The Toplofty Lord Thorpe Read Online Free PDF Page A

with this last scheme.
    â€œIt was only that I was so desperate, you know, although that certainly is no excuse. I thought I was trying to help you, but I see now that my motives were entirely self-serving. I duped myself, pursuinga dream that had no basis in reality. You are not the man I thought you were, for even if you could not find it in your heart to…to like me, the man I believed you to be could never have been so consciously cruel. Good day, my lord. You shall not be forced to endure my attentions in the future.”
    Looking up into his closed expression, she summoned a small brave smile. “See, my lord. The purpose of your visit has been accomplished after all—and before the hall clock could chime the half-hour. Congratulations.”
    Unlocking the door, Thorpe held out the key, but when Lucy just shook her head, her entire being concentrating on not bursting into tears and thus losing the last of her self-respect, he stepped past her to lay it on a nearby table. He didn’t feel particularly proud of himself for this day’s work; bludgeoning a mere slip of a girl with his tongue could not be looked upon as the gentlemanly thing to do. But if he had at last destroyed her ridiculous worship of him, convinced her to stop throwing herself in his way and disrupting his peace, he could not help but view his actions as necessary, in the interests of self-preservation at the very least.
    â€œGood day to you, Miss Gladwin. Rest assured this conversation will remain solely between the two of us. There is no need for further hostilities, either privately or in public. A common nod when we meet will be sufficient to keep the tongues from wagging, I believe, and should not cause either of us any undue hardship.”
    Then, when she made no move to answer him, he did something he later told himself was no more than an impetuous act containing no real meaning: he lifted her hand to his lips, placed a slight kiss on her cool flesh, and then took his leave without a backward glance—leaving Lucy to cradle her hand protectively against her breast as she watched him walk out of her life.

CHAPTER THREE
    â€œD ID YOU HEAR ?”
    â€œIt’s all over the city!”
    â€œI heard that letters were sent to all the newspapers—it has to be true!”
    â€œSuch a scandal! Who would have thought it of him? And what about his poor fiancée? Has anybody seen her? Is he with her, do you think?”
    â€œI cannot believe he’d dare to show his face! Not after what he’s done! It’s horrid, simply horrid!”
    What a to-do! Ever since she and her aunt had set foot inside the ballroom there had been no denying that something was afoot—that some wickedly delicious bit of gossip was being passed around the flower-bedecked room, thoroughly taking the shine out of Miss Araminta Selbridge’s debut at her painstakingly planned come-out ball.
    The very air crackled with tension as the invited guests forsook the sanded dance floor in favor of standing about in tight little clumps, talking nineteen to the dozen while they gleefully shredded some unfortunate soul’s reputation into tiny bits.
    After depositing Aunt Rachel with the dowagers, her relative being nearly dragged into a chair beside the turbaned dragon who immediately began wetly whispering into the poor lady’s ear, Lucy wanderedoff aimlessly, forgetting that she had promised to immediately join some young female acquaintances that were standing nearby, deep in frenzied conversation.
    More than a week had passed since her disastrous meeting with Lord Thorpe, and although her aunt refused to do as her niece asked and allow them both to quit the city at once, Lucy’s heart had not been in any of the parties, fêtes, or routs she had dutifully allowed herself to be dragged off to night after endless night.
    She had seen Thorpe twice in that time, and he had made a point of acknowledging her presence even