Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
* * *
He stared before throwing his head back in laughter. “Pun intended I suppose.”
* * *
“Of course,” she said, still grinning at him.
* * *
He leaned toward her, and then paused, looking her in the eye. “May I?”
* * *
She nodded jerkily, swallowing. He closed the distance between them, pressing his lips firmly against hers in a kiss of gratitude. “I promise you, I shall endeavor to resolve my dilemmas as fast as possible.”
* * *
She reached out and caressed his arm. “I know you will. But pray, do not feel pressured. I meant it when I said I will be patient.”
* * *
He bent forward kissing her again. “I will take care of you,” he whispered. “You shall not suffer for this.”
* * *
“I know it.” She nodded and smiled, leaning back against the divan with a sigh. “I suppose I should get dressed.”
* * *
He sighed with regret. “I suppose you must. Do so, and I shall escort you home. I do believe it has stopped raining.”
The urge to hum as she did her embroidery was strong. The only thing stopping her was that her sisters and aunt were already giving her strange looks. No one had said a word about her disappearance yesterday, or the fact that the duke brought her back home. She had been afraid that what she’d been up to would show on her face somehow; that they would look at her and know what she’d done.
* * *
So far, no one had said a word about it and she was trying her best to act normally. It was difficult because she was seized with the urge to skip along the corridors and sing merry songs or laugh out loud for no reason. She almost felt as if she might be losing her mind. With everything up in the air as it was, she had no right to be feeling so happy.
* * *
But she could not help herself.
* * *
She bent her head to hide her smile, focusing on her embroidery.
* * *
“You’re very quiet today, Janice. Is everything alright?”
* * *
She looked up to see aunt Leticia watching her with concern. “Oh! I am fine - more than fine?”
* * *
Leticia looked surprised. “Me? I am very well.”
* * *
“I’m well too,” Anne cut in cheekily.
* * *
“Me as well,” Emily said grinning.
* * *
“Wonderful. We’re all fine,” Janice said drily.
* * *
“And how was your walk yesterday?” Emily asked at once, putting her embroidery onto her lap and leaning forward eagerly.
* * *
“It was no different from my other walks. Why do you ask?” Janice asked.
* * *
“Well, perhaps because His Grace brought you back. Perhaps because you’re glowing,” Anne said coyly.
* * *
“Oh…well. The duke and I were able to come to a rapprochement and I will admit that that makes me very happy.”
* * *
Anne dropped her embroidery and came running over to Janice’s seat. She squeezed her shoulders, grinning with happiness. “Oh Janice, that is so wonderful.”
* * *
Janice’s cheekbones hurt with how hard she was smiling. “I think so too.”
* * *
They both squealed excitedly. Emily smiled, putting down her embroidery and coming over to join in the celebration. “It is wonderful to see you so happy again, sister. We were worried.”
* * *
“Yes, we were,” Leticia chimed in, coming over as well.
* * *
Janice got to her feet and let them all embrace her. “Well, you can stop worrying now. Everything will be fine.”
Arthur decided it was time to go and see his mother again. He hated going to Bedlam, especially because his mother didn’t recognize him. He would brace himself but it did not stop it from hurting every time.
* * *
But if he was to know how to proceed, he had to look her straight in the eye, and decide what revenge was worth to both of them. He left early in the morning, not even stopping to eat some breakfast first. He arrived in London in the early evening and retired to his rented rooms.
* * *
Feeling the bite of hunger, and after staring at the ceiling for an inadvertent amount of time, he decided to make his way to the White’s for some steak and wine to help him fall asleep. The club was fairly empty and he chose a seat in a secluded corner, not anywhere in the mood to talk to anyone.
* * *
Nevertheless, he kept his ear out for any talk to do with the Ravens. Just in case in some terrible twist of fate, his activities with Janice had already spread this far. To his relief, he heard nothing but arguments on wagers and idle gossip about people he had no interest in.
* * *
A hand clapped on his shoulder and he looked up to see Lord Hemsworth glaring down at him. He cocked an eyebrow at this overly familiar greeting.