Page 65 of If the Duke Dares
She shivered beneath his regard, not with cold or anxiety, but with delicious anticipation. Soon could be that very night. If she was brave enough…
Or foolish enough.
After they bid their farewells, Persephone and her aunt climbed into the coach.
“Shall I send for the doctor?” Aunt Lucinda asked.
Pandora shook her head. “My ankle is fine. I just…I needed to leave.” She sounded desperate and sad. Almost afraid.
“What happened?” Persephone asked. “Did you really trip?”
“Yes, but only after I saw something awful. A young woman pointed at me and spoke to her friend. They laughed. I caught their eye, and they both glared at me, then turned their backs. I know it shouldn’t bother me, but it did.”
Persephone had recognized a pair of young ladies who’d followed their progress to the coach. They were girls she and Pandora had known over the years when they’d visited Aunt Lucinda in Bath. “Because you knew them,” she said softly, hating that her sister had seen that, but hating those horrid young women even more.
“Later, you will give me their names so that I may skewer them,” Aunt Lucinda said darkly.
Pandora shook her head. “Please don’t. I just want to forget it happened. And I really don’t want to go out again.”
Aunt Lucinda’s face creased with disappointment. “But the rest of the outing went so well. I think you should try again. Perhaps the day after tomorrow.” She looked to Persephone. “You and Wellesbourne appeared to get on well.”
“Er, yes. I suppose.” Persephone had enjoyed her promenade with Acton, but at the moment, she was too upset about Pandora’s turmoil.
“And he said he’d see you soon,” Aunt Lucinda said with an encouraging smile.
“He said all of us,” Persephone clarified.
Part of her wanted to tell Pandora that she was thinking of meeting him in the garden, but she couldn’t. Just as Pandora had kept her walk with Bane secret, Persephone would do the same if she met with Acton tonight. She didn’t want her sister trying to talk her out of it, which was undoubtedly why Pandora hadn’t told her about Bane either.
Besides, Persephone didn’t want to tell her sister anything yet. She wasn’t certain what was happening between her and Acton. Perhaps that was the greatest reason for her to meet him—so she could find out.
Chapter15
Checking his watch, Acton saw it was five minutes until eleven. No one had seen him leave the house in St. James’s Square, and he’d evaded detection as he’d made his way through the shadows, climbing three walls, to Lucinda’s rear garden.
While the Crescent was uniformly constructed from the front—Ionic columns and a Palladian structure at the top—the backs of the houses were all different. One side of the rear of Lucinda’s house came out farther than the other, from ground to roof. Acton wondered which window belonged to Persey’s room.
Would she come?
Acton was grateful for the nearly full moon and the low number of clouds. Still, it was dark in the garden, and he wasn’t sure if there was a bench or anywhere to sit. He didn’t dare get too close to the house in case someone decided to look out a window. Or worse, if someone came outside.
He watched the door eagerly, the minutes crawling with the speed of a tortoise. How long would he wait?
He checked his watch again. Five minutes after eleven. He could wait much longer. Hell, he could wait all night.
But he shouldn’t. Just as he probably shouldn’t even have suggested this assignation—even in jest.
Assignation?
He wrinkled his nose and wiped his hand across his brow. This behavior was exactly what Persey had accused him of when they’d met. It was why she’d thrown wine in his face. Andthathad been the start of their acquaintance, which had led him to reconsider his attitude and actions. That and learning what Bane had done. There was just no excuse for endangering a lady’s reputation.
Then why was he here?
Swearing under his breath, he decided he should go. He took one last look at the back door. Then it opened.
Acton was riveted to the ground. He couldn’t have moved if the garden were on fire.
Persey closed the door slowly before turning and making her way into the garden. She looked about, and it took all Acton’s control not to race out into the open and snatch her into his arms.
