Almost A Spinster Read Online Free PDF Page B

you’ll never slip in your act.”
    She hesitated. What Wesley said made perfect sense, of course, but somehow her heart still fluttered wildly at the thought of pretending to be his, not just to the world, but everywhere. How would she act? Wes was one of her best friends. How would she stare into his eyes, the very eyes that were drawing her in, and pretend to love him? Allow herself to pretend he loved her, too.
    She jolted as a burst of laughter came from a group of people to their left. Somehow she’d forgotten they were in a crowd. Swallowing past an inexplicable lump in her throat, she whispered, “Yes. Very well.”
    She looked down at the arm Wesley offered her a second time, but some part of her faltered. Touching him seemed different somehow. Something had changed, something beyond the deception they were perpetrating against the ton .
    “Are you coming?” Wesley whispered, his voice strangely soft and seductive in comparison to the buzzing crowd.
    Jane looked into his eyes. Kind eyes, despite his reputation. Eyes that had always reflected an honest regard and friendship for her. But at that moment, it wasn’t friendship that burned hot in his stare. It was something more. Something young ladies of her marital status and station weren’t supposed to recognize. But she did. The pointed, heated nature of his stare called to something wicked inside her.
    She shook her head, breaking the contact that seemed to burn. “Y-Yes, of course.”
    It took all her balance and concentration not to stumble as she took his arm and they moved into the ballroom at last. She dared to shoot a second glance in his direction and found that the heat was gone from Wesley’s eyes. She could try to pretend it had never been there, but it had. She’d seen it.
    And she’d never felt anything remotely like that when she looked at David. Not from him. And never from herself. What did that mean? What did any of it mean?
    “Wes, Lady Jane!”
    Jane nearly let out a little scream of surprise as David’s voice pierced through her foggy mind. She forced herself to come back to the present to see the man she’d once fancied herself in love with coming across the room. His smile seemed forced as he glanced from Wes to her and back again. For the first time in a long time, her stomach didn’t do flip flops when he looked at her.
    “Good evening, David,” Wesley snapped out.
    Jane’s eyes widened at the tone of his voice. It was anything but welcoming. She looked between the two men. They were like dogs about to fight. Her heart leapt to her throat. What in the world had happened between them when Wes went to David that night? Was it her fault that these old friends suddenly looked like sworn enemies?
    “You look lovely, as always, Lady Jane,” David looked at her, but his eyes still seemed to smirk at Wes.
    “Where is your fiancée tonight, David?” Wesley bit out.
    “With her father.” David didn’t look away from Jane. “I would dearly love a moment of your time this evening, Jane. Perhaps-”
    Wesley made a little sound in his throat. It was incoherent, yet she knew exactly what he meant. He was… angry that David was interfering. Angry… even though this was exactly what she had hoped for when she made the arrangement with Wesley. Wasn’t it? Suddenly she was confused.
    “I’m afraid Jane has promised this dance to me, David,” he growled. “And I’m sure her dance card will be filled all night.”
    Before Jane could confirm or deny Wesley’s statement, he swept her away and she found herself in his arms on the dance floor.
    #
    Jane stared out over the terrace to the moonlit gardens far below. It was the first time she’d been alone since she and Wesley arrived at the ball. In the distance, she heard the low sound of laughter and talk from others on the terrace, but she inched further away, farther into the darkness.
    She didn’t want to be with people at present.
    The night was going well, better than she could