Vexed by a Viscount Read Online Free Page A

attention back on her.
    The sound of approaching footsteps made her glance to the doorway. Her father approached, with Lord Ashby directly behind him. Prudence’s belly fluttered unexpectedly at the sight of the viscount dressed in his evening finery. Good heavens . The feeling in her stomach was exactly what had so thoroughly eluded her during her kiss with Squire Jeffries. As the two men entered the drawing room, Prudence did her best to train her features into a mask of pleasant indifference.
    Nodding to her betrothed, Papa said, “Good evening, Squire Jeffries. So glad that you could join us this evening. You know Lord Ashby, back home now that he’s completed university.”
    “Of course. Known him since he was in leading strings. Not that long ago,” he said with a teasing grin, slapping Ashby on the back.
    The viscount chuckled, though somewhat stiffly. “Long enough, I assure you, sir.”
    “I trust your parents are well? I’m looking forward to some grouse hunting when your father returns.”
    It was jarring, seeing the two men together. Lord Ashby was young, virile, and handsome, with broad shoulders and enough height to look down at them all. In comparison, Squire Jeffries looked like . . . well, whatever the masculine equivalent of matronly was. He was thin and short of stature, with salt-and-pepper hair and weathered skin that betrayed his love for the out-of-doors.
    Prudence cast her gaze to the floor, chastising herself. Physical appearance mattered not when it came to a man’s character. The age difference, however, was a bit harder to overlook. Jeffries had been her age when the French Revolution had begun, for heaven’s sake, and that was the sort of event one found in history textbooks alongside the fall of the Roman Empire and Egypt’s pyramid-building efforts.
    When she looked up, it was directly into the viscount’s amused gaze. She promptly straightened her spine, attempting to appear confident even as her cheeks were swamped with heat for the second time in five minutes.
    “Miss Landon,” he said, dipping his head with exaggerated deference. His lips twitched with humor as he walked toward her. “A pleasure to see you again. It’s been ages .”
    “Indeed it has, my lord,” she said firmly, widening her eyes just a bit for emphasis. If he spilled her secret now, she would perish from embarrassment. She didn’t think he was capable of something so cruel, but it was impossible to feel at ease with him standing beside her, his eyes flashing with mischief.
    Heavens, but he was handsome up close. She knew that he was well aware of the fact, but his awareness had always manifested itself as playful confidence as opposed to obnoxious conceitedness. He knew he was handsome, but he didn’t take himself too seriously.
    He pursed his lips as though trying to think. “Let’s see, four, maybe five . . . ” He paused, drawing out the suspense. “. . . months?”
    Her shoulders sagged in relief. He could tease her all he wanted, so long as he kept the incident to himself. “More like six, I believe. The Christmas party at the Davenports.”
    “Are you certain? It feels as though it was more recent than that.” One eyebrow lifted in playful challenge. It did something to her insides, as though she’d stepped off an unseen ledge. When had he ever teased her before? She couldn’t remember a time.
    “Quite.” She lifted her chin, willing him to let that be the end of it. “Might we offer you a drink, Lord Ashby?”
    “Please, call me Ashby, or just Ash. We’ve known each other long enough to dispense with formalities.”
    She could almost hear him mentally adding not to mention the fact I’ve seen you swim naked . That would tend to do away with the polite formalities between people. Offering an impersonal smile, she tried again. “A drink, Ashby?”
    “Yes, please. Whatever Squire Jeffries is having, thank you.”
    This time, her father prepared the drink, and another for himself.