Page 92 of My Gentleman Spy
“Don’t think that just because you have come back to London that you have any right to tell me what to do Will. I am a grown woman. I shall decide if I want another glass of champagne, not you,” repliedEve.
To Hattie’s surprise, Freddie stepped in at this point and attempted to calm thingsdown.
“Now Will my good chap, how about I take Eve for a turn around the gardens. The fresh air might return her to good humor. Rest assured we shall remain in full public sight on the mainpaths.”
Hattie knew the look on Will’s face all too well. It was his, “I would love to punchyou in the throat, but society won’t let me” look. They all knew he was being played, but Eve and Freddie were masters of getting their ownway.
“Fifteen minutes no longer, or Francis and I shall come looking for you,” Will groundout.
Eve’s demeanor immediately changed and she took hold of Freddie’s arm, half dragging him out of the supper box and toward the nearestpath.
Hattie knew enough about Vauxhall to know that there were other paths that lovers could take which took them off the main walk. Those paths were not well lit and all manner of scandalous behavior was known to take place in the bushes which were dotted alongthem.
“So, Hattie, where did you first meet Will?” askedCaroline.
Will came and sat besideHattie.
“At St. Paul’s, she was there with her brother,” hesaid.
Hattie took another sip of her champagne, as she quietly absorbed Will’s lie of how they hadmet.
It was quite some time before Eve and Freddie finally returned to the group. As they approached, Hattie caught the look of frustrated anger that Francis and Willexchanged.
“We got lost, must have taken a wrong turn,” explained Freddie,unconvincingly.
Releasing Eve’s hand, he stepped away. A grinning Eve came and sat next to Hattie andCaroline.
The look Will gave Freddie would have melted the sun, but he said nothing. Freddie was no doubt relying on the fact that they were in the company of others to save hisskin.
At some point before the evening was over, she suspected Freddie and Will would be having a private, but unpleasantconversation.
“You need to be more careful,” whisperedCaroline.
Caroline pulled a leaf off the back of her sister’s cloak, and another one from out of her hair. She flicked the leaf away, but not before Hattie and Eve had both caught sight ofit.
“Oh,” Eve murmured,blushing.
Caroline made a quick, but not too obvious inspection of the rest of Eve's hair and clothing. Whatever had taken place between Eve and Freddie during their walk, it was clear things were progressing toward an inevitablewedding.
Hattie was surprised at her own reaction to Eve's indiscretion. The Hattie of a few months ago would have frowned upon such behavior. She would have viewed Eve as a lush to permit a young man such liberties with herperson.
Now that she knew the raw pleasure that came from being with a man she viewed things very differently. The heat which flared within her body, revealed her own longing to be touched andpossessed.
She chanced a look at Will. He had quietly retracted his claws, returning to the well contained persona he had adopted for thenight.
Disappointment flared. There would be no chance of Will dragging her off into the bushes to take liberties with her body. She stifled a snort. Where had that wicked notion comefrom?
From knowing that you wanthim.
And there it was. The indisputable fact that she did want Will. That she ached for him to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. Whatever liberties he demanded of her, she would willinglygive.
This was another of those moments when she wished they were back on the ship and lying naked in one another’s arms. Things were simpler then. She knew exactly what she wanted. A brief affair and noties.
He turned and gave her a smile. It was as if he could read her mind. She smiled back, helpless to resist the lure of hischarm.
Ending things with him would shatter her heart into a thousandpieces.
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