Page 21 of The Charming Words of a Common Scoundrel
Clara glanced down at her dress as she sat in the carriage with her parents. The skirt was layers of silver and blue that gave her an ethereal look.
“No missteps tonight, Clara,” her father stated.
He hadn’t even bothered to look at her. Clara should be hurt, but it was so typical of the man who had ignored her most of her life, leaving her rearing to her mother. He never bothered with any of them, content he had done his duty by getting her mother with child. He spent a little more time with Henry because Henry was his heir, but truly the only person he cared about was himself. She wanted to scream at him to look at her, but she knew if he did it would be with complete indifference. Instead, she said, “Yes, Father.”
Her mother leaned forward and smiled at her. Any other lady’s smile would have come across as charming, but her mother’s filled Clara with dread. Her mother rarely bestowed a smile upon her.
“Tonight's the night we will announce your betrothal.”
Clara’s eyes widened in shock. Her stomach twisted in knots. “My betrothal,” she said hoarsely.
Her mother’s smile turned taunting. Her father appeared indifferent to the announcement as always.
“So, the arrangements have been finalized?”
Her mother sat back and straightened herself. “They have. How fortunate are you? After your stunt in the park, I was worried Dolan wouldn’t be interested but luckily for you that isn’t the case.”
Did that make her lucky? Clara didn’t feel that way. She wanted to scream or demand that she at least spend time with him, but she knew it was a worthless request. Her parents' only plan for her or Diana was how they could best use them to their advantage. The carriage came to a stop outside the Earl of Hasting’s townhouse and Clara pasted a demure smile on her face.
~
Sam strolled through Lord Hasting’s ballroom, his usual smiling self. He walked past the hostess Lady Hasting, laughing with a small group of ladies. They seemed to be baring their souls to her. Sam shook his head. Lady Hasting was a notorious gossip who Sam would bet was one of the primary sources of the scandal sheets. Sam scanned the room hoping to catch a glimpse of Dolan. They had been at the same events before, but Sam never paid him any attention. Tonight, he wanted to see him, study the man who could cause so much pain.
His gaze, however, didn’t catch Dolan but a blonde head that could only be Clara. She was with her parents and the trio looked terrifyingly unapproachable. The Ice Princess was back, looking haughty and beautiful. She was wrapped in a silver blue fabric that hugged her slender waist. Her hair trailed down her back in ringlets. Yes, she looked like some unapproachable but irresistible enchanted being. He willed her to look his way, but she didn’t.
“Did you hear the rumors?” Lady Hawley whispered, startling him.
He smiled at her. She was dressed in a way that would entice even a saint. Her black hair was tied up with the tiniest ribbon, tempting any man to want to pull it free. She was swathed in a lacy black and red dress with her ample bosom overflowing from the top. Her husband was a bloody fool. He wasn’t sure what had occurred between the two of them, but they barely tolerated each other in public.
“What rumor would that be?”
Lady Hawley giggled, and Sam glanced Clara’s way. Their eyes did connect then. She stared at him briefly, and Sam smiled at her. She turned away without any response, surprising him.
“The Duke of Claremore is to announce the Ice Princess’s betrothal tonight. It will be the talk of thetonfor weeks.”
Sam couldn’t keep the shock off his face. She looked at him quizzically. How did he explain to her that he felt like he lost something that was never his? He looked at Clara as the Marquess of Dolan approached her and her parents. The marquess bowed before Clara, and she recoiled slightly. No, it couldn’t be. Sam’s heart hammered. His gaze swung back to Lady Hawley. Her gaze was darting back and forth between him and Clara. She gasped.
“Who?” he said, giving up on coyness.
“The Marquess of Dolan,” she whispered.
Damn it. Sam excused himself.
~
Clara made her way back to the ballroom after taking a short break in the lady’s salon. She was grateful for the short reprieve from her parents and Dolan. He had acted the part of the perfect gentleman, but upon closer inspection, Clara noticed his eyes had roamed over her as if she were a mere toy or object he was about to acquire. She hoped she was being silly; she needed it to be that. She rounded the corner and a large hand snaked out from an open door. She attempted to scream, but the hand clamped over her mouth.
“Shhh...it’s me,” Sam whispered.
Her eyes flashed. “What are you doing?” she hissed.
The last thing she needed was to be found with Sam Kincaide. Then why did her heart leap for joy at the sight of him?
He frowned at her with concern. “How are you?”
She smiled at him, her friend. Happy to see him even though their last two encounters were awkward.
“I’m fine.”
