Mistaken for a Rake - Rose Pearson Page 0,50

be nothing other than a pretense.

“It is Lord Richmond,” she said, managing to speak without too much difficulty. “I saw—overheard him speaking with Lady…” She could not speak her name. “Lady...”

“I know who you refer to,” Lady Hayward interrupted, her face now tight with anger that Rebecca had not expected. “Then it appears that he is not as we both believed.”

Rebecca swallowed hard and looked away, feeling the ache return to her throat as she fought desperately to keep herself entirely composed. “It appears so, Lady Hayward.”

The lady closed her eyes and let out a long, slow breath. “Then it is little wonder you are upset,” she said softly. “My dear Lady Rebecca, I am truly sorry to hear such news. Are you sure you will not return home?”

Taking in a steadying breath, Rebecca set her shoulders and nodded. “I will remain,” she said with as much firmness as she could. “And from this moment shall do my utmost to forget entirely about the Marquess of Richmond.”

Lady Hayward made to say something, only for Lord Swinton to suddenly appear, bowing his head before he fixed his gaze to her face.

“Lady Rebecca,” he said hastily as Lady Hayward began to frown. “There is something I must tell you. Something that Lord Richmond has kept from you.”

“With all due respect, Lord Swinton, now is not the time to be speaking to Lady Rebecca of Lord Richmond,” Lady Hayward interrupted, but Lord Swinton shook his head, his jaw working for a moment. Rebecca did not know what to think, a little surprised at the fervent look in his eyes.

“It is not as you think, Lady Rebecca,” he said urgently. “Please. Just spare me a moment of your time and I will explain all.”

Rebecca took in a deep breath and saw Lady Hayward’s dark frown, aware that everything in her wanted to refuse, wanted to tell Lord Swinton that she did not want to know anything more about him. But a tiny flicker of hope ignited in her heart, and, despite herself, she gave him a small nod.

“Go on, Lord Swinton,” she said, her voice a little hoarse. “Say what you must, but do not expect me to believe it.”

Lord Swinton’s relief was palpable. “Thank you, Lady Rebecca,” he said quietly. “I hope that, by the time I have finished, you will find yourself considering Lord Richmond in an entirely new light. In fact, I am quite certain of it.”

Chapter Eleven

A shudder ran through Jeffery as he saw Lady Rebecca hurrying from him. Lady Kensington had demanded his company almost the moment he had arrived, showing her husband a small hole in her gown that she had to have repaired almost at once. Without any other choice, Jeffery had made his way after her, only to hear yet more demands of his time and the efforts that had filled him with such anger, it had burned at his heart.

Only for him to hear footsteps scurrying away from where he and Lady Kensington stood. His eyes had caught sight of a lady with red curls tumbling down her back as she hurried back towards the door, and in his heart, Jeffery knew who it was.

Lady Rebecca.

“What a shame!” Lady Kensington exclaimed, sounding quite distraught even though Jeffery knew that such sentiment was entirely devoid of her character. “Although it seems as though I will no longer be able to hold her over you as a threat.” A small smile curled about her lips. “Even though I can tell that you care for her.”

Jeffery could not reply to her, his words sticking in his throat as he saw Lady Rebecca hurry back into the crowd. He wanted to explain, wanted to have the opportunity to tell her what had been discussed between himself and Lady Kensington, but knew she would not accept him. He had seen the look in her eyes, had seen the pain ripple across her face as he had caught her hand. There was no simple way to tell her the truth about it.

“That does not matter, however,” Lady Kensington cooed, turning around to face him and ignoring the other ladies who were coming in and out from the small parlor to his left. “You have only one more thing to do for me, and then it shall all be at an end!”

“I will do nothing more for you,” Jeffery bit out, his eyes slowly traveling towards Lady Kensington’s face and finding that his anger was burning with such fury that it was