A Debutante's Guide to Rebellion Read Online Free Page B

herself to accept the rest.
    â€œLady Mildred,” he said. “Is something the matter?”
    â€œNo, nothing,” she said. “Except that I wondered if you might like something to eat, or perhaps—” She stumbled over her words. She was being too forward, but what choice did she have?
    â€œI’m afraid I must be getting home, Lady Mildred,” Lord Averdale said. Was he disappointed in her? Angry? It was so hard to tell with him. She had never seen him so much as smile, or raise an eyebrow. He spoke slowly, deliberately, and without emotional inflection. It was like trying to read the disposition of a boulder.
    â€œBut the dancing has only just begun,” she said weakly.
    â€œAnd I hope that you continue to enjoy it,” Lord Averdale said. She suppressed a groan. He
was
angry with her, then. Angry that she’d been dancing with his nephew, instead of him? Or that she’d been dancing at all, and making a fool of herself? “Good night, Lady Mildred,” Lord Averdale said, and made a graceful exit.
    Eddie wrapped her arms around her middle and watched him go, biting the inside of her cheek.
Idiot,
she cursed herself.
    What had possessed her to dance with Ezekiel Blackwood, of all people? Everyone knew he was a social disaster. A social disaster who had not tried to speak to her about the dance or gossip about the other people present, or simply talk endlessly about himself. He’d talked about fruit, of all things, and made her laugh, and that was more than she could say of anyone she’d danced with since her debut.
    Behind her, someone cleared their throat. She turned with growing dread, knowing who she would see.
    He mother raised her eyebrows wordlessly, hands folded in front of her. And then turned away.

Chapter Three
    The rest of the ball was excruciating. Her mother did not say a word to her. Not yet. But she glared every time Eddie made as if to depart the corner she had retreated to. John missed the drama, as he was distracted by dancing with a series of pretty girls. He had a bit of a reputation as a rake, and while Eddie would have seen that as good reason to avoid him, many girls seemed to consider it the opposite. As a result, she was on her own until it came time to leave.
    The carriage ride was stiff and quiet. Eddie found herself fingering the gems at her neck, until her mother started staring, at which she dropped her hand to her lap. Her mother probably didn’t think she was worthy of even looking at the jewels now. She’d failed. Miserably.
    But her punishment waited until they had reached the foyer, with the door closed behind them.
    Lady Copeland rounded on her. “What possessed you tonight?” she demanded.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Eddie said immediately, fixing her eyes on the rug. If she could focus on the trellis pattern, the fernlike details, perhaps she could distract herself enough to make it through the next several minutes. Her father gave a heaving sigh and headed for the stairs, apparently disinterested in whatever might come next. Just as well. She had no desire for an audience.
    â€œYou had one task. No; that’s an exaggeration. Your only job was to do nothing at all, but you failed even at that! My God, Mildred, do you have any idea what will happen to you if you allow Lord Averdale to lose interest? You’ll go year after year at these balls, never being asked to dance, never being brought into the circle of whispers and conversation, until you shrivel up. Do you want to be a spinster, Mildred?”
    â€œNo, ma’am,” Eddie whispered. The rug was not sufficient. She started to do sums in her head. Two plus two is four. Nine times seven is sixty-three. One hundred and sixty-three divided by nineteen is eight point five seven something-something.
    â€œWell, that is what you will be.”
    â€œSomeone did ask her to dance,” John pointed out. He had remained, but off to the side. He knew