A Secret Affair Read Online Free Page B

shoulders. Yes. She would stop acting like a scared little fool and go be charming to Mr. Holloway. He might not be half as interesting as he’d seemed, after all. She didn’t know him that well, but it was high time to find out. She nodded firmly and made her way across the ballroom.
    Mr. Holloway met her halfway. She eyed him up and down. If he’d been drinking, she couldn’t tell. But any real gentleman wouldn’t imbibe too much. And Mr. Holloway was obviously a gentleman.
    “Miss Birmingham,” he said, bowing to her and causing her belly do an unexpected flip, “May I have this dance?”
    Oh, no. Butterflies in her stomach. Hadn’t Annie said those pesky little insects appeared when one was madly in love? Of course it was ludicrous to assume anything of the sort under such circumstances, but their appearance unsettled Frances nonetheless.
    She bit her lip and then smiled. “By all means, Mr. Holloway, you may.”
    Mr. Holloway, it seemed, was a magical dancer. Quite spry for a man so tall. And he made her laugh the entire time with stories and comments about the dance as well as the other dancers.
    The dancing ended and Frances knew true regret. Well, he’d been charming to her mother and he’d passed the dancing test. Both items to recommend him so far. She’d like to dance more, actually.
    She was just about to mention it when she turned around and knocked straight into Lady Lenora Harcourt.

CHAPTER 5
    “There you are, Mr. Holloway,” Lady Lenora’s smooth voice flowed from her berry-red lips like wine from a knocked-over bottle.
    Charlie bowed. “Lady Harcourt.”
    “Miss Birmingham,” Lady Lenora said, clearly acknowledging Frances out of necessity. Her nose remained pinched the entire time, however, as if she smelled something rancid.
    Frances had fantasies of tripping her and then asking Charlie to dance again.
    “I’m awfully sorry we haven’t had an opportunity to spend more time together this evening,” Lady Lenora said, looking up at Charlie with her big green eyes wide and batting her lashes without shame.
    The nerve . Frances clenched her fist. That harlot . But Lady Lenora, no doubt, wouldn’t have bungled the fabric line.
    “Yes, well, I do hope you enjoy your evening, Lady Harcourt,” Mr. Holloway replied.
    Frances wanted to sink through the floor. She looked down at her pink gown. It seemed childish and silly compared to Lady Lenora’s gorgeous emerald one that brought out the beauty of her eyes. And of course Lady Lenora didn’t wear awful little spectacles. Frances had tried to go without them, but she was never able to see things as well and she didn’t like to miss anything. She’d long ago sacrificed beauty for function. Again, much to her mama’s dismay. At the moment, however, Frances wished her spectacles to perdition.
    “I do hope you might be able to spare a dance for me later, Mr. Holloway,” Lady Lenora added with a catlike smile.
    Frances had to bunch her hand in her skirts to keep from slapping her.
    Mr. Holloway had the grace to look humble. “My apologies,” he replied. “But I’m spending the evening at Miss Birmingham’s side. Perhaps another time.”
    If Frances were the swooning sort, she certainly would have done so. Instead, she gave a little toss of her head in Lady Lenora’s direction and said yes immediately when Mr. Holloway asked her for the next dance. Lady Lenora soon faded into the crowd and Charlie swept Frances into his arms.
    “Why did you do that?” The question escaped her lips before she had a chance to examine it. She wanted to clap her hand over her mouth. Not subtle, Frances .
    “Do what?” Charlie’s oh-so-handsome brow was furrowed.
    She might as well be out with it. No use in pretending. And besides, she wanted to know. “Refuse to dance with Lady Harcourt.”
    Charlie’s grin made Frances’s knees weak again. “As I recall, Lady Harcourt lost the bid.”
    Frances couldn’t help her triumphant smile. “She did