LYNDSEY HUMMED A JOYFULtune as she hung the laundry in the back yard. She’d been up since the crack of dawn, and a smile hadn’t left her face since. Unfortunately, she didn’t know what exactly it was last night that made her smile. Was it Adrian’s exciting kisses, or the fact that she had somehow gotten the Earl of Hanover’s attention?
No, it couldn’t have been Adrian’s kiss. She’d felt like such a wanton woman after she’d left him, and she couldn’t shake off the guilt. So, it must have been Collin that made her smile this morning.
“Here’s the last load.” Pricilla set down the basket of newly washed clothes on the ground. As she straightened, she pushed the wheat-blonde hair back from her forehead.
“Thank you. I was almost ready for more.” Lyndsey returned to humming and lifted a wet garment up to the clothes line.
“Lyn, this really must stop.”
Lyndsey glanced at her sister. “What has to stop?”
“Your... humming. Either you tell me why you are so happy, or I’m going to have Pa call the physician and have you examined.”
Laughing, Lyndsey shook her head. “I’m just fine, I assure you.”
“Are you smiling because the earl danced with you twice last night?”
Lyndsey shrugged. “Could be, I suppose.” Images of Adrian popped into her head, making her heart flip-flop and her mouth tingle with awareness.Stop it, Lyndsey!She quickly pushed her memories away. Perhaps she should see a doctor. How else could she stop thinking about Adrian?
“Lord Hanover is a very sweet man,” Priscilla said.
“Yes. He was very charming.”
Pricilla lifted one of Pa’s shirts out of the basket of wet clothes. “He also danced with me.”
Lyndsey held her breath, waiting for the elation to deflate, but it didn’t. She felt the same now as she had a minute ago. For some reason, it hadn’t bothered her that he’d also danced with her sister. “I’m sure he danced with a lot of women last night.”
“Yes.”
The sadness in Priscilla’s voice caught Lyndsey’s attention. She looked over the clothes line at her sister. “Were you hoping he’d just dance with you?”
Prissy’s laugh was forced. “Don’t be ridiculous. He knows the rules and didn’t dance with any woman more than twice.”
“Well, I’m glad he didn’t exceed society’s boundaries. Not only would he have ruined the lady’s reputation, but his name would have been dragged through the mire, as well.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that.”
Once again, Adrian’s face popped into her mind, and images of them in each other’s arms with their mouths locked in a passionate kiss... Inwardly, she groaned. What they had done in the kitchen’s pantry could have ruined her completely. She was very fortunate Aunt Beatrice hadn’t found them, and that they hadn’t been noticed sneaking out of the kitchen’s back door.
Prissy hung up the shirt, but didn’t move from where she stood. “Lyn, do you think he’s going to call on you today?”
Lyndsey’s heartbeat accelerated slightly.Oh, heavens!Would Adrian be that bold? Why would he come to see her, anyway?
Her mind quickly jerked her back to the conversation. They were talking about the earl,notAdrian. Lyndsey breathed a little easier. “I couldn’t say. We had a nice talk and he introduced me to his aunt. But that was the gist of our evening together. Besides, the dance, that is.”
“Pa is hoping he comes to visit today.”
Lyndsey released a heavy breath, remembering her father’s thoughts. “Yes, I’m sure Pa is in his study praying for the earl’s visit right now.”
There was silence for a few seconds before Priscilla chuckled. “When I was chatting with Charlotte last night at the ball, she’d mentioned how strange it was that such a prominent family – as the Dorsey’s – would purchase that particular estate.”
Lyndsey glanced at her sister. “And why is that?”
“Because it’s not as grand as some of their other estates.”
Lyndsey arched an eyebrow. “Do you have firsthand knowledge of that?”
Frowning, Prissy looked down at the ground. “No,” she muttered.
