lemonade. It was tart and sweet and cold. She stopped mid-swallow, realizing how unladylike she was behaving by gulping her punch.
    Billy laughed. Charles came up and nudged him. “Billy, ole boy…”
    Their voices were drowned in the noise. Emma closed her eyes, letting the coolness of the glass cup seep through her white cotton gloves.
    “Good evening, Miss Emma.”
    The male voice was loud and clear. It sounded amused—and familiar. She opened her eyes to find the green-eyed panther before her. Her throat tightened. Inhaling deeply, she lifted her head and forced herself to remember her manners. “Mr. Fontaine, how nice to see you again.”
    A wicked smile came to his face, his eyes slanted. “Yes, it is so nice to see you again.” He leaned slightly forward and dropped his voice. “I’m enchanted to meet the water nymph I thought I must’ve dreamt of, only to find you are real. You know, I had to ask your brother who you were.”
    She glared at Jack. Not having been properly introduced, she could have walked away except this was a family celebration, and he apparently was Charles’ friend. “Well, I’m of little concern if you’re among Caroline’s admirers.”
    He looked over her shoulder at the dancers lining up for the next dance. “Yes, lovely Miss Caroline. I do admire beauty,” he looked down at her, “but I saw my fairy first.”
    Her anger mounted. Water nymph? Fairies? Was the man touched? And he did admit to Caroline’s beauty. With a disgusted harrumph, she turned on her heel to leave.
    He chuckled. His hand touched her elbow. “I had come to ask you to dance.”
    She spun around. “What? Is Miss Birthday Girl’s card filled?”
    “I have no idea,” he replied. His hand opened the card on her wrist before she could think straight. “Ah, they’re going to dance the windmill.” He looked at the formations on the dance floor. Taking her cup and placing it on the table, Jack directed Emma to the dance floor, “I see there is an opening for one more couple.”
    They formed a square with the other three couples. One couple was Caroline and her dance partner. Caroline glared at Emma. It wasn’t Emma’s fault she picked up the dance steps better than Caroline, enough so their instructor referred to her as floating with grace. Being one step ahead of Caroline in mastering some of the graces only led to more anger from her sister. But now, Emma was flabbergasted. She couldn’t deny Jack now without appearing vulgar. Tightening her lips, she narrowed her gaze on the grinning green-eyed rake.
    Caroline watched Emma, and Emma felt the scorching fire in her eyes. Mr. Fontaine was about to discover that Caroline would not appreciate his having asked her sister for a dance.
     
    #
     
    Jack found the dance enjoyable with the cute young miss as his partner. Emma’s fluster amused him, knowing she had no excuse for not dancing with him. He also knew Caroline stared daggers at her while smiling at him throughout the rotations. Women, young and old, were all alike. Except for his partner. She was different, or perhaps it was her indifference to the festivities that he found refreshing. He congratulated himself for taking Charles up on his offer to visit.
    At the end of the dance, he offered Emma his arm to escort her off the dance floor, but she shot him an evil glance and stalked off on her own. He chuckled as he followed her.
    “Why, Mr. Fontaine,” purred the blonde Caroline as she glided up to him and tucked her arm through his. “I knew the college men up North were taught a fine education, but I had no idea dancing was part of it.”
    He kept the smile pasted on his face but inwardly grimaced at the sound of Caroline’s voice. West Point graduates made the best trained officers in the US Army. Not only did Jack and his classmates learn about warfare but also how to be gentlemen—and that included dancing. “Of course, Miss Silvers, we are not only soldiers but