Page 9 of The Rake I Wished For
Harlow forced a smile and nodded.
He now had more secrets than he could handle.
CHAPTERTHREE
Jane watchedJocelyn finish getting ready for the dinner party with a furrowed brow.
“I do wish you’d stop staring at me like that,” Jocelyn finally said with a huff as she set down her brush.
Jane leaned back on Jocelyn’s bed, resting on her elbows, but never ceasing with that quizzical stare.
She’d been staring at Jocelyn like that ever since she’d told her of her plan.
Finally, Jocelyn turned to face her friend head on. “What is it?”
“I’m sorry, it’s just…you’re normally soclever.” Jane’s brows knitted further in confusion.
Jocelyn rolled her eyes. “You think it’s a terrible plan.”
“I didn’t say that, I just meant…” The petite, auburn-haired beauty sat up straight with a sigh. “Yes. I think it’s a terrible plan.”
Jocelyn frowned and for a moment they stayed like that, staring at one another like opposing pugilists preparing for a fight.
Jane finally relented with a sigh. “All right, tell me more about this victim of yours.”
Jocelyn laughed at the description. “I’d hardly call him my victim.”
“Your target then,” Jane said with a roll of her eyes.
“I’ve told you about Captain Hinds before,” Jocelyn said, turning back to the mirror to pinch her cheeks.
“Oh yes, he’s the cad who’s forever fawning over you whenever you join your brother for house parties and the like.”
“That’s the one.”
“But…” Jane shot to her feet. “You’ve made him out to be some sort of…of…”
Jocelyn paused in her pinching. “Rake?” she offered helpfully.
“Precisely. Aren’t you worried that he’ll take advantage?”
Jocelyn smiled. “I’m rather counting on the fact that he will.”
“But…” Jane frowned. “If you’re caught…”
A flicker of fear raced through Jocelyn, but she gave her head a shake. She’d thought this through. “We won’t be caught. At least, not by strangers. That’s why I’ve involved you in my plans.”
Jane was quiet for a moment. “Me and Harlow, you mean.”
Jocelyn stilled. Memories from the dinner party at her brother’s home had been nagging at her for weeks now.
She hadn’t seen Harlow since, and for that she was glad.
But truly she hadn’t seen much of anyone since. Most of good society had headed to the country already, including her brother and Rose, and her friends from Madame Bellafonte’s finishing school, Delilah and Isabelle. And of course, the fifth member of their little troupe of friends, Daffodil, had married the Duke of Hathsire and was off enjoying wedded bliss.
Or so Jocelyn hoped.
She herself didn’t see how wedded and bliss could possibly be used in the same sentence, but then again, she wasn’t a sweet romantic like Daffodil.
