“My dear, where I’m concerned you should believe everything.”Beau held her at a proper distance.“As they say, anything for a lark.”
He was a marvelous dancer, Elizabeth thought as he whirled her around the ballroom floor.“Well, thank you for helping.I’m certain I’ll hear about this all the way home.”
“No doubt.”Beau grinned, then added, “By Jove!I know how we might really rub salt into the wound.I’ll come tomorrow to take you for a ride in Hyde Park.”
Elizabeth nodded.“That would be splendid.”
Jonathan glared at Elizabeth.What in the hell was she doing with Beau Brummell?He wasn’t marriage material, even though many young ladies fancied him.He was certainly not suitable for Elizabeth.
Jonathan was going to choose a husband for her, by God, if it killed them both in the process.
He frowned.
Elizabeth Trent would have to learn to obey.
Chapter 14
Elizabeth woke early the next morning, pleased at how the night before had turned out.She stared at the lavender wallpaper in her room, and stretched before getting out of bed.
Then she remembered that Jonathan had informed her that he was bringing Earl Stanley Derby to call on her, and that she had lied and told him she was looking forward to the meeting.What Jonathan didn’t know was that Beau Brummell would also be calling on her at midday to take her for a ride.
This whole charade with Brummell was keeping Elizabeth off balance.She wanted to see Jonathan react, but he never seemed affected by her while she, on the other hand, was very affected by him.She could recall the tenderness of his touch, and she longed to feel it again.She could remember the expression on his face when he had admitted he loved her.More than anything, she wanted to see that expression again.
Every time he was near her, she could feel her knees weaken.And worse, when he wasn’t with her, she was miserable and angry with herself for not controlling her emotions better.Men ...she hated them!
She went to the armoire and picked out a simple day dress in jonquil.Then she instructed her maid to pull her hair back and tie yellow and white ribbons in it.Finally, she went down for breakfast.
Tiffany had just finished filling her plate with fruit and ham and was taking a seat at the long table.“Good morning,” Elizabeth said.She picked up a plate from the sideboard and began to fill it with sweet breads and orange slices.“How do you think it went last night?”
“Splendid!”Tiffany smiled, then took a sip of tea.“If you had seen the way Jonathan kept looking at you, you would realize he’s besotted.”She sighed and nodded.“It won’t be much longer before he explodes.”
Elizabeth experienced a whirl of perplexing emotions.“Are you sure?I don’t see that at all.”She spread her linen napkin across her lap.“He barely acknowledges that I’m around, and when he does talk to me, he’s complaining about something I’ve done or telling me what to do.”
“That’s because he hides his feelings from you,” Tiffany explained as she picked up a sweet roll.“Remember, you wounded him.He’s merely protecting his heart, or so he thinks.”
“I know,” Elizabeth replied in a low, tormented voice.“I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself for causing him that hurt.”
Tiffany’s blue eyes met Elizabeth’s gaze.“You had a good reason.I think Dawson was well worth the trouble you went through.”
Elizabeth brightened a little.“Yes, he was.I hope Jonathan will understand one day.”
“I think he will.But the rough times are not over yet.”
Elizabeth frowned.“I know.Tell me a little bit about Beau.I found him very charming last night.”
“You and everyone else,” Tiffany said, amusement flickering in her eyes.“He is a favorite of the Royals, you know.Everyone loves Beau’s attire.You saw how he dresses.He doesn’t dress in those floppy pastel clothes and wigs like so many others.”She paused to take a sip of tea.“He usually wears dark clothes.I’ve heard tell that it takes him three hours, on the average, to get dressed, and many more hours spent in counsel with the cutter of his coats or with the custodian of his wardrobe.It’s pure perfection.”
Tiffany leaned toward Elizabeth as if she were getting ready to tell a dark secret.“There was some talk about his elopement with a young countess from a ball at Lady Jersey’s.But I don’t believe it,” she admitted and sat back in her chair.“It’s probably just gossip.”
Elizabeth took her last bite of sweet roll.“Beau might be a dandy, but he’s a very likable one.I’m glad you introduced him to me, even if it’s to use him against Jonathan.”
The butler appeared at the door.
“Yes, Linton?”Elizabeth asked.
He nodded then announced, “The Earl of Longdale and the Earl of York are calling.”
“Please show them into the main salon,” Elizabeth said to Linton.When he’d left, she turned to Tiffany, placing her napkin on the table.“Are you ready to give it another go?”
