Before The Scandal Read Online Free PDF

because of Lord Quence’s health. You know the viscount has scarcely left the house since they arrived at the end of the Season.”
    “I agree. It didn’t seem that William had any inkling he might be returning, however. I would wager that Beth sent for him.”
    That made sense. Richard was nodding to himself, though, so apparently her further opinion wasn’t required. As far as she was concerned, the fact that Phineas Bromley was back in East Sussex held far more interest than wondering why he’d journeyed there.
    “How close are you and Colonel Bromley?” Richard asked abruptly.
    Alyse shook herself. “We used to be great friends. As I said, though, I haven’t seen him for a good ten years. I know nothing about him, these days.” She drew a breath, weighing whether having her curiosity satisfied would be worth the verbal lashing she was likely to receive in return. Curiosity won out. “Why so interested in Colonel Bromley, Cousin?”
    He pinned her with his pale blue gaze. “I’m pursuing his sister,” he said flatly. “I would be foolish to ignore the presence of a man who might have a different agenda. Is there anything else about which you’d like to question me?”
    “No. Of course not.”
    “I thought not.” Her cousin gestured for Donald to fetch him a cup of coffee. American coffee. She detested it. “I imagine,” he continued after taking a swallow, “that when he spoke with you last night, the colonel thought you were still a diamond. I wonder if they’ve told him yet that you’re made of cheap paste.”
    Aunt Ernesta cackled from the doorway. “We’ll know the next time we encounter him.”
    Alyse’s cheeks heated. “There’s no need to be cruel,” she said quietly, pushing away from the table.
    “We aren’t cruel,” Ernesta countered. “If it weren’t true, it wouldn’t hurt. They do say that pride goes before the fall.”
    True or not, Alyse didn’t want to hear it. For God’s sake, she detested these people. Even at her most self-absorbed, she didn’t think she’d ever been cruel. “Excuse me.”
    “Yes, dear. Go read the Milton until time for us to leave for town.”
    Not bothering to reply, Alyse retreated to her bedchamber. She’d been looking forward to going into Lewes, but now she wasn’t as certain. What if Phineas was there, as well? Would he look at her with the same gloating pity as her so-called friends had after the scandal?
    Last night all she’d seen in his eyes had been surprise and relief at seeing her. To him she’d been a friendly face from a kinder past. She recognized that look because she’d felt the same way herself. Once he learned what had happened, how her fortunes had fallen, he wouldn’t smile when next they met. Or worse, he would smile behind her back.
    Frustration, anger, loathing at her so-called relations all mingled thickly in her bones and her blood. For five years she’d attempted to make the best of things, learned to be grateful for small kindnesses that scarcely would have reached her notice previously. And finally began making plans to escape them altogether. Still every day ended a little worse than it had begun. Until last night. But feeling hope or anticipation only meant that she would hurt more when they passed her by, pausing only to laugh at her.
    She closed her eyes for a moment before she opened Paradise Lost . Just to herself she breathed a silent prayer. Please don’t let Phineas Bromley laugh at me .

Chapter 4
    Phineas awoke before dawn. He was still accustomed to the early hours he kept in Spain, and given how his greeting at Quence Park had gone thus far, he didn’t see much use in adjusting his regimen for East Sussex. With a yawn he lit the lamp at his dressing table and sat down to shave.
    They truly had left his room as it was when he’d last been there, though if he had to guess whether it had been out of deference or because they wanted as little to do with him as possible, he would choose the latter.