Almost A Spinster Read Online Free PDF

between them beyond their friendship.
    A little voice inside her called her a liar, but she closed her ears to its insistent taunting and forced a false smile to her companion.
    “Is anything wrong?” she asked, squeezing his arm to draw his attention.
    His eyes focused on her, suddenly intense and even a little wild. “No, of course not,” he said, too quickly to be believed. As if he was holding something back.
    Her nervousness doubled. “Are you having doubts about this arrangement?” she asked as they passed through the doorway. The foyer was crowded with other guests awaiting entrée to the ballroom beyond and they were slowed in their progress.
    He tilted his head and though she wouldn’t have thought it possible, his gaze grew darker until it was close to emerald. She was drawn to him… even felt herself swaying toward him until she caught the slight motion and righted herself.
    “Are you having second thoughts, Jane?” he asked, his voice suddenly soft.
    She shook her head. “No. This is my only choice.”
    He winced at that observation, then covered his reaction with a smile that was anything but warm. “Yes. We’ve established that.”
    He turned his face and she had the uncomfortable feeling that this might be the last time they spoke that night. Why was he being so odd? Like her words affected him, bothered him. Or something else did.
    “Did-did you speak to David?” she stammered, reaching for something to keep him talking, make him look at her.
    His shoulders stiffened and she felt his arm tense before he sent a brief glance her way. “Yes. Why do you think all Society is talking about our courtship?”
    Her eyes widened and she stifled a nervous giggle. So that was where Wesley had gone the afternoon she agreed to his wild deception. And a good choice, too. Not only did it fulfill her purpose in flaunting her desirability to David, but she knew him too well. He had never been discreet when it came to gossip. David wouldn’t be able to keep himself from telling his valet.
    The valet had long been pursuing the maid of David’s mother. He would definitely tell the young woman to curry favor. And everyone knew the lady’s maid had an arrangement with her mistress to pass along every snippet of gossip she heard. David’s mother had probably known before breakfast!
    As for her discretion… Jane held back a snort. It was nonexistent. She wouldn’t be able to stop herself from telling every Society matron within a few hours, embellishing the details with every recounting of the second or third hand story.
    It was brilliant. Yet Wesley still looked tense and angry, not pleased. “Did something go wrong in your meeting?”
    He sighed, an almost pained sound. “No. It went exactly as planned.” There was a heartbeat of hesitation. “ Almost exactly as I planned. At any rate, he knows about our ‘courtship’.”
    “What was his reaction?” she asked, leaning closer in curiosity, even though she had the troubling sensation of not really caring anymore. How easily her feelings, the ones she had nurtured for so long, were fading. Was her heart trying to protect her by forgetting her love for David?
    Or was it something else?
    Wesley was quiet long enough that she wondered if he heard her question. She was about to repeat it when he sighed. “David was not overly pleased, I don’t think.”
    A little smile curled her lips at that thought. Good. Let him regret throwing her over. Let him wish he had chosen differently.
    She made a move to step into the ballroom, but Wesley drew her back. When she looked up at him, she was surprised to see him staring at her. Searching her face. Searching deeper, like he could see into her heart and soul. She had the strangest urge to run away. Fast. Keep running.
    “Jane, if you show too much interest in David… or in any other man, this deception will never be believed. It may be best to pretend, even when we’re alone, that you only have eyes for me. That way