Don't Look Back by Amanda Quick Read Free Book Online

family connections would not allow her to swim in exalted social circles for long, in spite of Lavinia's machinations. Furthermore, prudent matchmaking mamas would work hard to ensure that their sons did not look too seriously in Emeline's direction.
    Unfortunately, that did not prevent many of the young bloods of Society from being intrigued by a lovely and unusual Original. Nor would it stop heartless rakes and debauchers from attempting to seduce her as a form of perverted sport.
    He had appointed himself Emeline's guardian, and he considered it his duty to protect her from unwanted attentions. But what worried him the most these days was that she might decide to sample some of those attentions.
    It would all be so much simpler if he was in a position to declare his affections and make an offer for her hand. But the long and the short of it was that he could not afford to keep her in the style to which she deserved to become accustomed.
    He had spent a great deal of time lately pondering his problems and concocting various possible solutions. It all came down to one key point: He had to find a way to make a decent living and he had to do so quickly, before one of the men hanging around Emeline defied his parents and convinced her to run off with him.
    The walk home to the little house in Claremont Lane was a brisk one, due not only to the fact that the afternoon was coming to a close but because the threat of rain dampened the air.
    "Is something wrong?" Emeline asked when they reached the little park and turned the corner. "Are you ill?"
    That startled him out of his reverie. It annoyed him that she thought him sickly. "No, I am not ill. I am thinking."
    "Oh. I thought, perhaps, from your expression that the ice cream we had earlier did not sit well."
    "I assure you, I am in excellent health, Emeline."
    "I was merely concerned."
    "Emeline, your aunt has made it clear that she wishes you to enjoy another Season before you even think of accepting an offer of marriage."
    "What on earth does marriage have to do with this?"
    He braced himself. "It is quite likely that at any moment one of those... those gentlemen who accosted you after the lecture today might decide to offer for your hand."
    "Oh, I doubt that. None of their mamas or papas would approve. They can all look a good deal higher for wives and I'm sure they will do precisely that when the time comes."
    "It is not unheard of for a reckless man to... to elope with someone whom his parents might not deem suitable," Anthony said darkly.
    "As gentlemen are forever doing in those books of poetry that Aunt Lavinia loves to read?" Emeline chuckled. "How very romantic. But I very much doubt that I am the type to inspire a runaway marriage."
    "You are precisely the type." Anthony came to a sudden halt and turned to face her. "You must be on your guard, Emeline. There is no telling when some rake may show up at your bedroom window in the middle of the night and beg you to join him in the carriage he has waiting in the street." Just as he had envisioned himself doing in certain fevered fantasies, he thought.
    "A Gretna Green marriage?" Emeline's eyes widened. "Nonsense. I cannot imagine any of those gentlemen having the spirit to do anything so thrilling."
    Anthony felt his stomach clench. "You mean that you would consider it exciting to run off with one of those empty-headed dandies?"
    "Yes, indeed."
    His blood ran cold.
    And then she smiled. "Quite impossible, of course."
    "Impossible." He seized on that. "Yes, of course. Absolutely impossible."
    "Indeed."
    But it was not impossible and well he knew it. It had happened on at least one occasion last Season that he was aware of, and it would no doubt happen again this Season. Sooner or later, a young couple who had been forbidden to wed would run off to Gretna Green in the middle of the night. If their frantic papas did not catch up with them before the deed was done, the pair would return as newlyweds. Their parents would be