Page 128 of Ten Lords for the Holidays

“I’m just –“

“You’re worried about what people will think of you?” he guessed, all too aware of the precariousness and importance of a lady’s reputation.

Hadn’t Celia ruined her own and her family’s, after all?

Hadn’t she almost ruined Evan’s sisters’?

“Actually, I don’t care what people will think of me,” she surprised him by answering. And there was an unmistakeable sincerity in her words that told him she meant just what she said. “I don’t care about any of this nonsense. But my grandmother has worked very hard on this party, and she deserves to have it go well.”

Evan felt a flicker of endearment at Lady Holly’s words.

He well believed that she didn’t care about other people’s opinions, or about impressing the guests at Northwood Manor.

But she was suffering it just the same. For the sake of her grandmother.

That was selfless. A quality he didn’t really expect to find in young ladies of theton.

Perhaps that was an unfair assumption.

Perhaps they weren’t all like Celia…

“I know well the damage that wagging tongues can do.” He stepped closer to where Lady Holly stood watching him with huge, brown eyes. Still biting that lip.

“But you have my word, my lady, that I will keep your secret. “I know you do not know me. The question is, do you trust me?”

She watched him in silence for a moment, and Evan couldn’t believe how important her answer suddenly became to him.

Without knowing why, he wanted her to trust him.

After an age, she shrugged.

“I suppose I must,” she answered quietly.

Evan resisted the urge to puff up his chest. He felt as though he’d won a prize, having the beautiful red-head believe him.

“Excellent. Now, why don’t you show me more of your father’s grounds before we both turn to ice standing here?”

“Very well,” she answered, moving to once again lift herself gracefully into her saddle without any assistance from him.

“Just try to keep up this time.” She grinned before kicking the horse into action and once more leaving him to simply stand there and stare.

CHAPTER6

The lavender scentedsteam from the bath surrounded Holly, and she sighed contentedly as the hot water seeped into her frozen bones.

She hadn’t intended to stay outside as long as she had.

But the morning had flown by, and it was only when her teeth had started chattering that Lord Stockton had insisted on returning her home.

“How will you dance with me this evening if your toes fall off from cold?” He’d winked, and Holly had had to suffer through a furious blush and his knowing grin as his eyes swept her face.

She’d tried to offer a biting retort, but she’d been too cold to get anything coherent out.

“I shall take that mumbling as an agreement to dance the first with me, my lady.” He’d laughed before racing off back toward the stables, this time leaving her trailing behind.

As soon as they’d gotten back, he’d gallantly hurried her inside the house before bowing and taking his leave.

Holly stood watching him walk away, admiring the long legs encased in tight fawn breeches and shiny hessians, the disarray of his golden hair as he removed his hat and ran a hand through it, and the confident set of his broad shoulders as he moved swiftly toward the staircase.

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