Free The Wagered Heart: Signet Regency Romance (InterMix) by Rhonda Woodward

at the Upper Rooms and an impending visit to Caro’s mother-in-law.
    People were beginning to crowd into the gardens as the fashionable hour approached. The cousins had to slow their walk considerably to weave through the throng. Just as they reached the gravel path that led to the gates of the gardens, Caro pulled up short and grabbed Julia’s arm tightly.
    “Bless me! Julia, come this way at once—to the pavilion.” Her voice was a frantic whisper as shewhipped herself, and Julia, around in a different direction.
    Struck by the urgency in Caro’s voice, Julia did not hesitate. With swift steps they moved past some flower beds to a graveled, open space where the orchestra played on gala nights. Caro finally looked over her shoulder and stopped.
    Gathering her trailing wrap, Julia looked at her cousin askance. “Heavens, what has you looking so astounded? Did you see your mother-in-law?”
    Caro shook her head and gulped a breath. “I swear I saw the Duke of Kelbourne! ‘Pon my soul, I cannot imagine why
he
would be in Bath.”
    “The Duke of…” Staring at her cousin in shock, Julia gasped. “You must be mistaken, Caro. Your mind has played a trick upon you because we were just speaking of him.”
    “Mayhap, but we will stay here for a few moments. I shall stand in front of you, and you can hide behind my bonnet.”
    Julia eyed doubtfully the prodigious proportions of the yellow confection upon her cousin’s head.
    “I am still too tall to be completely veiled. But I believe your efforts are needless. The Duke of Kelbourne would not come to Bath—it’s much too tame a place for one so dissolute.”
    Caro’s brow furrowed in worried confusion. “I own it was only the merest glimpse, but he is a difficult man to mistake.”
    Julia looked over Caro’s bonnet and scanned the growing clusters of people. “I see no one familiar. Come, let us not cower here,” she said, drawing Caro forward.
    They were almost back to the path when Julia noticed a beautiful, exquisitely garbed woman staring at her from a short distance away. Julia glanced away as she and her cousin continued to move toward theentrance. A second later, her eyes moved to the man standing next to the elegant woman. He, too, was looking directly at her. Shocked, she froze.
    Caro halted next to Julia, “I told you so,” she whispered.

Chapter Seven
    “I   must say, Kel, you are certainly being more equanimous than I had expected.”
    Kel sent his sister a lazy smile. “I am always equanimous, m’dear sis.”
    Lady Fallbrook responded with an inelegant snort as they strode through the gates of Sydney Gardens. By mutual acknowledgment, brother and sister were relieved to be away from the tension at the Royal Crescent, where they had left their mother and grandmother bickering about the upcoming musical evening they were planning.
    As Kel and his sister strolled along the gravel pathway between the overflowing flower beds, they paid little attention to the stir they were creating. The rumor had been steadily spreading throughout the town for days that Kelbourne was on the scene. Now, with this very public appearance confirming the fact, the cits and the gentry alike whispered and gawked. A few young bucks even followed at a discreet distance to get a better look at the style of his boots.
    Lady Fallbrook engendered her share of stares, as well. The other ladies enjoying the park sighed in envy at the exquisite details of her summer silk promenade dress of gentian blue. Her headdress,with its full plumes of ostrich feathers falling to the side of her face, was equally remarked upon. No one had seen this style before, and a number of women determined to visit their milliners as soon as possible.
    The two notable figures continued along in the afternoon sunshine, acknowledging with a brief inclination of the head those who had the courage to address them.
    “Seriously, Kel, I am all astonishment that you have not trotted off to London or Brighton.