Utterly Devoted Read Online Free Page A

and he knew he had to act quickly or lose any chance he had. “Forgive my interruption,” he tried, stepping to Eloise’s side. “I would like a moment of Miss Watkin’s time, when she is feeling better, of course.”
    Eloise refused to meet his gaze. He could do nothing but bow and turn to leave. He found Lady Jersey blocking his way. She stood tall in her amethyst satin gown, her pomaded golden hair glinting in the candlelight. Her impressive bosom wasn’t heaving, but the fire in those blue eyes was enough to make him cringe.
    “Are you disturbing my hall, Mr. Darby?” she said, though the simple words implied blasphemy worthy of hell fire.
    He swept her a bow. “Certainly not, my lady. Miss Watkin evidently collapsed from the heat. I merely managed to cushion her fall.”
    “A likely tale.” The young man who had been dancing so cloddishly with Eloise pushed his way to the front. The fingers of his gloves were stained from the punch that still trickled over the glasses he held in a trembling grip. “I have heard of you, Darby, and nothing good. I demand to know what you did to Miss Watkin.”
    Jareth raised his glass and glared at the fellow through it. Before he could speak to put the upstart in his place, help came from an unexpected source.
    “I am certain Mr. Darby was merely trying to help,” Eloise said quietly.
    Jareth blinked at her sudden change of heart. Lady Jersey and the young lord frowned.
    “If you would excuse us,” the Amazon’s husband said, “I think Miss Watkin needs to sit down.”
    The young lord bowed, and Jareth had no choice but to do likewise. He watched as Eloise was led off to a sofa as far away from him as possible. The young lord followed. Deprived of drama, the crowd dispersed.
    Lady Jersey clucked her tongue. “Bad ton, Mr. Darby. I shall keep an eye on you.”
    “I can only try to earn your commendation, dear lady,” Jareth replied with another bow, this time to her.
    She raised a saffron brow that said she very much doubted his abilities to please her in any proper manner, then sailed off to join another group. As he walked toward Eleanor and Justinian, he heard the murmurs begin afresh.
    “He is unchanged ...”
    “Just as scandalous as always ...”
    “Did you hear how he came to be forced from good society last time?”
    Jareth grit his teeth. He had only made things worse. Justinian and Eleanor apparently thought so as well, for they hastened to join him as if in support.
    “What happened?” his sister-in-law asked, her silk gown whispering almost as loudly as she did.
    Jareth shrugged. “I cannot say. The lady simply collapsed.”
    “Odd,” Justinian said. His gray eyes were thoughtful as he gazed to where Eloise had been settled. The Amazon and her husband ministered to her as she accepted her glass of punch at last from her fawning escort. She certainly managed a smile for his sake.
    As if she felt Jareth watching her, she glanced up. Their gazes locked. For a heated moment, he was back in the hayloft over the school stables. He could smell her lilac perfume merging with the scent of summer hay, feel the silk of her skin beneath his hands, hear the sweet gasp of her breath as he covered her with kisses. Eloise turned on the sofa and put her back to him.
    The cut direct.
    Justinian must have seen it as well, for he shook his leonine head. “How disappointing, Jareth. You are obviously far from forgiveness.”
    “Indeed,” Jareth murmured. The fact ought to annoy him, but he found himself intrigued. He was the one who had been forced from the hayloft in disgrace. Supposedly, no one knew of the lady’s digression. They had never promised each other undying devotion. What grudge did she bear him?
    “Who is that with her?” he asked Eleanor.
    She peered across the room. “The young woman beside her is Lady Hastings. Her given name is Cleopatra, if memory serves. The handsome fellow with the jet black hair is her husband, Leslie Petersborough, Marquis