Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
“Millie, thank you for a wonderful evening. It has been entirely too long since your last dinner party,” Melisande clucked.
“Thank you for coming, dear, and for bringing your charming niece and nephew with you.”
One last try….
Millie leaned in, placed her hand on Melisande’s arm, and said, “What are their plans while they visit?”
Melisande’s eyes twinkled conspiratorially as she leaned in. She pointed to Miss Kroger. “She’s interested in learning about your nephew. If I were you, I would pay close attention to her. She is out to catch a duke, and your nephew is in her sights.”
Attempting a smile, Millie’s tone was smooth as she replied, “She seems harmless enough.” The lie burned on her tongue.
Melisande gave a short laugh. “As your American friend so bluntly put it, there are many creatures in the country with sharp claws. Divinia is no different. In fact, she’d be the first to unsheathe them to get what she wanted.”
A subtle warning was hiding within Melisande’s remarks.
Millie took heart.
Eager to catch up to the twins before they crept from the room, Haven thanked Miss Hughes, said her goodbyes, and rushed to meet the Krogers.
She caught up to them in the hallway.
Uneducated in the ways of initiating conversation with people in the 1800s, she was stumped.
If she were in 2025, she’d start by saying something as innocuous as, “Well, thanks for coming. I hope you had a great time.” Unfortunately, she had the feeling that though they appeared unaffected by their evening out at the House of Haven Horrors, they were underwhelmed.
Sucking in a breath, she straightened her shoulders, and offered a bright, plastic smile.
“Mr. Kroger, I must apologize for my behavior at the dinner table.” His cold blue eyes darkened, their focus laser sharpened.
“I could blame my upbringing in America as a reason for being so...err...impolite, but the truth is I was nervous to be seated at the table with people of such impeccable refinement.”
Pile on the bullshit, Haven.
Kissing ass did the trick.
His expression brightened. With a slight, almost mocking bow, he said, “Miss Edwards, no apology is necessary. Your anxiety is understandable. As you said, you are not used to being in the presence of people of such greatness.”
Her smile froze. Had she said anything about greatness?
Miss Kroger chimed in. “My brother and I are charmed by your humility. It takes true humbleness to admit weakness to those of greater prominence.”
There was that word again—great.
Her stomach soured painfully. Dear God, they sickened her. All it took to reveal their true, ugly natures were a few flattering lies. Did they honestly think her beneath them, that they were somehow superior? Greater than her?
Forcing a bigger smile, she swallowed her bile. “Thank you for being so gracious to one such as me.” She struggled to keep the vomit from rising. “I do hope you had a good evening.”
Uh huh, she was going to Hell for all of the lies, but could Hell be any worse than her current suffering?
Nope.
When the Paragons of the Pompous turned to leave, she made her way to Millie.
Logan had left to escort his guests to the door, and Millie stared down the hallway after them.
She looked lost in thought. What was she thinking about?
Not only did she seem oddly distracted, she looked ready to collapse into bed and sleep for days.
Alarmed, Haven asked, “Millie, are you all right?”
Though the uncharacteristic drooping of Millie’s shoulders alluded to fatigue, her face brightened, and a smile appeared but didn’t reach her eyes.
“Haven, dear, I am as right as rain.” At Haven’s disbelieving expression Millie admitted, “It’s the strain of the evening. My old bones aren’t as strong and lively as they used to be, despite how much I’d like to think otherwise.”
That was the Millie she knew.
“It really was quite the party. I’ll be the first to admit I made a few mistakes—or three or four—but I had a good time.”
“Thank you.” Millie pat Haven’s hand. “Now that the guests have left, I do believe it’s time for me to retire for the evening.
” Eying the empty hallway where Logan would be approaching any moment, she continued, “If I were you, I’d consider retiring as well.
While I’m not as young as I used to be, I could still feel all the waves of tension crashing about a room. ”
Haven coughed. “Tension?” Heat flushed over her face.
“I don’t know what happened and, to be honest I’d rather not, but I do know you two need to work out this uncomfortable friction.”
Haven’s mouth nearly dropped open.
Work out their friction?
Seriously?
Had Millie understood what she just said?
The only way to work out the uncomfortable sexual friction was to create more friction by rubbing her soft body against a hard duke. Hot tingles of want shot through her at the image of the duke beneath her, groaning as she writhed over him.
Swallowing thickly, Haven replied, “I appreciate the advice.” Squeezing Millie’s hand, Haven added, “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, dear. Tomorrow, we’ll have a long, cozy tea, and chat all about this evening’s party.”
Her worried look returned, but her farewell smile replaced it.
Millie climbed the stairs, and Haven stood alone in the hallway waiting for the duke.
Uncertainty, anxiety, desire, and curiosity blended into a concrete block holding her to the spot on the floor. Why had she stayed downstairs when she could be hiding in her room?
She weighed her options.
Go wait for Logan in the parlor and get to the bottom of the roiling tensions of the evening, or go to bed and pretend nothing happened.
Her decision was made for her when he came into view, striding toward her, a black mask of wrath on his face, and a single white glove in his clenched fist.