“The paper reported that Lord Vanover publicly contradicted Lord Hargraves.Twice,” Poppy informed her.
Bea sank onto the chair opposite her friends, feeling suddenly small beneath their scrutiny.“Oh…it’s true.”The gossip about the incident at Lord Hillary’s house had been spread solely through word of mouth.Apparently, last night’s incident had made the actual paper.Unfortunate, that.Her father would be even more furious.
“And is it also true that Lord Vanover contradicted Lord Hargrave while defendingyou?”Georgie asked next.
Bea nodded slowly.“Yes.Also true.”
“How terribly romantic,” Poppy said, clasping her hands together near her ear and smiling dreamily.
“That’s not all,” Bea added, biting her lip.
“Do tell,” Georgie said.
“I kissed him again,” Bea blurted.“And…more.”
Two identical gasps filled the room.
“You kissed Lord Vanover again?”Georgie exclaimed.“In public?”
“Yes,” Bea said.“Well…in a carriage.”
Poppy looked positively scandalized.“His carriage?”
“No,” Bea groaned.“My father’s carriage.”
There was a beat of stunned silence.
Then Georgie collapsed sideways onto the cushions.“Oh, well.That’s something.”
Poppy sat down hard on the settee.“Yourfather’scarriage?”
Bea covered her face again.“I have no excuse.Well, I do actually, but it’s quite a long story.”
Georgie recovered first, propping herself up on one elbow as she regarded Bea with barely contained alarm.“It’s ever so convenient that we enjoy long stories then.Isn’t it, Poppy?’”
“Oh, indeed we do,” Poppy agreed, rubbing her hands together in gleeful anticipation.
Bea had always considered herself immune to such girlish nonsense as blushing, but an unmistakable flush stole up her throat.She forced herself to straighten her shoulders and plow through a general rendition of the last few days between herself and Nicholas, including the part where she’d learned that he hadn’t voted the way she assumed he had.
“What exactly happened in the carriage?”Georgie, ever the pragmatist, wanted to know.
“We kissed a lot and then…”
“Then?”Georgie prodded.
“Then…well.”Bea gestured vaguely in the direction of her thighs, cheeks burning.
Poppy straightened her back.“Oh, my God.”
Georgie slapped both hands over her mouth.“You saucy baggage.Excellent initiative.”
“Not excellent,” Bea snapped.“Ridiculous.Irresponsible.Dangerous.”
Georgie arched a brow.“How dangerous?”
Bea said nothing.
Poppy’s jaw dropped.“Did you lose your virtue?”
