“What’s going on?” Rhoda whispered to Sophia. “Let me go, will you?”
Sophia just grinned.
No! No! No!
Rhoda broke free and took off at a sprint in the opposite direction. Rounding the corner, she nearly slammed into her mother, who was just peeking inside one of the large coat closets, illuminating the inhabitants with what seemed to be an amazingly brilliant candle.
Her mother’s loud shriek echoed in the corridor. “Miss Goodnight!”
Such a reaction was not without merit. Along with her mother, Rhoda clearly identified her dearest and most innocent friend pressed intimately against Lord Carlisle’s chiseled form.
Lord Carlisle’s arms were wrapped around Emily’s tiny little waist. He’d been kissing her as though a man possessed.
“Lord Carlisle?” She couldn’t help the betrayal she felt. Not twenty-four hours ago, he’d admitted to wanting to court her! And already he could kiss her best friend?
“Good God, Justin!” Prescott, who’d silently appeared behind her, sounded nearly as shocked as her mother.
Rhoda couldn’t help feeling betrayed by the last man in the world whom she’d trusted. Upon catching sight of her, Carlisle’s brows furrowed. He glanced down at Emily and shook his head in a daze. “But I thought…” His voice trailed off.
And then Rhoda’s gaze met Emily’s.
Good God, what had she done?
Compromised
Scared to death at what would assuredly happen next, Rhoda reached inside of the closet and dragged Emily out. She refused to meet Carlisle’s gaze. She couldn’t.How could he?
Chaos had erupted in the foyer, everyone arriving to see what all the outbursts were about.
She couldn’t look at him. She wouldn’t cry. She didn’t know why she even felt like doing so.
Lost in her own vortex of despair, Rhoda just barely listened as her mother chastised the couple and then addressed Prescott.
“Your Grace, I expect you’ll have a word with the earl. This is quite unacceptable! Something must be done to remedy this! Otherwise, it will reflect upon all of my girls!”
Rhoda could not remain to listen to her mother’s complaints. Instead, she dragged Emily upstairs to her chamber. The poor girl hardly needed to be dragged.
She’d gone rather pale herself.
Rhoda’s mother was going to insist Carlisle make an offer.
Emily had landed herself a husband after all! Lord Carlisle! Rhoda couldn’t erase the image of his arms around her dearest friend, his mouth on Emily’s.
On Emily’s mouth! Kissing her!
As they practically ran upstairs, Rhoda couldn’t help thinking she deserved this. She deserved all of this. Once inside Emily’s chamber, she covered her face with her hands and moaned. When she peeked between her fingers, she saw Emily looking quite confused.
Dear sweet Emily, who’d done nothing more than what she’d been instructed to do.
Rhoda shook her head. “I can’t believe you did it! I can’t believe he did it! I’d thought he wasn’t the type. Why are all men destined to turn out to be disappointments?” She dropped into a chair in resignation.
“He’ll make an offer, won’t he?” Emily’s expression went from confusion, to concern, and then accusation. “Why didn’t you tell me that you’d told Lord Carlisle about your engagement to Blakely?”
Lord Carlisle had discussed her engagement to Blakely withEmily? Not that it mattered, but couldn’t anybody keep a secret anymore?
“Hetoldyou?” How dare he share something she’d told him in confidence! In her mind, she imagined Carlisle and Emily talking about Blakely’s plan to use her for revenge. Had he laughed over it? Had they decided together that it was the only way she could be redeemed? “Quite the little tête-à-tête the two of you shared.”
Oh, God! Rhoda wasjealous!
