She was going to kill Julian West.
Charlotte shook her head. “He didn’t hurt me, no, but I’ve never felt so vulnerable in my life, and that partdidfrighten me. It felt like . . . drowning. Have you ever felt that way before?”Vulnerable?The very word made the hair on Eleanor’s neck rise. “I never have, but it sounds awful.”
Charlotte shivered. “It was awful and wonderful all at once, and so dreadfully confusing.”
Eleanor took Charlotte’s hand in hers. “I’m sorry for it, but it’s over now. I do hope you can put it behind you, but if not, well, we can always poison Julian West with one of Lady Abernathy’s deadly plants.”
As long as we save enough poisonfor his cousin.
Charlotte laughed and squeezed her fingers, and Eleanor breathed a silent sigh of relief. This was the sister she recognized. Charlotte hadn’t yet encountered a situation she couldn’t dismiss with a laugh.
“What nonsense, Eleanor. You know Lady Abernathy hasn’t any . . .”
Charlotte fell abruptly silent. Color surged into her face, and her fingers went slack around Eleanor’s hand.
“Charlotte? Whatever is the matter? Are you ill?”
Charlotte didn’t answer, just stared over Eleanor’s shoulder.
Eleanor was sitting with her back to the terrace, so she craned her neck around to see behind her. Quite a few guests had arrived and were wandering around the tables, admiring the baskets of flowers, but Eleanor didn’t see anything shocking, so what—
Just then their mother turned and spotted them on the other side of the lawn. She took a few steps toward them, smiled, and beckoned for them to join her.
That’s when Eleanor saw him.
Camden West stood behind her mother, his face turned in Eleanor’s direction. Julian West was at his side, holding Amelia by the hand.
“Ouch!” Eleanor looked down to find a thorn lodged in her thumb. She’d snapped the stem of the rose in half. She dug the thorn out with her teeth and stuck her thumb in her mouth to catch the tiny drop of blood welling at the tip.
Oh, no.What thedevilwas he doing at Lady Abernathy’s garden party, and with his rake of a cousin, no less? How had he known she was here? Had he had her followed? She didn’t doubt it. There seemed to be no depths to which Mr. West wouldn’t sink. “I won’t leave you alone with him. I swear it.”
Charlotte rose to her feet and tugged Eleanor up beside her. “I know. I’ll be all right, Eleanor.” Her voice shook a bit, but she lifted her chin in the air with some of her old bravado.
Eleanor wasn’t sureshewould be all right, but at the moment she hadn’t any choice, for their mother was waving them over.
Very well. She’d obey her mother and be polite, but she’d go in search of poisonous plants at the first opportunity.
A lady never knew when she might need a little poison.
“There you are, my dears,” their mother said, as Eleanor and Charlotte joined her. She turned to address Camden West. “My daughter Eleanor tells me she and Charlotte had the pleasure of making your acquaintance at the Foster’s ball last week, Mr. West. I believe you called the carriage for them when Charlotte was taken ill?”
He bowed. “Yes, my lady. We were fortunate to be of service that evening.”
Eleanor looked into his green eyes, narrow and cold, like a serpent’s eyes, or two slivers of mossy ice.
Don’t flinch. He’ll strike if you do.
She held his gaze as she dipped into a shallow curtsy, then gave a defiant little toss of her head. “Mr. West, and Mr. West. What a . . . pleasure to see you both again.”
Julian West, who seemed unable to tear his gaze from Charlotte, stepped forward and bowed. “How do you do, Lady Charlotte?”
Eleanor stared at him, surprised. He addressed her sister in a soft, gentle tone, not at all the arrogant, satisfied one she’d expect a rake to use with his latest conquest. Camden West had said his cousin wasn’t proud of his behavior that night. Eleanor hadn’t believed him, but perhaps it was true. Julian West did look more like a besotted schoolboy than a hardened rogue at the moment.
Charlotte curtsied. “Good afternoon, Mr. West.”
Eleanor examined her sister. Charlotte’s voice was composed, but her cheeks were flushed.
“I’m relieved to see you’ve recovered from your indisposition at the Foster’s ball,” Julian West murmured.
