Free When His Kiss Is Wicked by Kaitlin O'Riley Page B

aunt, and she looks decidedly unhappy.”
    Aunt Cecilia swooped down upon them in a flurry, her pale face pinched in disapproval, obviously dismayed to discover Colette with Lord Eddington, a man not inclined to enter into matrimony.
    “Colette, I have been looking for you everywhere. Good evening, Lord Eddington.” She gave a brief nod in his direction, her thin lips pursed in silent displeasure of his dallying with her niece.
    “Good evening, Lady Hamilton,” Jeffrey said with a most polite stance. “That shade of lavender complements your eyes most attractively.”
    Colette was stunned to note that her prim aunt actually looked flustered by Jeffrey’s compliment.
    “Why thank you, Lord Eddington.” The faintest hint of a smile quickly vanished from Aunt Cecilia’s face as she turned to her niece. “Now you must come with me, Colette. Your uncle wishes to introduce you to Baron Sheffield.”
    “Yes, Aunt Cecilia.” She turned back to Jeffrey and smiled at him. “Thank you for a lovely time.”
    As her aunt dragged her away, she felt sure Jeffrey was winking at her.

Chapter Six
     

A Kiss Is Just a Kiss
     
    “With your face, you should have every eligible bachelor falling at your feet. Instead I see you with Lord Eddington, and everyone knows he will never settle down.” Uncle Randall scolded Colette with an impatient wag of his finger.
    Aunt Cecilia added quietly, “For all his charm and good looks, Jeffrey Eddington is a complete waste of all our time and effort.”
    Uncle Randall continued to rant his disapproval of her behavior. “You need to focus your attentions on the proper kind of gentleman. Wealthy but suitable gentlemen very interested in marriage. The ones I choose for you.”
    “But the men you see as potential husbands for us are old enough to be our father,” Colette retorted heatedly. And the most unattractive, she added to herself.
    Aunt Cecilia snapped, her tone bitter, “Because they are the ones with the money, Colette. And the ones desperate enough for a wife to put up with you and your appalling lack of any kind of a dowry. Marriage is a serious business, and if you are still harboring any romantic illusions, you can just forget about them.”
    Groaning inwardly, Colette remained silent. She had no romantic illusions where marriage was concerned. She had learned that from watching her own parents.
    Uncle Randall took hold her arm with greater force than necessary and pulled her close to him, stating, “I’m going to introduce you to Baron Sheffield now and you will be polite and flattering to him. He’s extremely wealthy, having invested wisely in the textile market, and looking for a young bride to bear his children. He’s been out of the country for some months and just returned. I’ve spoken to him about you, and he has watched you all evening and thinks you are quite lovely. He is also under the misguided impression that you have a disposition to match your looks. Don’t you dare disappoint him with your modern ideas until after the wedding! Can you do that?”
    Nodding, Colette glared at her uncle but did not respond, however much she longed to do so with a cutting remark. Somehow she managed to pull her arm from his grasp and took a step away from him.
    “Now, here he comes. This is could be a very profitable venture, Colette. Smile and behave,” Uncle Randall whispered sharply through the clenched teeth of his forced smile.
    Colette looked up and her heart sank at the sight before her. Lumbering in their direction was a very large man who had to be at least forty if he was a day. He was younger than some of the doddering old fools she had met earlier, but his manner immediately repulsed her. With heavily pomaded black hair and a thick black beard, he smiled crookedly as he neared them, revealing tobacco-stained teeth.
    “Ah, Baron Sheffield,” Uncle Randall began with a feigned tone of happiness. “I would like to introduce you to my beautiful niece, Miss Colette