Free Lady Catherine's Secret: A Secrets and Seduction book by Sheridan Jeane Page A

avoid marriage as long as possible.
    Lady Wilmot turned back to Lord Huntley. “You already met my daughter, the Lady Elizabeth Greville,” she said, indicating her daughter with a slight tip of her head, “but I don’t believe that you have been properly introduced to her dear friend.” Her gaze shifted to Catherine. “Lord Huntley, I’d like to introduce you to the Lady Catherine Williams. Lady Catherine, this is Daniel Kennedy, the Marquess of Huntley. Lord Huntley, I believe that you may have been acquainted with Lady Catherine’s late grandfather, the Earl of Kensington.”
    “Lady Catherine, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I can see a family resemblance. I think it’s the eyes.” He gently took her hand as she offered it to him, and then widened his eyes in surprise. “You have a firm grip for such a delicate-looking young lady.” He slightly lifted his eyebrow again as he stared down into her eyes.
    In a moment of déjà vu , she felt like a mouse under the gaze of a predator. This was all too reminiscent of their introduction last night. She could only hope he wasn’t experiencing the same feeling.
    But what could she do?
    Struck by inspiration, Catherine fluttered her lashes and let her posture melt, wanting him to see someone quite different from the brash, bold boy he’d met last night. She couldn’t overdo it, of course. Not with Lady Wilmot and Elizabeth standing right next to her. But a stuttering, tongue-tied girl would be unlikely to arouse their suspicions.
    “I, uh, I... needlepoint,” she finally said in a flustered voice. It wasn’t hard to add that little waver with those piercing blue eyes assessing her. “Perhaps that accounts for the strength of my grip. Do you enjoy needlepoint, Lord Huntley?” She gave a slight gasp of embarrassment, her fingertips flying to her lips. “I mean... that is, I meant to say, do you enjoy looking at needlepoint?”
    His intense expression morphed first into one of confusion, only to be replaced by one of amusement as he recognized her state of “panic.”
    She gave Lady Wilmot a desperate look, pretending to need her help in extricating herself from this bit of social quicksand, and then ducked her head in embarrassment. Lady Wilmot obligingly came to Catherine’s rescue.
    “Look, my dear. Your mother is searching for you. I just saw her scanning the crowd. Why don’t you join her? And Lord Huntley, have you met Monsieur Francois LeCompte?” She rested her hand on Lord Huntley’s arm, guiding him toward the man posing by the fireplace. “I believe you share a particular interest with him. He is quite an accomplished fencer.”
    Catherine could see her mother from across the room, engaged in a conversation with her friends and clearly not looking for her daughter. Catherine shot Lady Wilmot a look of gratitude and then avoided Elizabeth’s eyes as she scurried off to join her mother.
    She glanced back at Lord Huntley and twiddled her fingers at him in a good-bye.
    That should do it.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    9 - She Sauntered?
     
    Huntley watched as Lady Catherine sauntered away from him.
    Saunter. That definitely described her movement across the room. He furrowed his brow and pondered the sudden change in the girl who, just moments before, had tripped over her own feet and then had been tongue-tied with embarrassment. How intriguing.
    He always enjoyed solving a good puzzle.
    Lady Wilmot led him toward another gentleman, but he soon managed to extricate himself from the conversation. He’d come here to meet the marriageable ladies, not to be quizzed by some gossip-monger.
    Tonight, however, events refused to proceed as he hoped. He found himself pinned down with another of the gentlemen who professed to dislike “trade,” but then spent his time pumping Daniel for private information regarding his shipping business.
    He noted with pleasure that Lady Wilmot’s large, gracious home included a piano in the next room. He