Her Secret Beau: A Touches 0f Austen Novel Bok 3 Read online

  Charles chuckled. This young woman sounded more like Linton’s cantankerous Aunt Gwladys than a young lady of the ton. Most young ladies who presented themselves during the season went out of their way to appear demure to one and all – always.

  “Do you scold everyone?” he teased as he did as she said.

  If he had expected her to be offended, he was once again going to be surprised, for she merely smiled, batted her lashes, and replied, “No, I scold very few beyond my brother actually.”

  “So, I am special,” he returned.

  She shrugged. “Perhaps you are. Or perhaps I just find you as troublesome as Griffin.”

  “I think I will insist you find me special.”

  “Do what you will; it matters not one jot to me,” she retorted.

  Her words might have said she did not care, but her tone clearly said she was annoyed.

  “As I was saying…”

  “Before you began scolding.” Charles smiled at her huff.

  “Before I had to pause to give instructions.”

  Charles chuckled. “Continue. I shall not refuse until you have said your piece.”

  “Refuse? You intend to refuse?”

  “Most likely. But, I have not heard your request in full, so I cannot be certain I am correct until I do. I have been wrong before.”

  Her brows rose, and her lips pursed for a moment as if she were holding back some retort.

  “There will not be very many people in our box. If you slip in a side door or something and scurry up to the box, you will not have to have many people gawk at you.”

  “You think I am worried about being seen?”

  “I would be if my eye were the colour of yours. That is why you are riding here and not in a more populated place, is it not? And, I have not seen you at any events since…well…” she pointed to her eye.

  “I will admit that I do not relish the whispers.” Why he felt he needed to admit such a thing was beyond him. He could come up with any number of reasons to be riding where he was and for not having been at any soiree she had attended. A smile slipped slowly across his face. “Have you missed me?”

  “What?” She shook her head vigorously. “No. I just noticed that I had not seen you slinking from shadow to shadow.”

  “If you say so.”

  “I do.” She scowled. “Now, will you be joining us? I am certain no one would be in the least put out if you did.”

  “How reassuring,” Charles muttered.

  “Please,” Constance added from the interior of the carriage. “I do feel dreadful that you have been out of society. It must be terribly boring sitting at home instead of going out.”

  “Who said I was sitting at home?” He smiled a lazy, suggestive smile.

  “Henry,” Constance replied.

  Blast! Did Henry tell her everything?

  “Very well, I have been hiding away. Are you happy to know my shame?”

  “Only if it means you will join us,” said Miss Barrett.

  “Can you not muster an ounce of sympathy?” he asked in surprise. Were not young ladies – especially those who did charity work – supposed to be compassionate?

  She shook her head. “No. Not a morsel. While I am awfully sorry you were injured, I do believe you have escaped more times than you have been caught.”

  The lady might look like an angel, but she had a heart of ice. However, ice could be melted. In fact, it could be quite a marvelous lark to attempt to melt that ice.

  “Very well, I will join you if you will but attempt to feel an ounce of pity for me.”

  The way her lips pursed with contained amusement was tempting. “A full ounce?”

  “Yes.” He moved closer to her door. “A full ounce.” He repeated the words in a low, sultry tone – slowly and deliberately. Satisfaction curled his lips as he saw her pretty nibble-worthy neck rise and fall when she swallowed.

  She licked her lips. “I shall make an attempt.”

  “Then, I shall see you at the theatre.”

  “Very good.”

  He chuckled at the uncertainty in her voice. Again, he tipped his hat to the closed carriage door and watched it drive away before continuing on his way home to prepare for an evening of entertainment – and a play.

  Acknowledgements

  There are many who have had a part in the creation of this story. Some have read and commented on it. Some have proofread for grammatical errors and plot holes. Others have not even read the story and a few, I know, will never read it. However, their encouragement and belief in my ability, as well as their patience when I became cranky or when supper was late or the groceries ran low, was invaluable.

  And so, I would like to say thank you to Zoe, Rose, Kristine, Ben, and Kyle, as well as my Sweet Tuesday readers on Patreon and my blog, who followed this story as it developed and waited, as patiently as one might do, from one Tuesday to the next to read a new chapter. I feel blessed through your help, support, and understanding.

  I have not listed my dear husband in the above group because, to me, he deserves his own special thank you, for, without his somewhat pushy insistence that I start sharing my writing, none of my writing goals and dreams would have been met.

  Other Leenie B Books

  You can find all of Leenie’s books at this link

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  where you can explore the collections below

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  Other Pens, Mansfield Park

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  Touches of Austen Collection

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  Dash of Darcy and Companions Collection

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  Marrying Elizabeth Series

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  Willow Hall Romances

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  The Choices Series

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  Darcy Family Holidays

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  Darcy and… An Austen-Inspired Collection

  About the Author

  Leenie Brown has always been a girl with an active imagination, which, while growing up, was both an asset, providing many hours of fun as she played out stories, and a liability, when her older sister and aunt would tell her frightening tales. At one time, they had her convinced Dracula lived in the trunk at the end of the bed she slept in when visiting her grandparents!

  Although it has been years since she cowered in her bed in her grandparents’ basement, she still has an imagination which occasionally runs away with her, and she feeds it now as she did then ─ by reading!

  Her heroes, when growing up, were authors, and the worlds they painted with words were (and still are) her favourite playgrounds! Now, as an adult, she spends much of her time in the Regency world, playing with the characters from her favourite Jane Austen novels and those of her own creation.

  When she is not traipsing down a trail in an attempt to keep up with her imagination, Leenie resides in the beautiful province of Nova Scotia with her two sons and her very own Mr. Brown (a wonderful mix of all the best of Darcy, Bingley, and Edmund with a healthy dose of the teasing Mr. Tilney and just a dash of the scolding Mr. Knightley).

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