Page 4 of A Duke for Stealing
“Oooh, the intrigue!” Lotty squealed, rubbing her hands. “Of course, I swear!”
“Me too!” Olivia said excitedly.
I swear, I swear, now tell!” Georgina eagerly replied.
Harriett smiled mischievously at her friends, her silence building their anticipation until even Rose and Ophelia were practically trembling with excitement.
“Ladies, I have had a lover,” Harriett announced, wagging her blonde brows.
The silence that followed was deafening, but it quickly came crashing down as Harriett’s three friends began to steal excitedly.
“You lie!”
“Naughty girl!”
“What was it like?”
“Hush, hush, hush,” Harriett commanded her friends,
“I certainly do not lie, and I am not naughty! It is only naughty when such a thing is planned, and this was purely a moment of passion. And to answer your question, Georgina, it was…oh, it was the most exciting experience I have ever had!” she went on, replying to her friends in order.
“But what of your marriage? Is it not next week?” Lotty asked.
“What of it?” Harriett asked with a shrug. “Everett Duskwell is handsome, rich, and now a Duke, yes, but he is also a known rake. It is only fair that I have had a dalliance of my own, and better to do it before the wedding than after. At least I will not have broken any vows.”
She paused, nibbling at her lower lip.
“And truth be told, it is good that we are getting married so soon,” Harriett went on, touching her hands to her stomach, “For my mystery lover has left me with a bundle of joy.”
Rose had not realized she’d been holding her breath until it whooshed out of her like a great wind. She lost the sound of the voices inside, the words of Harriett’s secret playing loudly within her head. She straightened, slow and stunned, and backed away from the door.
“Rose? Rose! Are you alright?”
Rose snapped back to the present. Ophelia was standing before, giving her shoulders a shake.
“Did you hear that?” Rose rasped, looking wide-eyed at the balcony doors.
“Oh, worry not, they are gone now,” Ophelia replied.
“No! I did not ask if they heard us! I asked if you had heard what Harriett had said!”
To her surprise, Ophelia laughed.
“Of course I did,” she replied. “Scintillating, is it not? Who would have thought that such a well-brought-up prim like Harriett would be bold enough to behave so scandalously! Oh, how I would love to spread that gossip! After all the talking she and her friends have done about us?”
Rose’s mouth gaped open.
“You cannot be serious!” She vehemently whispered.
Ophelia rolled her eyes.
“Worry not. It is not as if I am truly going to do it. I would not dare stoop to their level of pettiness. Still, it would be fun to give them a taste of their medicine, do you not agree?”
“I am not concerned about them!” Rose exclaimed. “I am speaking of Everett!”
Ophelia frowned and appeared confused.
“What does that matter? Harriett was right, he is a known rake. I think it is quite fitting that he has found himself engaged to a trollop.”
