The Countess Intrigue Read Online Free Page B

match with him. Or perhaps it was some sort of rebellion against the way her heart so ridiculously reacted whenever she caught sight of his handsome face. Or a combination of the two. Really how could she be attracted to a man that everyone said killed his wife? She ignored the voice of reason in her head telling her she had no cause to be reacting this way and carried on in her defense. “And earls are not all that important, my lord. If you were a prince, or even a duke, I could understand your arrogance, but surely you realize just how very many earls there are roving about amongst Society. Surely one or two of them must be kept waiting once in a while. I apologize if I inconvenienced you, my lord, but you needn’t have stayed. If you were in a rush to be elsewhere, why did you not just take your leave of my mother and be on your way?”
    “That would have been intolerably rude,” he declared.
    “And reprimanding me for delaying briefly is not?” she asked, raising her eyebrows to emphasize her point. She knew her mother would have apoplexy if she ever found out how she was speaking with Lord Sinclair but at that moment she could not find it within herself to care.
    She was surprised when the earl gave her a brief bow in his seat and accepted her words. “You are completely correct, my lady. I apologize for my words. I do hope I have not torn you away from a terribly urgent matter. I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to accompany me for a drive this afternoon.”
    Elizabeth glared at him while she searched his features in an effort to determine if he was trying to turn her up sweet. To her surprise he actually appeared sincere. She could not find a single trace of guile in his eyes as he returned her gaze, and while he was smiling at her, it did not appear to be with mockery. With a small sigh she let go of the anger that she really had very little cause to be holding on to.
    “Very well, my lord. I accept your apology,” she began before continuing grudgingly, “and if you must know the truth, I did dally in my room longer than necessary as I was struggling with the decision of whether or not to accompany you. And what decided me was the fact that my mother had accepted your invitation on my behalf and I could not then turn you down.”
    “You are a biddable girl, aren’t you?” His gentle smile held both amusement and understanding.
    “Usually,” she answered, unable to prevent the grin that split her face.
    By then they had entered the Park and Elizabeth glanced around in admiration. “It is a lovely day. I really should be more grateful for you coming to take me for a drive. We probably won’t have many more of these mild days where we can enjoy the last of the warm sun. Before we know it the leaves will all be gone and everyone will be heading out of Town for the holidays.”
    “Will you be sorry to leave Town?” he asked, apparently willing to be pleasant although he had not acknowledged her explanation. Of course, she hadn’t really apologized either. She decided to try to be pleasant as well.
    “Not at all. I do not enjoy the Season overmuch. I will acknowledge that there are certain aspects that are diverting. I do love to dance and some of the people I have met have been quite lovely. But I wish I either never had to grow up or I could just skip this part and go straight to being married and settled with my husband on our own estate and get on with my life.”
    “Most debutantes enjoy this part immensely, do they not? Is it not something young ladies long and plan for their entire young lives?”
    “You are probably correct about most young ladies, my lord, but I am just me and that is not how I feel.”
    They sat in companionable silence for a moment as the earl contemplated her words and steered them around a carriage of giggling debutantes who were conversing with some gentlemen on horseback.
    Elizabeth was surprised by the flutter in her belly as she met the earl’s gaze and