The Countess Intrigue Read Online Free Page A

all, no, but I do try to do my duty.” There was another pause while the countess merely bobbed her head in acknowledgement of his words. “Your husband gave a well thought out speech the other day, my lady, do pass my regards to him.”
    “That is kind of you to say, my lord, thank you.” She continued watching him and it was making Justice uncomfortable so he again turned the subject.
    “What about you, my lady? Do you think to spend the entire winter at Castleton?”
    This may not have been the best topic as it caused the countess to offer an almost dramatic sigh. “I dare say that depends much upon my daughter. If we can get her situated then we will spend the best part of the winter at home. Of course, his lordship will want to return to Town for Parliament, but if Lady Elizabeth is taken care of I may not have to return for the spring session.”
    Justice ignored what seemed like a heavy hint but acknowledged her words. “Are you not enjoying the Season, my lady?”
    “Oh, no, of course it is lovely. It is just a trifle wearing. And the winter and spring are so lovely at Castleton. Although, I will no doubt be ready to return to Town after a few months of country living. That is the trouble with having multiple homes, is it not, my lord? We must always pine for the other one.”
    This caused the earl to chuckle despite how uncomfortable he was becoming with the protracted wait for Lady Elizabeth. His glance at the time must not have been as discreet as he had hoped.
    “I cannot imagine what can be keeping her,” Lady Castleton said as she too glanced at the mantle clock. They had exhausted all the usual conversational gambits and were struggling to fill the silence. With relief they heard the clatter of feet in the hallway, and the earl quickly stood as Elizabeth stepped back into the room.
    He could tell she had been reluctant to return and yet was embarrassed over keeping him waiting. She was obviously normally the very conventional type of young lady. Once again he fought to contain his amusement.
    “Shall we go?” he asked rhetorically as he took her elbow and escorted her from the room.
    He didn’t say anything to her as he helped her into his curricle and set the horses in motion. He waited while she fussed with her skirts and settled herself as far from him as the narrow seat would allow.
    “How did you finally decide to accompany me?” he asked, keeping his tone good natured and non-confrontational.
    She froze in her fidgets. “I beg your pardon, my lord.”
    Her tone would make the patronesses proud , he thought with a smile.
    “It would seem you struggled with the decision of whether or not to accompany me for this drive. It took you an inordinately long time to don your hat, my dear lady,” he drawled.
    Elizabeth gritted her teeth and fought the wave of heat that rose to her face. She then did the least ladylike thing she had ever done in her life. “Have you thought about the fact that I might have been indisposed, my lord? Perhaps my delay had nothing to do with you but entirely to do with some other matter. The entire world does not revolve around you, my lord.”
    “What kind of a matter could make you keep an earl cooling his heels?” he wondered.
    “Perhaps I needed to relieve nature, my lord, did you ever think of that?” She was so angry she wasn’t even embarrassed over her words. Her usual self-possession kept her hands still in her lap, although she could see from the whitened knuckles that they were clenching one another. Elizabeth tried to relax them in order not to appear at the edge of her control but she was painfully aware that her face was most likely giving away her feelings, even if she held perfectly still. She could feel the heat in her cheeks was most likely reflected in her eyes.
    If anyone had asked her, she wouldn’t even be able to explain why she was so unusually bold with the Earl of Heath. Perhaps it was her absolute conviction that she would never make a