THE HEARTLESS DUKE AND HIS SPINSTER BY OLIVIA T. BENNET – eBook Details Online
- Status: Available for Free Download
- Authors: Olivia T. Bennet
- Language: English
- Genre: Historical Romance
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 2 MB
- Price: Free
“Esther, my dear! You do not touch any sweets at home, and now
suddenly you feel your blood sugar is low?” Lavinia Arnold, a
woman of grace and poise, chided.
“Mother, please,” Esther pleaded with frustration, “can’t I just enjoy the
evening without worrying about what others think?”
Esther stood by the buffet table, eating another muffin right after finishing
the last one. From the corner of her eye, she saw her mother shooting her a
scolding glance, but she ignored her and indulged in the sweetness of the
dessert, her pink dress now covered in crumbs.
advertisement ( ads )
--- --- --- --- ---
Her mother couldn’t stand the sight anymore and hurried over to smack her
hand with a closed fan. Esther was also quite sure she heard a few of the
ladies she passed chuckle. In fact, scrutiny was all Esther noticed. Some
people eyed her and then turned to whisper to their partners. Not that any of
that bothered her. In fact, she was glad her reputation preceded her. She just
wished she didn’t stick out like a sore thumb so much.
“I’m just eating,” she grumbled under her breath.
Lady Seymour sighed as she regarded her daughter with a mix of concern
and affection. She reached out a hand to gently cup Esther’s cheek with a
warm and reassuring touch.
“I understand their scrutiny is uncalled for, my dear,” she muttered, “but
you must remember your responsibilities as a young noble lady. It’s
important that you conduct yourself with dignity and grace, especially in a
place as public as this.”
“But, Mother—” Esther frowned.
“No buts,” Lady Seymour cut in exasperatedly and dropped her hand. “If
you truly care about me, you would stay poised. I’m sure I saw one of the
gentlemen eyeing you earlier. He might be interested. Quite a handsome
one, if I do say so myself.”
Esther stifled a groan, her frustration bubbling to the surface. “Again with
the suitors, Mother,” she muttered, feeling as though she were trapped in a
never-ending cycle of expectations.
But Lady Seymour caught her daughter’s protest and became sterner. She
fixed her with a sharp look. “Esther, I will not have you going off about that
nonsense again. Do you wish to turn gray in my house?”
Esther’s cheeks flushed, her gaze dropping to the floor as she struggled to
find the right words to express herself. She knew that her mother meant
well, but the thought of being forced into a marriage of convenience filled
her with suffocating dread. There was a familiar pain, a sort of churning in
her gut at the mere thought of it.
Something in the back of her mind niggled at her, and she shook her head
lightly. Taking a deep breath, she maintained her composure and hoped that
her discomfort wasn’t too obvious.
She wondered if maybe she should tell her mother the truth about her
resistance to the matters of marriage. But as she eyed the Countess’s
expression, she realized it wasn’t the time. She didn’t know if it would ever
be the right time.
For More Read Download This Book
EPUB
advertisement ( ads )
-------------
