Page 100 of The Truth Serum
But she would have to be doubly careful around him until then.
Kynthea reached out and squeezed her hand. “Let’s look at what we bought today, yes?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
Mama, on the other hand, pressed a hand to her forehead. “I believe I shall go lie down. I need to rest before tonight’s party. Pity you won’t be able to come tonight, Rebecca, but your health comes first.”
“Yes, Mama,” she said meekly.
Two hours later, she was dressed and ready to go to the Carre ball. The other ladies had departed, leaving just her and Kynthea. They had to go by her home, as she also needed to dress. And when Mama came out of her bedroom to wonder at the noise, Rebecca merely laughed.
“I feel so much better now, Mama! See you at the ball.”
Then she and Kynthea rushed out of the house, giggling like two young girls as they escaped. Now this was being childish. But it felt so good that Rebecca refused to feel bad about it.
Indeed, she was filled with delight well into the evening. She adored Kynthea. And thanks to her proximity to a future duchess, her dance card was abruptly full. Every dance, that is, except for one waltz.
Several men asked for it. Several men saw the waltz held and tried to find out which lucky gentleman would get the dance. And several women commented as well, but she never told. Kynthea knew, though, and she didn’t hold back her opinion.
“You cannot,” the woman muttered when she saw the empty space. “Everyone is watching.”
What she meant—as she’d said over and over in the carriage—was that anyone looking at her and Nate would see the growing relationship. Whatever their plans were in the future, she had to pretend to be interested in the baron next Tuesday. So she couldn’t be seen making eyes at Nate.
It was logical, and Kynthea likely had the right of it. It was just one dance but given the amount of speculation surrounding her single blank line, she knew that everyone was watching for who she was saving it for. Everyone would know and gossip about it. And if she danced with Nate, then everyone would know he was special to her.
She couldn’t pass it off as just a dance to be polite.
So when Nate finally arrived, looking so handsome she wanted to swoon, she had to keep her face cold. She had to allow him to bow over her hand, to stroke her palm with his fingers, and she had to sternly pull her dance card back.
“My card is full,” she said loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Full?” he asked, his expression wounded. “But there’s a—”
“Full,” she repeated. And then she turned away.
A cut direct.
She had to. She had to. She had to.
She heard his breath catch. She heard the whispers around her. And she saw Kynthea’s small nod of approval. It was for show, she knew. Kynthea didn’t like hurting Nate any more than Rebecca did. But it had to be done.
A few minutes later, Lord Nathanial left the ball.
And in the morning, things got worse.
A new gossip column began with the words, “Has Lord Nathaniel overstayed his welcome? The future duchess of Harle certainly thinks so and her attitude is catching. Lord Nathaniel’s star grows dim.”
Oh hell. All she’d wanted was a dance with him, and now she’d just ruined him in society. Few people ever recovered after printed gossip like that. Whether or not his star had been dimming, it certainly would now. And she had no idea how important it was to him.
Fletcher looked over her shoulder to read the column. His laugh was loud and cruel.
“Couldn’t happen to a more deserving bloke,” he chortled.
She had to press her lips together to keep her harsh retort inside, though she felt like she was choking on it. Fletcher noticed. Of course he did. She wasn’t as good at keeping her emotions hidden as she’d once been.
“You care, don’t you? You don’t want his star to dim.” He settled down in the chair nearest her while he studied her face. “Why?”
She didn’t like him this close. Yesterday, his hatred had been palpable. Now he seemed congenial, almost kind. Nevertheless, she had to answer.
