Free A Shameful Secret by Anne Ireland Page A

walking to meet her. He had seen them too and tipped his hat once more.
    “I shall leave you now,” he said and nodded to the other ladies. “But I hope to see you at my aunt’s little affair tomorrow?”
    “Yes, indeed, sir, we look forward to it,” she said, for she liked him well enough as a companion. “I have heard Lucinda mention it twice. Please, excuse me now.”
    She walked forward to greet her friends with smiles and kisses. Both Lucinda and Geraldine had come to do some shopping and to return their books to the library.
    “I have worn out three pairs of dancing slippers since we arrived,” Geraldine said and laughed. Hester was pleased to see that the shadow that had hung over her for some days was quite gone. Clearly, she had decided that her cousin would take care of her problem. “I saw some very pretty ones last week in that French shop, and I have decided to purchase them.”
    “And I want some evening gloves and a new bonnet,” Lucinda said, tossing her pretty ringlets.
    “I have been thinking of buying some new slippers,” Hester said. “It will be fun to buy them together, for we may try on everything at the milliners without spending a fortune.” Thanks to Charlotte, Hester was not short of pin money, but she knew that the other girls had doting mothers who spared no expense in the matter of their daughters’ clothes. She had vowed not to take undue advantage of her cousin’s generosity and had limited her spending as best she could.
    However, neither of the other girls was vain or spiteful, and Hester had never been made to feel that she was less fortunate than they were. So she joined them on their shopping trip and enjoyed watching them buy the pretty trifles they chose.
    Geraldine bought three pairs of dancing slippers, while Lucinda contented herself with two pairs of white gloves and a pretty bonnet with pink silk ribbons. Hester purchased a pair of black dancing slippers. She tried on several bonnets but declared that she could find nothing to please her, though there was a green velvet one that she secretly coveted. However, she declined to purchase it, for she did not wish to ask her cousin for more money. She was content to be with her friends and happy to be able to buy her slippers.
    It was on their way to the Pump Room to meet up with Lady Holbeach and Charlotte that they met Josh Farnham and Captain Crawford. Hester’s heart gave a sudden surge as Paul smiled at her, and she became aware of feeling slightly breathless.
    “Good morning, ladies,” Josh said. “I see you have been shopping. I trust you bought that bonnet we saw, Lucinda? I believe it will suit you.”
    “Yes, indeed, I could not resist it,” she replied and dimpled as she gazed up at him.
    Hester, Geraldine, and Captain Crawford walked ahead as the engaged couple lingered behind. At Paul’s suggestion, they all went together to a popular hotel to partake of the delicious cakes and coffee on offer there. Geraldine excused herself to visit the ladies rest room, and Hester was momentarily alone with Captain Crawford as they waited for the others to catch up with them.
    “I must tell you that a certain gentleman has left Bath rather hurriedly. I believe he may have heard that I was looking for him,” Paul said with a slight grimace. “I think we shall not see him for a while.”
    “I can imagine he might feel it beneficial to his health to remove himself for the time being,” Hester said, her eyes wide and serious as she looked at him. “I am content that we shall be relieved of his presence and that Geraldine is safe from his attentions. I believe she has had no more of those wretched letters.”
    “It may only be a brief reprieve,” Paul said. “One day the opportunity for a reckoning will arise between us.”
    “Yes, I expect it may. . . .” Hester’s heart jerked at the thought, for she could not bear the idea of his life being at risk. “But you will take care I hope?”
    “I am flattered