Fates for Apate Read Online Free Page A

What on earth did that mean?
     
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    Casimir led Frau Mahler through a country-dance. He had hoped that Mrs. Appleton wouldn't be another of the simpering ladies that hung on him. He knew that they considered him a pleasant diversion or, at times, a handy bit of leverage to make their husbands jealous and therefore more attentive. But he had expected better of Mrs. Appleton somehow. Perhaps it was that tiny moment of mutiny she had displayed the first day when her husband looked away from her. He thought that she didn't suffer fools gladly. Then she had all but thrown herself at his feet tonight. Well, perhaps it wasn't that extreme, but when she had glanced up at him and wet her lips before returning his greeting his body had reacted as though he had found her naked in his bed. A woman of her beauty and intelligence had no need to lower herself by playing the flirt. And if she wasn't just flirting, well, then he should stay away from her entirely. The last thing he wanted to do was inspire an addled husband into challenging him to a duel or some nonsense in defense of honor. But when he had looked back and seen her angry frown he'd had to smile. If it was just flirtation then that could be most enjoyable. But he would prefer the tart replies that he could tell she suppressed, rather than a sighing feminine pose. 
     
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    As George expected, once the Prussian gentleman left for the dance floor the ladies around her began chatting about him behind their fans. Sadly, her German wasn't as good as her French and she wasn't able to track all of the conversations as she wished. But among all the breathless descriptions of his form, whispered discussions of whom he had kissed, and proclamations of who would marry him if only their own husbands would die, George did manage to tease out a few interesting facts. Even if the rest of what the ladies said made her want to roll her eyes, she discovered his duties in the delegation were minor at best, but that he had won the post due to some highly placed connections. Perhaps he wasn't the best person in the delegation for her to focus on, especially as he had seemed unimpressed with her flirtation. But that left her with the job of discovering the next man. If all of these ladies were sighing over a chance for attention from one man, then certainly their husbands were in need of sympathy.
     
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    This was the fourth ball since she had arrived. It bothered him that he knew that. They hadn't spoken since the night she had flirted with him and they had literally been dancing around each other ever since. She seemed to have something of a preference for the Prussian gentlemen and he wondered if it was to draw his attention. Surely not, but the idea of it pleased him. What didn't please him was watching her spin around the floor with Hans yet again. The officer's height and fair complexion made him an ideal partner for her. They looked like figures from a fancy Black Forest clock. Hans was enough of a gentleman that he held her at a polite distance. Cas couldn't imagine doing that. He would need to lean in, whisper in her ear, see if he could elicit a genuine smile from her. Not the practiced smile she cast at her other dance partners. Or perhaps he could tease out one of her vicious frowns. He had seen them again when she danced with her husband. That man had tried to hold her close but had to contend with her rigid arms holding him at a distance. An arranged marriage, no doubt, with her very much not in favor of it. It was unfortunate that such a woman could be forced to marry where she didn't wish to.
    He turned his attention back to his dance partner, a sweet but silly French girl who was here with her family. She couldn't be more than sixteen and always flushed and giggled outrageously when he paid her the least attention. He found her no more interesting than he did his cravat. She was pretty enough, but not sophisticated and intriguing like Mrs. Appleton.