A Shameful Secret Read Online Free PDF Page A

blush, which she did very prettily. “But I have agreed to wait until after my season.” She laughed. “You will think me very forward, Miss Weston. I do not know what has gotten into me this evening! I have been chattering on, and you will think me a featherhead.”
    “No, no, I think you delightful,” Hester assured her for she had seldom felt so drawn to a new acquaintance. “But, please, will you not call me Hester?”
    “Oh, I should love to, and I am Geraldine.” She tossed her spun-gold ringlets, and her green eyes were alight with excitement, for it had been a truly wonderful evening for her. “Now, you must come and meet my friends.”
    Hester was very willing to be drawn into Geraldine’s charmed circle, for though the evening had been pleasant enough thus far, she was aware that she had no real friends.
    Geraldine led her towards a group of three people. Two were gentlemen, with one of whom Hester was already slightly acquainted. The third was a very attractive young girl with bright, inquisitive eyes.
    “These are my particular friends,” Geraldine announced with delightful candor. “Hester, I would like you to meet Miss Lucinda Mowbry, Captain Josh Farnham, and Captain Paul Crawford.” Her smile embraced them all. “Miss Hester Weston is my new friend. She has just repaired my gown, and I asked her to join us.”
    “That was kind of her,” Lucinda said. Like Geraldine, she was very pretty with soft pale hair, a sweet mouth and a merry smile. “You are very welcome, Hester. I noticed you earlier, for you have such an air about you that I thought you must be a lady of some distinction.”
    Hester’s laughter was instant and dismissive of any such claim. “I assure you, Lucinda, I am no one in particular.”
    Her heart was behaving very oddly, and she had no idea why—unless it was because she had recognized Captain Crawford. Although, of course, he would not remember her for they had met only fleetingly.
    “That I cannot accept,” Josh put in and grinned. “He laid a possessive hand on his fiancée’s arm. “Lucinda is right. There is something about you this evening that makes you stand out, Miss Weston. And I am delighted that I can claim a prior acquaintance.”
    “Oh . . .” Hester blushed. “I assure you that I have no wish to stand out, sir.”
    “You are embarrassing, Miss Weston,” Paul said, his gaze thoughtful as it rested on her face. “You must forgive them, Miss Weston. They are newly engaged, and I fear they are much taken with themselves.” His grave expression belied the sparkle of humor in his eyes.
    “You wretch!” Lucinda cried. Her eyes were alight with laughter as she looked at Hester, not one whit put out by his comment. “Let me warn you of this wicked tease, Hester. He is the dearest man, and I adore him for he once saved the life of the person most important to me in the whole world, but he is a terrible flirt. You must not be taken in by him!”
    “Lucinda, my love,” Josh reproved with an air of mock reproof. “You will send Paul into the depths of despair, and reprobate though he may be, he is still my very best friend.”
    “You may rephrase that in the past tense, sir!”
    Everyone laughed at Paul’s air of outrage, which was as false as his demand.
    “How are you, Miss Weston?” Josh said. “We knew each other as children, I believe?”
    “Yes, of course.” She would not have claimed the friendship lest it should be denied. “I must congratulate you on your engagement, sir. And I wish you the best of happiness, Lucinda.”
    “Oh, I shall be happy,” Lucinda replied, looking at her fiancé with a confident air.
    Hester was about to offer a comment when she sensed a change in the atmosphere. Geraldine gave a little gasp of dismay, the color leaving her cheeks.
    “Oh no,” she said in a voice of doom. “I was hoping he would not be here this evening. What shall I do?”
    “Dance with me, Miss Holbeach.” Josh offered his hand. “Miss