Free The Robber Bride by Jerrica Knight-Catania Page B

Woodmore , on the other hand, didn’t seem to notice that the contempt was directed at him.
    “Is there something the matter with your brother, Miss Barclay?” he asked as they twirled around the dance floor in a waltz. “He seems a bit out of sorts, don’t you think?”
    Victoria cast a glance in her brother’s direction. She shrugged. “No more than usual,” she lied. “I fear he’s missing Jamaica more than he wants to admit.”
    “I can’t imagine anyone would miss such a place. Hell on earth.”
    Victoria looked up at Woodmore in surprise. “I didn’t realize you had traveled there.”
    “Oh, no!” he returned with a scowl. “Why on earth would I want to do such a thing?”
    Was he serious? “Why, for the adventure, of course. For the opportunity to explore new places and cultures.”
    For the first time in their acquaintance, Woodmore gave Victoria what she would deem a condescending look. “Oh, Miss Barclay, I’m not sure you know what you’re saying. You might think you would like to explore foreign lands, but you must know you live in the greatest country on earth. Why would you ever want to leave England for such a barbaric country?”
    Victoria dropped her arms and stopped dancing, forcing another couple to swerve quickly in the other direction so as to not barrel into them. “I know exactly what I’m saying, Mr. Woodmore .”
    “Please, Miss Barclay.” He held his arms out, inviting her to join him in the dance again. “People are staring at us.”
    Victoria could not have cared less who was staring at them, but when he said, “Your mother will be most disappointed if she hears you made a scene,” she had no choice but to resume the dance.
    “I did not mean to offend, Miss Barclay,” Woodmore said as they picked up the tempo again. “It’s just that, well, I can’t imagine such a delicate flower as you in such a rugged environment.”
    Victoria wanted so desperately to laugh at his description of her. Delicate flower? Was he truly so blind to her character? At the same time, she found it rather flattering. No one had ever referred to her in such a way, least of all Fin . He chastised her all the time for her rebellious and rash behavior. Well, it didn’t matter what Phineas Dartwell thought of her anymore, did it? He had written her off. Now she was free to bask in the glory of a real gentleman’s praise.
    “Well, that’s very kind of you to say, Mr. Woodmore ,” she said with a bat of her eyelashes, and the pit in her stomach grew larger. Could she really go through with robbing this man at gunpoint? Part of her wished that his intentions had not been so honorable, that he would have said something along the lines of “Women shouldn’t travel; they are meant to stay at home and birth children.” That would have made things much easier.
    The music stopped, and it was as if the trance had been broken. She shook her head of the fog Woodmore had put her in. What was the matter with her? Were his flattering statements really stronger than the suffering she witnessed almost every day in the slums? The death she was privy to in the hospital?
    “It is time to depart, Victoria.” Her brother greeted them at the edge of the dance floor, a flute of champagne in his hand. He downed the last of his drink but his eyes never left Woodmore .
    Victoria had told Tom she didn’t want to stay past midnight. That suited him just fine, apparently. “Of course, Tom.” She turned to Woodmore . “Thank you for a lovely evening, Mr. Woodmore .”
    “No, thank you,” he returned. “May I call on you again tomorrow?”
    Victoria hesitated. It wouldn’t be easy to face him after tonight, but she figured it wouldn’t be nearly as awful as having to face Fin as she’d done last week. “That would be wonderful,” she said, and then she and Tom made their departure.
    With any luck, Woodmore would remain at the party long enough for her to feign going to bed and then turn around to go back to