Читать книгу To Court, Capture and Conquer - Amanda McCabe, Amanda McCabe - Страница 7

“Aunt Bess, who is that man?”

Lady Elizabeth Gilbert stared fixedly at the stage below and tried to ignore the man who sat across the playhouse, watching her. She was all too aware of his attention; it was as if she could feel the regard of his gray eyes on her skin, and it burned like the glow of summer sunshine. It made her long to jump out of her seat, to run, and it took every bit of her strength to hold on to her calm, still demeanor.

Or maybe it was Jane he watched. Her beautiful, sweet niece attracted attention wherever she went, even though Jane took no notice of it at all. That was probably why Elizabeth’s sister and her brutish husband kept the girl locked up all the time. It had taken all Elizabeth’s persuasions to get them to allow the poor child this outing. Jane was sixteen now; she deserved a little enjoyment in life before she was rushed into marriage, as Elizabeth had been at her age.

But Elizabeth’s marital ordeal was over. She had been a widow these two years now, since she was twenty-three. Jane’s hadn’t even begun. The poor, dear girl.

“What man, Jane?” she said, once she was sure her voice would be steady. Edward Hartley always had that effect on her, curse him. He was much too handsome, challenging her stern resolve to be done with men.

“That one in the box over there, of course! The man who was staring at you,” said Jane. “What a splendid doublet he’s wearing. Does everyone at Court dress like that?”

“When they are rich show-offs like Edward Hartley, they do,” Elizabeth murmured.

“Edward Hartley? Is that his name?”

“Lord Edward Hartley. He is the son of the earl of Pensworth.”

“An earl! And handsome, too.” Jane’s eyes, usually as blue and vacant as the summer sky, sharpened. “He does seem to admire you, Aunt Bess. He keeps looking at you like he’s starving and you’re a haunch of beef.”

Did he indeed? Elizabeth struggled not to peek to see if that was true. A haunch of beef! “He looks at all women. He’s one of the most notorious flirts at Court.”

“Really? Oh, I do wish I could go to Court and see it all for myself!”

“It’s very dull at Court, Jane. There’s naught to do all day but read and play primero, and listen to idle gossip.” And watch Edward Hartley whenever she thought he would not catch her at it. He didn’t need any more boosts to his vanity. All the young beauties at Court already chased after him, and he didn’t need a sensible widow doing the same.

Yet somehow she did not feel so very “sensible” when he was around. He made her wonder what it would be like to be in the bed of a man like that, instead of her old, wrinkled, grasping husband. What it would be like to kiss him, touch him, to have a lover she wanted? With one careless smile he made her feel…

Well, he made her feel things she never had before. Certainly not with her husband, whose fumblings and proddings under the sheets made her feel only cold and nauseous. But Court gossip said Lord Edward was most skilled.

Elizabeth dared to glance at him from under the narrow brim of her hat. He watched the stage now, and she could study him in safety for a moment without fear of discovery. He was known as one of the most handsome men in a palace filled with good-looking, well-dressed men, and with good reason. He had waving, glossy dark brown hair worn a little too long, brushing the high collar of his purple satin doublet. His face, all sharp, elegant angles, was bronzed, as if he spent much time in outdoor exercise and not just lurking in palace corridors. Though he was clean-shaven there was a shadow of beard along his hard jaw, and a gleaming pearl earring dangled there, white next to the dark skin.

The doublet was cut fashionably close to his body, hugging his strong shoulders and lean, muscled chest. He was no pale, doughy courtier, but a warrior.

A warrior who, it was rumored, spent much time on battlefields of romance, making conquests in the bedchamber.

Well, Elizabeth had no use for romance, or men who were too attractive and blatantly sensual, no matter what stray fantasies came into her mind. Her marriage had been a miserable disaster, and she was free at last to live her own life.

But surely life could include passion without marriage, if a woman was careful.…

Nay! Not for her. Not with Edward Hartley.

“How can Court be dull, Aunt Bess?” Jane said. She watched the stage with a dreamy glow in her eyes. The clown had been dragged offstage by a tall, furious-looking man and replaced by the pair of young lovers whose elopement started the action. They held hands and gazed into each other’s eyes as they uttered sweet vows of eternal love.

That surely wouldn’t end well.

“You hear tales of balls and pageants, Jane, and think every day at Court must be like that,” Elizabeth said. “Yet it seldom is. Mostly it is just passing time.” And that was surely why she was having such ridiculous daydreams of Edward Hartley—she was bored. She needed to travel again, refurbish her house, distract herself.