Page 14 of A Promising Little Scandal (Sensual Scandals)

As first impressions went, Calliope wouldn’t have imagined them to be the sort who enjoyed digging in the sand for fossils. However, after a bit of chatting, she learned that Joseph was an apprentice to an upholsterer and hoped to take up the trade soon, which would leave Mary to do most of the collecting. He shrugged. “She’s the one who’s really got a knack for finding them.”

As the vicar chose to take his place at the altar, they took to their seats, as it was nearly time for the service to begin. Unfortunately, Calliope found herself sitting next to Lord Blakely and entirely too close to him for comfort. “Must you be everywhere I go?” she whispered irritably the moment the vicar started speaking.

He grinned unabashedly. “Bad penny, remember?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m glad you’re enjoying this.” She glanced around and said, “Did you not bring your delightful grandfather with you today?”

“He preferred to stay behind this time.”

“Mayhap that’s for the best,” Calliope murmured in return. “He might have become a pillar of salt should he make it as far as the sanctuary.”

After that remark, they fell silent for a time. It was difficult for her not to fidget when she was seated next to him. He smelled quite… enticing, and she didn’t like it. She would have much preferred he smelled like refuse, rather than soap and some sort of woodsy scent that made her all too aware of his masculinity.

Nevertheless, she turned her focus on the pulpit, even though she couldn’t have recounted a single word the vicar was saying. She was more curious about her companion, in that he actually seemed to be paying attention to the sermon. She wondered if he was interested in what the man had to say, or if he was merely pretending to be as engaged as she was. In truth, it was difficult to concentrate when his muscular thigh was pressing so close to hers. She could feel the pulsing heat of his body even through her skirts. It was distracting and it irritated her more than his unwanted presence.

Not that was he wasn’t welcome in church, but anywhere near her, certainly.

She slid a glance at him and wondered how he could appear so calm and unaffected when she had to dig her fan out of her reticule and wave it in front of her overly heated face. She prayed she wasn’t flushed from the warmth, for a red face did not match well with the shade of her hair.

With all the transgressions she was adding to her list when it came to the viscount, it was probably a good thing this wasn’t a Catholic church. If so, she might have waved her list in front of him while suggesting that he go to confession. No doubt he would be there for some time, as his personal sins were likely rather numerous as well.

She had heard about his exploits in London, of course. The ladies of society were eager to open their fans, along with their mouths, when it came to sharing the latest on dits. For some reason, she found it disconcerting to imagine him surrounded by so many adoring mistresses when she shouldn’t care one whit about his sordid lifestyle.

And yet…

When someone had mentioned he’d nearly made it to the altar once before, she had to wonder if he’d truly been in love.

Granted, with the recent marriages of her sisters, Araminta and Olivia, Calliope was curious what it might feel like. While she could see the adoration clearly written on their faces when they looked at their husbands, the same went for Grey and Miles when they regarded their wives, she couldn’t help but wonder how they had all made it to that point. What sort of characteristics might one possess to cause another to fall so madly in love, to the point they would give up whatever worldly possessions they had just to be with that person? And how might you know it was everlasting, or merely an infatuation that might fade with time?

Calliope had grown up under the impression that men liked simpering females, because it was in their nature to be protective. But if that were the case, then Minty shouldn’t have caught Grey’s eye, since she was one of the most stubborn females Calliope had ever known. And what about the ideal that men liked women who were accomplished, but not intelligent? Females were expected to be ignorant of anything regarding science or politics, but at the same time, were expected to command a veritable army of servants when it came to holding lavish parties, and then talk about nothing more involved than the weather or the latest fashions?

It just didn’t make sense to her.

Honestly it all sounded like a lot of…

Hogwash.

“You’re thinking of giving a pig a bath during prayer?”

Calliope shot her gaze to the viscount, and then to the vicar who was speaking in soft tones. She looked around at the rest of the congregation who were bowing their heads reverently, and then quickly lowered her chin and hoped that it would hide the blush that she could feel creeping over her face. “Oh, stuff it,” she muttered.

“Just tell me when and where,” came the dry rejoinder.

As the service ended, she realized she wouldn’t be taking anything away with her that might help her immortal soul. She sighed heavily as she got to her feet. Mrs. Anning came over to her with a smile. “I hope you enjoyed the sermon, my lady.”

“I did, indeed,” she returned evenly, praying that the Lord wouldn’t smite her for lying so boldly in His house.

“Yes,” the viscount murmured at her side. “Very enlightening, to be sure.”

It was all she could do not to kick him in the shins. Nevertheless, she adopted a false bravado and said, “Since I’m sure you have much planned today, I shall bid you farewell—”

“On the contrary,” he contradicted smoothly. “My grandfather requested a day of rest without my ‘blasted presence underfoot,’ and I do believe those were his exact words.”

“Imagine that,” she returned sweetly. “I should very much enjoy the same.”

He merely scoffed lightly and said, “You wound me, truly. But I fear I have entirely too much free time on my hands, and since Joseph offered to be my guide—”

“You don’t like fossils,” she snapped, seeing the perfect day she’d had planned wither before her very eyes.

He leaned a bit closer and said with a wink, “Maybe not fossils, but there is something on the coast I would very much like to pursue today.” He grinned broadly. “Shall we head out and partake of this lovely afternoon the Lord has provided for us?”

As he strode toward the exit, Calliope clenched her fists and told herself that she would not curse in church. But then, if He had made man in his image, then He surely knew how frustrating this blasted man could be.

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