From Lies by Ann Anderson Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ann Anderson
couldn't resist. "Why don't you escort my sister to the floor, and I shall watch the children with these fine gentlemen?"
Raquel gave him a look, but Lord Shaften readily took her hand. "If you insist." And the man winked at his children, much to their delight.
When the pair was on the floor, dancing between the other couples, one of the girls tugged on Rafe's pant leg. He bent down to her level, leaning in close as she motioned him to do. "Do you think she'll be our new mommy? We really like her. She's nice, unlike the other ladies that come to visit daddy. And we like you too." She patted his cheek as she said the last part, giving him a shy smile.
He leaned in close to her ear, smiling as he said, "I think she might be, if your daddy's willing."
The little girl giggled, tugging her siblings close to share the news. They all looked at him with wide, hopeful eyes, and he knew he'd made the right choice over a year ago when he'd set his sights on Lord Shaften for his sister.
"And what secrets are you sharing?" one of the men, dressed all in black, asked, while the third man excused himself from the group.
"It's a secret," the little boy said, covering his mouth as he giggled.
"And tonight's a night for secrets," his eldest sister cheered, grinning at them all.
"Too true," Rafe said, affixing a serious expression that only had the children laughing and giggling more. He then made other faces, amused by the amount of shrieking and giggling the children were doing, even the eldest, who always appeared far too serious to Rafe.
"You're good at that," his sister said when she returned from her dance, her cheeks flushed, eyes bright, her arm curled protectively in Lord Shaften's.
Rafe shrugged his shoulders, unable to find words that would keep his secrets. He didn't just take her to Lord Shaften's to make sure she was properly chaperoned, and he didn't help Jaq with his siblings by sitting around staring at them, but he wouldn't tell her that. Tonight was for her, and he wouldn't spoil it. Appearances.
"Did you have fun?" he asked, kissing her cheek as he took her arm from Lord Shaften's.
She huffed but let him. "Yes." She glanced at Lord Shaften. "If you don't mind, I would like another dance. Maybe later in the night?"
"I would be obliged." Lord Shaften took one of her hands, bending at the waist to place a kiss on it.
Rafe would have rolled his eyes at the way they both flushed if it weren't for the children cooing at his sides. Besides, his sister looked embarrassed enough by the attention.
"Since you've returned, if you don't mind, I'd like to take your charming companion for a turn on the floor," the man in black said, offering his hand to Rafe.
"Please, by all means," Raquel said as she nudged him into the other man's arms.
Rafe scowled at her, but she just stuck her tongue out and turned away, talking with the children and the other stranger while Lord Shaften stood at her side. With no other option, and not wanting to appear rude, Rafe took the offered hand and allowed himself to be led onto the dance floor. The song started off slow, a simple slide around the dance floor before it picked up, taking them faster as the steps became more intricate. Rafe was beginning to relax when his partner spoke.
"I feel we've met."
Rafe's brow furrowed. He'd felt the same. "Your voice is familiar, but I can't place it."
"Hmm." His partner looked him up and down, as if that would somehow reveal how they knew of each other. "I feel it has been a while, but you must have made an impression."
Rafe laughed. He tried his best not to leave an impression anymore on most people he encountered. It was safer that way. "I must confess I don't know what I might have done to leave an impression."
The man smiled, and something in Rafe tightened. "I enjoy your laugh. Maybe we can find each other out of these masks and get to know one another?"
Rafe shook his head, amused at the man before him. He was certainly a noble, or a
Raquel gave him a look, but Lord Shaften readily took her hand. "If you insist." And the man winked at his children, much to their delight.
When the pair was on the floor, dancing between the other couples, one of the girls tugged on Rafe's pant leg. He bent down to her level, leaning in close as she motioned him to do. "Do you think she'll be our new mommy? We really like her. She's nice, unlike the other ladies that come to visit daddy. And we like you too." She patted his cheek as she said the last part, giving him a shy smile.
He leaned in close to her ear, smiling as he said, "I think she might be, if your daddy's willing."
The little girl giggled, tugging her siblings close to share the news. They all looked at him with wide, hopeful eyes, and he knew he'd made the right choice over a year ago when he'd set his sights on Lord Shaften for his sister.
"And what secrets are you sharing?" one of the men, dressed all in black, asked, while the third man excused himself from the group.
"It's a secret," the little boy said, covering his mouth as he giggled.
"And tonight's a night for secrets," his eldest sister cheered, grinning at them all.
"Too true," Rafe said, affixing a serious expression that only had the children laughing and giggling more. He then made other faces, amused by the amount of shrieking and giggling the children were doing, even the eldest, who always appeared far too serious to Rafe.
"You're good at that," his sister said when she returned from her dance, her cheeks flushed, eyes bright, her arm curled protectively in Lord Shaften's.
Rafe shrugged his shoulders, unable to find words that would keep his secrets. He didn't just take her to Lord Shaften's to make sure she was properly chaperoned, and he didn't help Jaq with his siblings by sitting around staring at them, but he wouldn't tell her that. Tonight was for her, and he wouldn't spoil it. Appearances.
"Did you have fun?" he asked, kissing her cheek as he took her arm from Lord Shaften's.
She huffed but let him. "Yes." She glanced at Lord Shaften. "If you don't mind, I would like another dance. Maybe later in the night?"
"I would be obliged." Lord Shaften took one of her hands, bending at the waist to place a kiss on it.
Rafe would have rolled his eyes at the way they both flushed if it weren't for the children cooing at his sides. Besides, his sister looked embarrassed enough by the attention.
"Since you've returned, if you don't mind, I'd like to take your charming companion for a turn on the floor," the man in black said, offering his hand to Rafe.
"Please, by all means," Raquel said as she nudged him into the other man's arms.
Rafe scowled at her, but she just stuck her tongue out and turned away, talking with the children and the other stranger while Lord Shaften stood at her side. With no other option, and not wanting to appear rude, Rafe took the offered hand and allowed himself to be led onto the dance floor. The song started off slow, a simple slide around the dance floor before it picked up, taking them faster as the steps became more intricate. Rafe was beginning to relax when his partner spoke.
"I feel we've met."
Rafe's brow furrowed. He'd felt the same. "Your voice is familiar, but I can't place it."
"Hmm." His partner looked him up and down, as if that would somehow reveal how they knew of each other. "I feel it has been a while, but you must have made an impression."
Rafe laughed. He tried his best not to leave an impression anymore on most people he encountered. It was safer that way. "I must confess I don't know what I might have done to leave an impression."
The man smiled, and something in Rafe tightened. "I enjoy your laugh. Maybe we can find each other out of these masks and get to know one another?"
Rafe shook his head, amused at the man before him. He was certainly a noble, or a
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