In the Heat of the Bite by Lydia Dare Read Free Book Online Page B

now. She’d released lightning indoors, for heaven’s sake! She’d never be able to show her face in London again. They’d chase her back to Scotland if she was lucky, and if she wasn’t… Well, not that long ago, witches had been put to death.
    Ginny grinned. “It could be much worse, but I believe his lordship is smoothin’ everythin’ over. He said it was his fault.”
    His fault?
What the in the world was Ginny talking about? “Lord Eynsford is takin’ the blame for my storm?”
    “Was that torrent outside yer doin’?”
    “And the one inside. The punch bowl. The footman.” The duchess… She couldn’t even bring herself to mention the last.
    A peal of laughter escaped Ginny as she brushed past Rhiannon into the retiring room. “I had no idea. No one is concerned about the weather at all.”
    How could no one be concerned about a storm that erupted
indoors
? Were Londoners all mad? “Then what is Lord Eynsford tryin’ ta smooth over?”
    Ginny shook her head. “Why do ye keep askin’ about Eynsford? It’s the dark-haired gentleman ye slapped right in the middle of the ballroom who is takin’ the blame.” She frowned as she flopped into Rhiannon’s vacated seat. “By the way, Aunt Greer was traumatized by that.”
    Aunt Greer could go hang. Rhiannon slumped against the closed door. “
That’s
what they’re worried about?”
    Ginny gazed at her as though she had her gown on backward and her hair was on fire. “Well, ye canna go around slappin’ London gentlemen, Rhi.”
    “Of course no’,” she admitted, “but it’s hardly more important than lightnin’ blasts inside a home.” Not that she should complain. If everyone was concerned about lightning blasts and attributed them to Rhi, they’d march her off to Newgate without a second thought.
    “Who is the gentleman? And what in the world did he do?” Ginny’s hazel eyes rounded as she waited expectantly.
    Cait, thankfully, rose from her spot at that point. “The gentleman in question is the Earl of Blodswell. As ta what he did, I can imagine Rhiannon would rather no’ speak of it, and I’d rather the ballroom no’ turn inta Noah’s flood, if ye doona mind. Three gentlemen have promised me their attendance, and they’ve no’ yet arrived. I’d hate for it ta all be for nothin’.”
    That caught Ginny’s attention. “Who are ye waitin’ for, Caitrin?”
    The marchioness smiled regally. “Relations of Eynsford. Three very handsome, very eligible relations.” His brothers, in fact, not that Cait could admit to the unfortunate circumstance of her husband’s birth.
Relations
would have to do.
    “Indeed?” Ginny sat forward in her seat with rapt attention. “How handsome?”
    “Well—” Cait began, but Rhiannon stopped her with a raise of her hands.
    “Ye canna possibly want ta marry one of these Englishmen.” Hadn’t she just traveled south from Edinburgh to prevent such a thing? Well, she’d traveled south to retrieve Ginny, but now keeping her safe from Englishmen was at the top of Rhi’s list.
    “I doona ken who I want ta marry,” Ginny admitted thoughtfully. “I imagine I have no’ met him yet. Now, Caitrin, what were ye sayin’ about Eynsford’s relations?”
    “Ginny!” Rhiannon gasped. “Ye canna be serious.”
    “Well, why no’?” Her sister blinked at her innocently. “Aunt Greer says I have a face that could land me quite a catch. Do they have sizeable fortunes?” She addressed the last to Cait who looked shocked at Ginny’s sudden mercenary question.
    Rhiannon could hardly believe her ears either. “Did ye
want
ta come with Aunt Greer?”
    Ginny nodded. “Papa said I could, and I want ta attend balls and meet lords and—”
    “But
evil
Aunt Greer?” Rhiannon’s voice rose an octave.
    Ginny’s eyes dropped to her lap. “I ken she’s no’ nice ta ye, Rhi—”
    “She’s never been particularly nice ta ye, either.”
    Ginny sighed. “No, but she’s offered ta present me. When