His hand brushed down her spine, leaning closer he drew in her gardenia scent.Her small act of protection meaning more to him than he knew how to express.Her strength was admirable, filling him with a longing that swelled inside him.For a moment, his eyes drifted closed as he breathed her in.It would be so easy to lose himself in Priscilla.But if he did and showed her all the broken parts inside, what would she think then?
He didn’t want to find out.
CHAPTERSEVEN
Priscilla arrived home,pleased with how her outing had turned out.Not only had she received some answers from Lard Ware—Wyatt—the name made her smile to herself, but she felt increasingly positive about their prospective engagement.Being married to him would be a far sight better than Eugene.
She shook her head.Had her plan actually worked?
Would her father be proud of her problem-solving skills?He might have been impressed…then again, he might have chastised her for being so reckless.
Much as he’d taught her to use her brain, he’d also loved her and her mother deeply and went to great lengths to protect them.Odd that he’d taught her as much as he did about work that wasn’t a woman’s, but perhaps that had been for her protection too.
She set her parcel in the entry, removing her gloves and untying the ribbons of her hat.
The butler appeared before her, the faintest smile playing at his lips.“You have visitors.”
“Visitors?”she asked, her brow crinkling.
“The Duchess of Durham and the Countess of Westmoreland, along with Lady Brightmore, and Miss Clara.”
She gasped.All her friends had arrived.It had been weeks since they’d all been together.What had brought them here now?She hurried to the morning room eager to see them.Tell them about her article.About Wyatt.
Mona’s bright shock of red hair caught her notice first.Being a duchess agreed with her; every time that Priscilla saw her friend, she noted that Mona practically glowed with happiness.A rush of emotion made Priscilla stop, taking in each of them.
Charlotte turned to her.“Priscilla,” she gushed, reaching out her hands.“How I’ve missed you.”She wrapped Priscilla in a hug, her slender frame pressing close.
Priscilla fell into the embrace.“I’ve missed you too.”
Alexi’s pixie features broke out into a smile.“Clara told us that you’ve been very busy.Come.Tell us what’s been happening.”
Sitting, she began in a rush of whispered words, just in case Eugene might try and listen, sharing the details of how she’d come to meet Wyatt through her ad in the paper.
When she’d finished, her friends stared back at her in stunned silence.
“You put an ad in the paper for a husband?”Mona asked, her fingers pressed to her cheeks.
Priscilla stiffened in defense.“You found your husband through the paper.You cut out articles about him and then proposed a match of convenience during your first meeting.”She turned to Charlotte.“And Charlotte put an ad in for her husband too.”
Charlotte raised a single finger.“Technically, I advertised for an investigative assistant.He just happened to be an earl and I decided to marry him later.”
Alexi bit her bottom lip.“None of us have had traditional courtships, but it makes me nervous to think that he would have answered your ad.I know why you’re eager to make a match, but why is he?”
It was an excellent question.And one they’d hinted around, but even Priscilla could confess, at least inwardly, that his answers hadn’t sufficiently explained.
“Priscilla told you.He has a scar,” Clara jumped in, “here.”She ran her finger down her cheek to the corner of her mouth.“He seems very insecure about it, so don’t stare when you meet him.”
Priscilla said a silent thank you to her friend.For some reason, she felt defensive on Wyatt’s behalf.While she might question his motives…
“I’ve not heard of him before so I’m curious; what else do you know about him?He’s a viscount, he’s scarred, he doesn’t participate in society.Is he financially stable?”
Priscilla shrugged.“We’re still getting to know one another, which is why there has been no formal agreement.”
Mona straightened.“All of us should gather with our husbands.I’d wager the men could gather some information that we can’t.”
“Good idea,” she nodded, relaxing.Not only would that give her a chance to see Wyatt again but perhaps their husbands could inquire about him in their clubs or find out more information through their acquaintances.
Clara touched her arm, frowning.“Will Eugene allow you to attend?”
