Free Annabelle by MC Beaton Page A

holding her hand and tugged it free. She was suddenly hot with shame at the enormity of her behavior. What on earth would her father say were he to know that she had let one man kiss her while she was engaged to another?
    But Lord Varleigh rose and collected his chapeau bras and escorted Miss Quennell home as if nothing at all had passed between them. She did not know whether to be angry or glad.
    To Annabelle’s surprise Lady Emmeline was waiting up for her. Lord Varleigh had left Annabelle on her doorstep to go … where? To Lady Jane? Or did the “No, not tonight” still apply?
    Lady Emmeline was dressed more in keeping with her age in a faded kimono and as a result looked considerably younger.
    “Come in, sit down, my dear,” she said as Annabelle entered. “I have not yet thanked you enough for saving my life.” She raised one plump, beringed hand as Annabelle would have protested. “No, indeed! It was a most courageous action. You have more spirit than …than … well, than I would ever have guessed. You must tell me what I can give you. Jewels? Furs…no, not the season. Come now. There must be something you want?”
    “You have given me enough, Godm … I mean, Emmeline,” said Annabelle slowly, “but there is just one thing…”
    “Which is?”
    Annabelle clasped her suddenly trembling hands together in her lap. She looked straight at her godmother. “I do not wish to be affianced to Captain MacDonald,” she said.
    Lady Emmeline’s eyes fell before the girl’s direct look. “Well, well, well,” she said. “Tol rol. It’s your inexperience, girl. If you knew more of the ways of men, then you would appreciate a fine upstanding man like the Captain.”
    She looked hopefully at Annabelle who said firmly, “I really mean it, you know. I do not wish to marry Captain MacDonald.”
    “Umph!” said Lady Emmeline sulkily. Then her wrinkled, monkey face took on a crafty look under its mask of powder and paint. “Then so be it. I shall send a notice that your engagement is at an end to the newspaper in the morning. Do not trouble to speak to Captain MacDonald yourself. I shall see him for you.”
    “Oh,
thank you
…,” Annabelle was beginning when Lady Emmeline interrupted her. “But the poor Captain is quite smitten with you, you know. I mean, it would not be fair to drop him
entirely
,heh? No harm in him escorting you here and there till you’re suited. After all, your papa would not want you to do anything rash. Seems to me he’s quite pleased about it.” She drew a crumpled letter from the sleeve of her kimono.
    The rector had written to Lady Emmeline stating his joy and delight that Annabelle was already engaged. Hewent on at some length on the subject. Annabelle’s eyes were misted over with tears as she handed it back, and Lady Emmeline could only be glad that the girl had not noticed the missing sheet of the letter where the rector had then set out all his anxieties and hopes that it was a marriage of the
heart
.
    “So you’ll try?” queried Lady Emmeline, her sharp eyes watching the girl’s expressive face. “Just to please a poor old woman.”
    Annabelle nodded dumbly.
    Lady Emmeline’s eyes suddenly narrowed like those of a large tabby cat. “Ah, Varleigh, now. He escorted you home?”
    “Yes,” said Annabelle a little breathlessly and felt the guilty color beginning to mantle her cheeks.
    “Well, there’s a triumph! Of course,” went on Lady Emmeline smoothly, “there has from time to time been some pretty debutante who has managed to pry my lord from Lady Jane’s side. But not for long. He only does it to make her jealous. Oh well”—here she gave a fake yawn—“I suppose that pair will be tying the knot before long. London’s ceased being scandalized at their affair. God knows, it’s been going on long enough!”
    And having noticed that the barb had gone home, Lady Emmeline took herself off to bed.
    But after Horley had snuffed the candles and Lady Emmeline lay