Free The Most to Lose by Laura Landon

simply telling you that the weather tomorrow is predicted to be perfect for a drive, too.”
    Celie shot daggers in Amanda’s direction. “How can you possibly know what the weather will be like tomorrow?” She growled her words between her clenched teeth. “Do you have a crystal ball to look into?”
    “I don’t need a crystal ball. I have Hodgkiss.”
    Celie couldn’t believe her ears. “Your butler ?”
    “Yes, his knees always tell him when it’s going to rain, and he told me as I left tonight that he felt so limber he was certain he could do a jig.”
    Celie stared in disbelief. The very devil danced in Amanda’s eyes.
    “In that case,” Lord Haywood said, “perhaps we should take advantage of tomorrow’s guaranteed weather as well, Lady Cecelia.”
    Celie’s cheeks blazed with embarrassment, but she had no choice but to accept. “Thank you, my lord. I’d be delighted.”
    Amanda cleared her voice again. “Do you have plans to sit with anyone else tonight?” she asked, leaving Celie to founder in a sea of discomfort. The devilish gleam in her friend’s eyes shone brighter.
    “No, I was just going to find a seat.”
    Celie held her breath. It was hard to tell what Amanda would do next. But it didn’t take long to find out.
    “Please, we’d love to have you join us. Wouldn’t we, Celie?”
    Celie stumbled over the words tripping her tongue. “Yes, please.”
    “Then I’d love to. Is this seat taken?” he asked, indicating the chair next to Celie.
    “No,” Amanda answered for her. “In fact, Lady Cecelia just mentioned that she hoped you’d honor her with your company.”
    “Did she?”
    “Oh, yes,” Amanda said, looking around Celie with a broad smile on her face. “She said she enjoyed conversing with you yesterday ever so much.”
    “As I enjoyed conversing with her.”
    Celie wanted to die of embarrassment. He had to know Amanda was conniving to throw them together, that she was making up her tale as she went, and Celie thought she would die of mortification.
    She tried to speak but couldn’t find her voice.
    She tried to kick her friend in the shins to shut her up, but she couldn’t wade through her layers of skirts to reach her.
    She tried to pretend she wasn’t helpless against Amanda’s efforts to humiliate her, but she had no choice but to suffer in silence.
    Celie fanned her burning cheeks. They were on fre, nearly as heated as her rising temper. Lord Haywood drew her attention back to him.
    “I haven’t mentioned that you look especially lovely tonight.”
    “Thank you,” Celie managed. “And I am glad you decided to attend the musicale. Miss Zunderman is reportedly one of the finest vocalists of our time.”
    “So I’ve heard, which is why I came. I could hardly miss such an opportunity.”
    He smiled again, and even though it was evening, Celie felt like the sun had come out to shower down golden rays. “I recall that you and Hadleigh enjoyed going to the opera when you were in Town,” she said.
    “I’m surprised you remember such a minor detail.”
    “Oh, Celie has an excellent memory,” Amanda interrupted. It was obvious she wasn’t about to leave well enough alone. She took great pleasure in Celie’s discomfort.
    Celie turned her head and focused a hostile glare in Amanda’s direction. “Yes, I do,” she said through clenched teeth. “An excellent memory. Which might be a wise point for you to remember.”
    The sly grin on Amanda’s face said she was enjoying herself entirely too much to be worried—yet.
    Celie clenched her teeth, then gave Amanda the deadliest glare she could muster. “My flawless memory is why you can trust me to remember the oath I took a few minutes ago.”
    A frown deepened across Amanda’s brow. “Oath? What oath?”
    “The oath I took to make you suffer a thousand deaths for embarrassing me.”

Chapter 5

    L ord Haywood laughed.
    The sound was rich and deep, and filled with sincere humor. Celie felt every pair of eyes