Mathilda remarked that Sarah Jane had pasty coloring that morning, which is why she had been exiled to the upstairs balcony facing the sunlight to correct her spirits. Her feet and legs were submerged in a yogurt-filled horse feeding tub. She hadn't moved for what seemed like an eternity and her feet started to sparkle with tiny needles.
Why would she have pasty coloring if anyone might ask? It would probably be because of how Anthony kept pulling away even when it was apparent that he cared for her too. How much more of a fool will she make of herself to understand that she has fully decided to be his? What will it take him to choose her too?
Sarah Jane sighed dejectedly, impatiently turning yet another page of a boring book about hosting etiquette by someone named Lady X. Is there still a point to reading this?
Reading under the fresh breeze with birds chirping above her was a nice reprieve of all the tedious parties, but did she really need to be confined in such a foul smelling bucket?
Multiple hooves could be faintly heard from a distance, and at last, the carriage revealed itself at the gates, rolling to a stop in front of the house. The carriage was very grand and multiple stacked boxes lined its trunk.
"I wonder who came to visit." Murmuring the words, she craned her neck as far as she could, catching sight of Anthony's coal-black hair. The balcony was on the far left of the house, vision wasn't exactly as clear as she hoped.
She scooted a little bit to the right, avoiding the blocking branch of a wretched tree. Squinting her eyes against the sunlight, she saw a lady step out, grander than anyone she has ever seen.
Heat swirled in her palms, dampening them with sweat as she narrowed her eyes to see the woman's face. Sarah Jane gasped, recognizing the grand lady's face clearly as she took one box from the back of the carriage and brought it with her back inside.
"Duchess Ravensdale!" She cursed, a mixture of irritation and contempt all being ignited with a rage of jealousy as it enveloped her in steady steam.
Anthony gave the lady a gallant bow and kissed her hand. Sarah Jane began seeing red.
Oh, drat that man! She has had it!
Anthony was every bit of a rake and scoundrel that Anne had warned her about. He had dallied with every widow and married lady, even with a duchess when he so wished.
Her eyes watched him carefully as he tipped his head towards the carriage before it rolled away. Anthony quickly motioned for the footman to summon him for something before he idly played with the rose bushes lining the walkway to the house.
With gritted teeth, she cursed him again.
There was no need to act like a lovesick fool after having a tryst with a married lady. Recalling the different shapes and sizes of boxes adorning the carriage, her eyes closed shut.
He even took her shopping!
Anthony had only accompanied Sarah Jane once, once! He declared that it was much tedious for a man his age, and yet he took a married lady shopping in broad daylight!
Keeping her eyes closed as if it could bury the negative thoughts away, she heard his horse neighing as it galloped away from the house at a brisk pace.
"On to the next tryst, my lord?" She whispered acidly, her ears turning red from a mixture of rage and embarrassment.
"Child, you must get out of the sun. Too much of it will cause you to freckle!" The old matron's voice caused her to start. Her attention was brought back to how she was knee-deep in yogurt, which already had started to sour and break its curds.
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Teasing Your Wicked Heart
ऐतिहासिक साहित्य[Reached # 2 on Regency and # 1 on Austen] After the death of her father, Lady Sarah Jane is passed around her inheriting cousins and uncles as the tolerated ward no one wanted to care for. Years later, when the last of her relatives passed, and wit...
