Free Strictly Forbidden by Shayla Black

attendance.
    Hoping to ease past the awkward moment, Gavin invited the Baycliffes to finally sit
     on the blue sofa. He placed his hand at the small of his aunt’s back to escort her
     to her seat.
    Then he noticed a small tear in the back seam of Caroline’s lively green silk dress,
     directly between her shoulders. As she took a step, the tear lengthened a bit more.
     Another step, another loosening of the seam.
    He frowned. How had that happened? It hardly mattered now; the damage was done. Now
     he must concoct some way to keep Mrs. Baycliffe from seeing the tear a nd remarking upon it to his aunt, coupled with a suggestion of lazy maids, dwindling
     finances, or pitying words that a duke’s aunt should be forced to buy dresses of lesser
     quality . Any of these suggestions would likely send Aunt Caroline into a fit of pique or tears—one
     never knew—the minute the door shut behind the Baycliffes.
    Before everyone could sit, James strolled in, looking every inch a clergyman in somber
     black. Miss Melbourne stood beside him, and despite her modest garb, appeared more
     the kind of woman to warm a sinner’s bed than to grace a parson’s pew.
    Gavin closed his eyes, feeling his stomach sink to his toes. Now that James had arrived
     with Kira, how could he prevent his cousin from introducing Miss Melbourne and revealing
     the fact she was his fiancée? By Gavin’s side, Aunt Caroline had apparently realized
     they could not. She tensed.
    The seam at her back unstitched a little more.
    The gossip would spread rapidly, and like all unfortunate rumors, would reach London
     soon.
    Matters had just gone from bad to worse. Gavin sighed, resigned to a difficult morning.
    Predictably, Kira looked out of place, like a fallen angel clinging to her savior.
     It wasn’t her dress that gave such an impression. In fact, the soft yellow muslin
     embroidered with flowers at the hem made her look almost demure—well, as demure as
     a woman with her sensual face and figure could look. A creamy silken shawl draped
     her slender shoulders in a modest display that might have been convincing if he knew
     less about her—and if she didn’t set his blood on fire with a glance.
    This appearance was his cousin’s means of quiet defiance, of integrating his fiancée
     into local society, fostering acceptance. If that was his aim, James bloody ought
     to know better than to begin with the wretched Mrs. Baycliffe.
    Gavin held in a curse. Why would James subject himself to pity and ridicule for a
     woman he did not love? Especially since Kira did not love him either, it appeared.
     After all, she refused to cry off the engagement, despite the fact Gavin had explained
     the harm that would befall James in wedding her.
    “Good morning, ladies,” James greeted smoothly.
    “And to you, Mr. Howland.” Mrs. Baycliffe directed the remark to James, but her shrewd
     gaze was pinned on Kira.
    “How lovely to see you. I trust you are both well?”
    “Indeed.” Her mouth pinched with the word.
    “Splendid.” James urged Kira closer to the Baycliffes. “Ladies, I present to you Miss
     Kira Melbourne, my fiancée.”
    Visible shock widened Mrs. Baycliffe’s faded blue eyes. As if realizing her faux pas, she cleared her throat and regarded Kira with a superior gaze.
    “Honoria,” she said without taking her disapproving eyes off Kira, “Await me outside.”
    The young girl blinked up at her mother, lashes fluttering in confusion. “But— ”
    “Go now.”
    Casting a surreptitious glance at Kira, Miss Baycliffe stood and, shoulders slumped,
     made her way from the room.
    Gavin risked a glance at Kira. She looked frozen, ashen with shock. He took a deep
     breath, suddenly wishing he could insult Mrs. Baycliffe in a similar fashion.
    “Miss Melbourne.” The greeting was cool. “You’ll understand my young daughter cannot
     be acquainted with someone like you.”
    Kira swallowed, clearly taken aback, but said nothing.
    Aunt Caroline