“Yes, Miss. Exactly as you instructed. You’ll see when you come up,” George said cheerfully.
I can’t. Damn.Aunt Violet expected her at meals.I can’t face Ridgemont until I know what to say to him. Not Ridgemont. John. Horsefeathers. I don’t even know what to call him.
“Kindly inform Lady Hartwell that I am indisposed.”
George raised an impertinent eyebrow, but he bowed and said he would.
The chaos of nuncheon settled before she remembered one other thing.
She had promised Sophie she would turn pages while her cousin practiced for the musicale planned for the evening. Sophie urged her to sing, and she had been tempted. How could she possibly face Sophie after rolling in the snow with that man?It would show on her face—it must—and she couldn’t possibly explain.
No, I won’t. I’ll simply ignore?—
“I knew I’d find you here. Aunt Violet said you were indisposed, but you weren’t in your room. What are you playing at, Bel?” Sophie stood, arms akimbo, right in front of Bel.
Bel suppressed her groan. “Annie, I need a moment with my cousin. Kindly take the others and assist the footmen tidying up.”
Sophie’s look of concern intensified at that. “Tell me,” she demanded as soon as they were alone.
Bel hesitated.
“The truth,” Sophie folded her arms at her waist and glared at Bel.
“John… That is, Lord Ridgemont kissed me.”
Sophie’s expressive face transformed from confusion to disbelief to pure delight in the space of three heartbeats. “But that’s, that’s?—”
“I don’t know what it is, perhaps nothing,” Bel said.
“Nothing? Is that what you want?”
“I don’t know what I want.”
“A simple kiss is nothing to fret about. I had three rather nice ones last season.” Sophie’s cheeks went pink at that, and Bel realized how innocent her cousin truly was. Innocent but not ignorant.
“It wasn’t simple. It was well beyond ‘rather nice.’ Sophie! We rolled on the ground!”
Sophie gasped so hard she choked, and struggled for breath. “If Aunt Violet hears that she’ll have you at the altar tomorrow—or however long it takes to fetch a license.”
Bel tried to find words to explain. She hesitated so long Sophie looked alarmed.
“Didn’t you like it?” Sophie demanded. “Did Ridgemont… That is, did he force you?”
“Good grief no! I liked it very well. Too much. That’s the problem. He is too honorable a man to be forced into marriage by a momentary lapse.”
Sophie relaxed at that. “Will you accept if he offers?”
That’s what I’m trying to sort out…Suddenly there was nothing to sort. Bel knew exactly what she wanted.
“If John could convince me that marriage is what he truly wants, that he isn’t being coerced by some pompous male honor, then yes. I expect I would accept. But how can he? We’ve known each other less than a week.”
Sophie’s expression turned sly and the sides of her mouth lifted. “John, is it?”
Bel blushed. “Ridgemont sounds a bit formal under the circumstances.”
The kitchen maids trooped in after the footman and the cart of dirty dishes.
“Enough, Sophie! We have work to do.”
