A Lady unlike any other (four hoydens #1)

Chapter 9

They strolled side by side, both the reins in Lord Fortescue's hands.

"So have you readied a list of all the eligible ladies?" Theo asked.

"You need to give me some time!" Rosalyn accused playfully.

"Alright," he sighed.

"My my, looks like someone is very eager to get married," she peaked up at him.

He just shrugged noncommittally.

They sat below a tree, leaning against its wide trunk.

"What about Lady Greta?" Rosalyn asked suddenly.

"Who?" Theo asked, raising his brows.

"Lady Greta Marbury," she clarified.

"Oh? She's a blue stocking, from what I've heard."

"And you are intimated by intelligent women?" Rosalyn asked, angry now. But he was only amused.

"Of course not, my lady. In fact I love intelligent women. But people like Lady Greta are far too immersed in their studies and so they wouldn't have the time or inclination for all the activities I will have in mind," he grinned, wiggling his brows.

Rosalyn turned beet red.

"That's a very improper thing to say, Lord Fortescue," she murmured, not offended.

"You must call me Theodore if we're to be friends."

"Well, then you must call me Rosalyn," she smiled.

"Rosalyn," he murmured huskily and suddenly all the comfort that Rosalyn had felt with him disappeared.

Her ease replaced by something else. Something that heated her blood.

God, he literally just said her name.

But the intensity in his gaze said that it was something more significant.

She got up hastily and made her way to King, eager to bolt.

"Rosalyn," he called out, catching up with her.

"Yes?" she breathed, turning to look at him.

"There's a horse race two days later. You want to come?" He asked, looking hesitant.

"Of course," she smiled.

"Alright then."

"Alright then," she grinned and disappeared into the woods.

The Morley household.

"Why are you smiling?" Vanessa asked, looking up from the magazine she was reading as Rosa entered the parlour.

"Because I'm happy?"

"Why?"

"Because I have such an attentive friend," Rosalyn snapped.

"You met Lord Fortescue," Vanessa smirked.

Rosalyn almost chocked. How did she know?

"I can read your face," she grinned.

"Yes, I ran into him in the woods."

"How fascinating," Vanessa murmured.

Rosalyn groaned and plopped down on the love seat.

"You do realise that he's a rake, do you not?"

"Yes. But he's not a bad person. Besides, we have no romantic interest in each other. We're just friends," Rosalyn shrugged.

"Do you even hear yourself? Friends?" Vanessa scoffed.

"Can we talk about something else?"

"Has he kissed you?"

"What?" Rosalyn gaped.

"Oh Lord, he has," Vanessa gasped.

"No, he hasn't," Rosalyn muttered unconvincingly.

Vanessa merely raised her brow.

"Well it was before we were introduced, okay? And it wasn't a romantic kiss."

"And that just makes everything more acceptable," Vanessa murmured sarcastically.

"Are you quite done?" Rosalyn asked, frustrated.

"No," Vanessa smiled.

"So if he has kissed you, you're probably on first name basis too?" she grinned again.

"That's it, I'm leaving," Rosalyn said getting up and walking out of the room.

"And that answered my question," Vanessa called out, much to Rosalyn's annoyance.

She couldn't believe it. How did her friends have this uncanny ability to extract every morsel of information from her?

Rosa groaned inwardly.

When Alice and Sarah found out about this, it wasn't going to be pretty.

And was it a good idea for her to go with Lord Fortescue, no...Theodore for the horse race?