Page 12 of Treating a Sinful Earl
“Remain steady,” Jasper advised, as much for himself as for his friend.
“How am I to remain steady when my entire body is trembling. My word, she is a beautiful creature.”
Not as beautiful as Catherine, Jasper wished to say.
“Let us approach at once,” Jasper said.
“Immediately? She will know of my desperation.”
“It will help to calm your nerves, I assure you. They will only grow if you delay.”
Felton seemed to heed Jasper’s advice, for he approached Abigail with Jasper trailing just behind him. Sure enough, once they were before her, Abigail took out her fan, but Catherine did not. Wonder of wonders, she was even more beautiful than the last time that he beheld her.
“Ladies, I am so happy to see that you attended,” Felton said, bowing his head.
“I would not miss it for the world,” Abigail said, still beating her fan. “The Duke is a close friend of mine, as is the duchess. Their parties are always capital. Do you not agree, Lady Trowbridge?” Abigail turned towards Catherine with a smile upon her lips.
Catherine finally spoke, and her voice was music to Jasper’s ears. “I am glad that you convinced me to come.” She finally turned her eyes upon him. “I must say that I felt trepidation, but Lady Hatcher is trying to get me to be more social.”
Jasper grinned like a schoolboy. “Mr Andrews forced me to attend, as well. And I am happy that he did, for it is pleasant to encounter you once more.”
Oh, was Jasper saying too much? No, from the delighted expression upon Catherine’s face, he knew that she was pleased by his statement. “I feel much the same, my lord.”
“Please, call me Simmons. We are already acquainted with one another.”
“Simmons,” she said warmly. “And do feel free to use my given name.”
Little did she know that her given name had been reverberating in his head for several days now. To him, Catherine was the most beautiful name that he had ever heard. “Yes, if you are comfortable, I shall call you Catherine.”
In the silence that followed, Jasper knew that both Abigail and Felton were staring at him. But he could not pull his eyes away from Catherine. Selina’s arrival broke the reverie. “I am so sorry that I am late. Oh!” she exclaimed, spotting Jasper. “My lord, I am so surprised that you have come.”
“We were just remarking upon that,” Jasper went on. “Mr Andrews insisted that I attend. He is the only man on this earth who can convince me to do anything,” Jasper quipped.
“Then we are so happy that is true,” Selina said. “For you have been absent from such events for far too long.”
Yes, according to the eager look on Catherine’s face when he glanced at her, he had been absent for too long.
Chapter 6
Catherine felt utterly bereft of words as she watched Jasper confidently conversing with her friends. How was it that she thought of him so frequently, and now, when she was in his presence, she was as quiet as a mouse? If only she were more like Abigail. Then, she could be the one to speak wittily and play hard to get. No, Simmons did not seem like the kind of man that cared for such things. He was so open and genuine. She continued to listen as he spoke.
“What pains me most about society is the artifice. Why must one pretend to be something that they are not? I suppose that I was raised to believe that such great pains were unnecessary. Life should be simple, in my estimation,” Simmons said.
“Nothing is simple,” Mr Andrews assured him. “If life were simple, then there would be no excitement.”
Abigail added, “I see that you like a good challenge, Mr Andrews.”
“Please, call me Fenton.”
Catherine had to conceal a laugh. This was Mr Andrews flirting with Abigail! And of course, he was flirting with her. Abigail was open and gregarious, everything that Catherine was not. At least, not on this occasion.
Selina nudged Catherine. “Perhaps you and the Earl should dance,” she said in a whisper.
“I could not possibly,” Catherine whispered back.
“Why not?”
“Because I am sure that I shall stumble.”
