Page 35 of The Mysterious Miss Lydia
When had Wendell arrived? Was that why she’d come? Was this his plan to rendezvous with the girl all along?
The poor young lady looked nervous around him, fidgeting and glancing around her as if looking for help.
In his gut he knew without a doubt that Wendell was their traitor. He was their leak.
Somehow that knave had drawn a sweet young woman into his plans, but that all ended tonight.
Just as soon as he found Sir Cedric and told him the truth about Wendell...and the redheaded beauty.
10
Wendell was a deadly bore.
Which was saying something given Lydia’s own quiet nature.
But after that dance which had left her heart racing and her mind whirling, all she could muster for Wendell was a smile. A tepid one, at that.
“As I told your mother, I find auburn hair to be the most brilliant shade of all,” he said.
He said it like a compliment and she tried her best not to fidget. But Wendell’s compliments had grown more and more frequent these past weeks.
But frequency did not make them more credible. Nothing he said could vanquish the memories of his childish cruelty, and no amount of pretty words could hide the disdain that muddied his gaze when he looked upon her.
He still thought her to be the weak, useless, powerless sister.
And he’s not wrong.
He didn’t try to hide it from her, because he knew that she wouldn’t do anything about it.
Again, he’s not wrong.
She didn’t fight her mother when she left her with only Wendell at her side. And she made no move to run. If anything, she found herself trying to find something to like about the man. If her parents really insisted on this match then she ought to at least try to like him. But from his too-loud waistcoat to his overly styled hair, everything about him felt overly done. Like he was an actor on the stage, his entire demeanor seemed...artificial. Including his compliments.
No,especiallyhis compliments.
“I saw you dancing earlier and you looked like a delight. I did not get a good look at your partner, however. Tell me, who were you dancing with?”
His smile never faltered but his possessive tone made her uneasy.
What made her even more on edge? The fact that her answer wasI don’t know.
Her mouth went dry as a hysterical giggle bubbled up in her chest. “Er...”
I have no idea.No, that wasn’t true. She knew one pertinent detail, at least. His name was Captain Luke Hogan.
Something settled inside her at that. She had a name now, at least. But she still had no idea what he wanted from her.
He’d asked her to trust him. But why? And why was he so cryptic and mysterious?
Excitement rippled through her like bubbles in her veins.
She couldn’t deny that some part of her enjoyed the mystery. Between the mask and his mysterious agenda, she’d had that sensation again. Like she was someone else. Someone just as mysterious and alluring as the man who’d held her in his arms.
But still…
She had this overwhelming sensation when she’d walked away that she was missing a piece of the puzzle. Or perhaps, many pieces.
She had the corners and a few random pieces from the middle, but there were too many gaping holes for her to rest easy.
