Page 41 of The Study of Seduction
But it had finally sunk in with Mama that Clarissa would be marrying at last, and the man’s insinuations couldn’t ruin that for her. “A week, you say? Well.” She patted Clarissa’s shoulder. “I do wish you’d told me sooner, my dear, for we could have started the wedding preparations that much earlier. But no matter. Have you talked about when to marry? Where?”
“Mama,” Clarissa said, “let us discuss this later, if you please.”
“Why? We’ve no time to waste. We must start thinking about it all.” She began to muse aloud. “You could marry in St. Paul’s Cathedral. But it would have to be in summer, for the cathedral is very damp, even in spring. Or perhaps St. James’s? No, too small.” She turned to her friends. “What do you think? She could marry from home, but I would prefer a London wedding.”
Mama’s friends agreed with her, of course. A London wedding in a prominent church would be the height of fashion.
In the meantime, the rest of their guests were whispering about Clarissa and Edwin and their secret engagement. Her stomach roiled. By the time she and Edwin left the theater, everyone in the place would have heard of it.
And all thanks to the meddling Count Durand. The next time the man’s back was turned, she was liable to push him right off the balcony!
But she dared not let him see her true feelings. Given how intently he watched her, he was waiting for her to explode, waiting for her to give something away. She wouldnotgive him the satisfaction.
“Oh, well,” she said as if she hadn’t a care in the world. “It’s probably a blessing in disguise that the count revealed our secret.” With a syrupy smile, she stared adoringly up at Edwin. “It has been so hard to hide it from everyone, has it not?”
Edwin gazed down at her, his expression bland. “Yes, very hard.”
“And now we don’t have to.” She forced a smile to her lips for the count’s benefit. “Thank you for that, sir.”
Count Durand’s eyes narrowed on them both. Ha! If he thought she was going to fall into hysterics because of his machinations, he was daft.
Fortunately, the music started up just then. “The next piece is beginning,” she said brightly. “You’d all better hurry back to your boxes, or you’ll miss it.” She couldn’twaitto be rid of the count, so she could talk to Edwin alone.
Of course Mama was having none of that. “Nonsense, Edwin has plenty of room here. They can all remain. Why not? It’s a celebration of your impending wedding.”
Stifling a groan, Clarissa said meaningfully, “I’m sure Count Durand is eager to get Lady Anne back to her mother.”
When Mama paled, it was obvious she hadn’t meant to include the count in her invitation. But she could hardly take it back now.
Especially since Lady Anne had apparently decided that Clarissa’s loss could be her gain. “No reason for that. I’ll just pop down and tell Mama where the count and I are. I’m sure we’d love to stay here.” She tucked her hand in the crook of the count’s arm. “Wouldn’t we, sir?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” the wretch drawled.
“No doubt,” Edwin gritted out.
Lord, what a mess! As she and Edwin took their seats, she noticed Mama trying to remedy the situation by inviting Lady Anne and the count to sit beside her. But Count Durand was having none of that, and he and Lady Anne situated themselves right behind Edwin and Clarissa.
Clarissa could only sit there stewing. However would she get a chance to talk to Edwin about how to deal with their “engagement”?
Edwin must have realized her state of mind, for as the scene began, he gave her hand a quick, furtive squeeze.
Meeting his gaze, she mouthed the words, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he mouthed back. “It will be fine.”
She wasn’t so sure.
The next hour was an agony. Too upset over the count’s meddling, she couldn’t concentrate on the hodgepodge of songs and comical scenes that made up the second piece.
Was she just imagining it, or was Count Durand’s gaze boring into her back? Having him behind her and not knowing for certain if his eyes were fixed on her made her skin crawl. There was something distinctly wrong with that man.
Either that or she did actually put off an inexplicable scent or air orsomethingthat made men want to possess her at any cost. She always seemed to be fending off gentlemen who bullied their way into her life.
Except for Edwin, of course. She didn’t have to fendhimoff. Ever since their kiss, he’d gone back to keeping a discreet distance between them.
So when she slid a glance in his direction, she was surprised to find him watching her with that dark, brooding look he got sometimes, the one that roused a strange quivering low in her belly.
It made no sense. He didn’t like her. He didn’t approve of her. Why must he look at her that way, as if he were trying to understand her better? Edwin didn’t want to understand anybody, especially her. Did he?
