Page 131 of Harpy of the Ton
For a moment, she heard nothing, other than the sound of breathing. Perhaps another weary soul was looking for respite. Then a deep voice spoke, filled with contempt.
“Ithoughtit was you.”
Bella opened her eyes. A man stood before her.
Tall and broad-shouldered, he exuded power—a man used to being obeyed and revered. His jacket was tailored to perfection, and the waistcoat beneath shimmered in the sunlight, revealing the delicate, intricate embroidery adorning the material.
He stared at her from cold sapphire eyes, with the frank boldness of the aristocracy. Something about him lookedfamiliar—the way his brow furrowed, the angle of the dark slashes of his brows.
Bella rose, then dipped into a curtsey.
His eyes widened, then he curled his lip into a sneer.
Her breath caught in her throat as an image flashed before her mind, of his bowing before her, then leading her onto a crowded dance floor, the same sneer on his lips.
“Do I know you, sir?”
He snorted. “You mean to ridicule me, madam?”
“Mrs. Trelawney has yet to introduce us. I’m—”
“I know perfectly well who you are,” he said. “As you know me. Do you take me for a fool?”
“No, sir.”
“Or perhaps you wish to insult my wife again?”
“Your wife? Is she here?”
“No. I thank the Almighty she’s spared having to endure your company.”
“Sheknowsme?”
“Of course she does! What are you playing at, woman?”
Had she been in this man’s employ—or his wife’s? Had she disgraced herself by dancing with a man above her station?
“Forgive me, sir, I-I’m afraid I’ve lost my memory,” she said. “Was I your wife’s maid?”
He barked out a laugh. “That’s imaginative, even foryou. Or are you going soft in the head? Which would be a fitting punishment, given that you accused my wife of the very same thing.”
“I accused her of what?” Bella asked. “You must be mistaken. I—”
“Desist, madam!”
He stepped toward her, and her gut twisted in fear. Who was this big, powerful man—and why was he soangry?
“I came here to ask why you’re doing intruding on Mrs. Trelawney’s hospitality, dressed in such a fashion? Are you indulging in some sort of deception?”
“I-I don’t understand,” she said, tears stinging her eyes. “I’m not deceiving anyone. I can’t remember…”
“Stop playing the fool. You think you can garner sympathy from those you’ve wronged merely because you can summon a few false tears? Spiteful harpy I knew you to be, but—”
“Who the fuck areyou?”
Bella turned to see her husband standing close by, his hands balled into fists.
“And who do you thinkyouare?” the stranger said.
