Debutantes Don't Date. Kristina O'Grady

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СКАЧАТЬ sure you knew that when you singled me out.”

      Seriously? What was wrong with these people? Had they all had a turn or did madness run in their family? Whatever it was, it was seriously freaking her out! Why were they so desperate to meet who she came with? They were behaving as though she’d committed a heinous crime. Granted, Ron wouldn’t be too impressed she’d kissed one of the guests, but did he really need to know? The way these people were behaving, she’d be lucky to get off lightly. She might as well kiss her dream of living in Paris goodbye.

      God, her head hurt. She must’ve hit it harder than she thought. When would this night be over? All she wanted to do was curl up in her hotel bed and sleep for a week. But she couldn’t do that. Not yet. Not until this blasted party was over. Ron didn’t expect it to wind down until at least sunrise.

      God, this was so embarrassing. If she knew she’d be involved in an interrogation, she wouldn’t have led him into the alcove. No kiss was worth this…no matter how good it was. She could feel her face redden at the memory.

      But what she really wanted to know was what was up with those lights? She examined the chandelier again. Maybe if she stood on a chair she could get a better look. She glanced at the trio of weirdos and thought better of it. They’d probably call the cops on her. How did candles end up in those chandeliers? It created a certain ambience, she would give it that, but who would have replaced the real lights with candles? Especially without her knowing? Maybe it was an optical illusion; lights designed to look like candles. Now why hadn’t she thought of that? She made a mental note to find them for her next event.

      Now that she’d sorted that out she could bring her mind to the task at hand. She needed to finish this conversation so she could get back to work. This had taken up far too much of her time, and there was still so much to do before the end of the night. What was it ‘Jasper’ was going on about now?

      “Sorry, what was that?” She hated to ask.

      “I asked why you chose me as your target tonight.”

      Grace looked at the man she had jumped, practically raped even. His clothes moulded to his body, showing off his muscular chest and broad shoulders. Her eyes travelled down over his trim waist to his tight pants. They didn’t leave much to the imagination. She knew her face would be the colour of her favourite underwear, she always blushed so profusely. God, this conversation was not happening. She was going to have to tell him the truth and in front of his sister too. He just wouldn’t let it go, would he? If at all possible her face got even redder.

      “Well, you see, the thing is, I haven’t had a relationship for a long time and I seem to have had too much to drink tonight. I couldn’t stop myself, you were just too good-looking and you rescued me from that awful crowd. Besides, it is just this once and if I wasn’t in a foreign country I would never have dared do what I, we, did, but I will never see you again, so I thought it would be safe. I actually can’t see what all the fuss is about. It was only a kiss.” She stopped abruptly. She tended to babble when she got nervous; it was a habit she found hard to break.

      “A kiss that the biggest gossip in all of England just happened to see!” He ran his hands through his hair. His head must hurt from pulling his hair so much. “We’ll have to be married. There’s no other way to avoid a scandal.”

      Grace finally really looked into the three pairs of eyes boring into her. “What kind of party is this?”

       Chapter Three

      The girl was a sure candidate for Bedlam.

      Or a good actress. Watching her one would think she was surprised, outraged even, at the consequences of being caught by Mrs Barrett. That’s what worried him most. The fact that she might not be acting. Because if that was the case, he’d be stuck marrying a mad woman. He should have picked Lady Anne after all. At least she never cried or tried to run away from him. This girl was currently trying to break past Neal to get to the door. Hell fire, she could scrap. Another worrying thought. He definitely wasn’t envious of Neal as he dodged her flying fists. She looked as though she knew what she was doing. Jasper winced in sympathy as she connected a right to Neal’s eye.

      Who was she? He certainly didn’t believe she had planned this ball.

      Enough of this. “I’m going to get the Duchess.” It was past time she was brought into this.

      Once he was out of the library he did his best at smoothing the scowl from his face, but he wasn’t sure how successful he was because by the time he found the Duchess of Kensington men and ladies alike were making way for him as though he was Moses and they were the Red Sea.

      The Duchess of Kensington pursed her lips at his request to accompany him. She must have heard the rumours already. In the end, she gave a nod, excused herself from her friends and placed her hand on his arm and allowed him to escort her from the room. They didn’t say a word to each other. Jasper had the distinct impression she knew what she was needed for.

      At last the Duchess of Kensington was on her way. This would be sorted out in a matter of minutes.

      Grace sat back down on the settee and placed her hands in her lap, pretending they didn’t throb from just moments before drawing blood with them. Really, it was all that man’s fault. If he’d just let her leave, he wouldn’t be sporting a black eye, bloody nose and split lip.

      No one spoke. Lady Harrison sat in a chair across from her and Lord Harrison dabbed a hanky at his lip. They all watched the grandfather clock at the far wall. It was exactly twenty minutes before the door of the library opened.

      Grace’s heart fell. The lady Jasper brought with him was not the Duchess of Kensington. This lady was short and slightly dumpy, although her costume was exquisite. She wore a blue silk period dress with a sliver lace overlay. But the best part of her outfit was her blue shoes playing peek-a-boo as she walked. Grace wondered if she’d had it especially made for the ball or if she rented it from a costume shop for the night. The Duchess of Kensington, whom she had been meeting with all week, was tall, slender and blonde. This lady was grey-haired and past her prime; Grace could see her wrinkles from here. And since Grace had talked to her about an hour or so before the kiss she knew the Duchess didn’t have nearly as charming a dress on as this lady.

      Grace rose from her seat as the elderly woman made her way towards her. The lady was so proper that Grace couldn’t decide whether she should bob a curtsy or not. Maybe she was related to the Queen. You never knew at these types of events who you could run into.

      “Miss Lancaster, may I present the Duchess of Kensington?” Jasper watched her face closely for her reaction. He wouldn’t have been disappointed by the shock that ricocheted through her body. Her mouth was stuck in the open position. But there was no way she could manage to close it, until she realised this must be the Duke of Kensington’s mother. She shut her jaw with a snap.

      “How do you do, your grace? It is so nice to meet you. I have really enjoyed working with your daughter-in-law, organising this event.”

      “Eh? I’m not aware of having a daughter-in-law. Who is it that you have been conversing with, Miss Lancaster?” The elderly lady leaned in close with a quizzical eye.

      “The company I work for, Sinclair Functions Ltd, has been working closely with Jane, Duchess of Kensington to put together this fantastic fundraising event this evening. And I must say it has been an absolute pleasure to organise such an amazing…um…event.” Everyone in the room was staring at her as though she had lost СКАЧАТЬ