Tain! Tain!Penn rushed from the salon where the Countess of Marsden’s guests mingled. She needed to escape to the ladies’ retiring room to catch her breath. Her sanity!
This was the first evening of that grand lady’s house party and all her guests were atwitter as she received them. It was a perfect moment to gather her wits and plaster a glowing smile on her face.
But wherewasthe retiring room this time? The Countess moved it for every new event. Hmm.
She glanced about.
Was that the butler?Yes!
Penn hurried toward him. But at once she paused. He was a fine looking fellow and he stood, talking to an earl’s daughter as if…as if he were arguing with her. As if they were…friends?
Dear me!How could that be?
Penn hurried toward him, her skirts tangling about her legs. “Do pardon me, but what have you designated as the ladies’ retiring room?”
He blinked as if she asked where was the moon. “In the Chinese parlor tonight.” He inclined his head toward the far end of the hall.
Penn smiled her thanks and whirled only to catch her shoe on the edge of the carpet.
He shot out a hand to steady her. “Careful! I thought I’d ordered that carpet tacked down. My apologies, Lady Goddard.”
“Not necessary.” She’d been tripping over things since she was a child. Her mother had said it was because she rushed everywhere and never knew where she was going.Well, Mama, you were wrong. I always knew. Much good it did me.
No matter. An old problem with no new solutions. She hurried onward, picking up her skirts and heading for the Chinese room at the end of the hall. She thrust open the door and entered, shutting it behind her with a firm click of the latch. Panting, she put a hand to her bosom.
She listened. No others were here. She had silence. Serenity.Good.
She shut her eyes and there Tain was, dancing before her. In all his virile, impeccable, formidable glory.
What was he doing at this party?
Tain. Darling Tain. Terrible Tain.
She swallowed hard against the shock, the delight, the pain of seeing him again.
Crinkling sounds had her turn toward the folding screen in the corner.
Mice?She shivered, hoping not. The Countess kept a spotless household.
Penn’s only worry was Tain. Not mice. A hand to her brow, she breathed deeply. One. In. Slowly in. And then out. Slowly, slowly out.
She sagged against the back of the door. How was it that Tain was here? The Countess was her friend, her dear friend, and she had not told her Tain would attend. But then in truth, perhaps that lady had had no chance. Penn had arrived late this afternoon and gone straight up to her assigned room to change her clothes for this first night of the party. She must not attack the Countess for failing to tell her.
The door gave. A woman knocked. Once. Twice. Urgently!
Oh, hell.Penn wanted no company, not yet. She needed time to fix on a brave mask for the rest of the evening.
The guest fiddled with the handle of the door. Once. Twice.
Very well.Penn whirled and swung it wide.
But when she saw who stood there, she stared at him, gave the door a grand shove and said, “Go away.”
He stuck a foot between the door and the frame. “No.”
“I can’t talk. You know I can’t.”
“Of course you can.” He entered, shooting his cuffs and smiling at her, all compassion and suave blond Viking confidence. The man was her worst nightmare, her every Austen hero, her nemesis.
