The Rake's Unveiling of Lady Belle Read Online Free PDF

thought to be bedding. Clarissa’s exact but crude expression was ‘one week plucking, three weeks fucking and they’re out’. Belinda accepted she would never reach the heady heights of knowing him as he did those women, and indeed was happy with the life she had made—with the help of other strong women like Clarissa and Lady L. However, she couldn’t help but wonder…
What is it like to be desired in such a way? In any way? Is it enough?
    Tippen coughed delicately and Belinda realised she must have been wool-gathering.
    â€˜Sorry, you were saying?’
    â€˜Very close-mouthed he was. He said that unless you agreed to dress the lady, you would have no need to discover her identity. It was strange really. I did wonder if he’d recognise me, but he didn’t. I know I haven’t seen much of him these past few years, since I was in service and not one of the scrubby village kids, but I was around sometimes when he visited Lady Lakenby with Lady Clarissa.’
    â€˜People only see what they expect to see,’ Belinda said with a smile. ‘Not you or me.’ The test would be if he recognised her as his sister’s friend.
    â€˜That’s true, but what do I tell Lord Phillip? He’s waiting for an answer.’
    â€˜What?’ Belinda stared at her companion. ‘Waiting here?’
    â€˜Well he wouldn’t go away until I approached you. Very insistent he was that I asked you now, and gave him the answer straight away.’
    â€˜Oh Lud. How on earth do I explain that even if I do see the lady there is no guarantee I’ll agree to outfit her?’ That was the cardinal rule. Even if Madame Belle agreed to a preliminary meeting, that didn’t mean she would take you as a client. There was also a rule that one agreement did not necessarily mean any more garments would be made. Each approach was decided on its own merit. So much depended on how much advice a client took on board, and as Clarissa had once put it, how well they continued to show off their clothes to their best advantage.
    â€˜For if one has gone to seed, why be an advertisement for that?’ Clarissa had said prosaically.
    Belinda agreed.
    â€˜Madame?’
    Oh Lord she’d yet again forgotten why Tippen stood in front of her with a look of query on her face.
    â€˜Where is he?’ She automatically slipped into the voice she used for her clients. Luckily.
    â€˜If you mean me, I’m here.’ The gentleman in question strolled into the workroom and bowed. ‘Lord Phillip Macpherson, at your service.’
    Belinda had to force herself not to scowl. Just like fine wine he’d matured well.
Damn it.
    * * *
    Phillip straightened up from his bow, and studied the stunning woman in front of him. She was dressed in understated elegance, held herself like any lady of the ton, and made his body harden with instant, unexpected desire. That jolted him. He might be renowned throughout the ton for his prowess in the bedchamber—or in an empty room at a ball—but rarely did someone affect him in such a manner. In fact, he thought as he willed his body to behave, the last time a lady had affected him so strongly, she was a young friend of his sister’s and he had fought against that attraction. Belinda Howells had been too young and too innocent for him. Then she’d dropped out of view and Clarissa had told him she’d moved to the north. He’d felt a pang of disappointment. She intrigued him. Pity about her awful family of course. Those he held in contempt. But Belinda now? If she’d been older…
    He shut that thought away. She was a friend of his sister’s, welcome in his father’s house. No way could he have dallied there. But, she had affected him in the same way it appeared the lady in front of him did. Because once more his body was demanding he paid proper attention to a woman probably not suited to or interested in him.
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