The Wrong Woman by Kimberly Truesdale Read Free Book Online Page A

the visits. She talked over each thing in detail, searching for any hidden meanings or secret feelings. Isobel doubted whether there was really anything under Lord Revere’s behaviors. But she held her tongue, remembering her promise to Cat that she would try to see something good in the man.
    She could say of him that he was being absolutely proper in his attentions to her sister. And his conversation could be charming at times. He spoke well of many things and knew what compliments to pay that would most flatter a woman, though he had not paid any to Isobel. Not that she needed or wanted his compliments.
    Isobel found that she was now able to sit in the same room with him without making some embarrassing remark or curling her lip in contempt. Lord Revere’s attentions pleased her sister, so Isobel supposed she might forgive him for some of the past. But not all. Never all.
    On the fourth evening after their outing to the park, Isobel had a chance to try her hand at liking Lord Revere a little bit more. He had invited Cat and Isobel to a musical evening at the home of one of his acquaintances, Mrs. Starr. The evening was to feature a new English soprano singing a mixture of works, including some songs by Herr Beethoven, Isobel’s favorite composer.
    Cat had never before been to a musical evening like this and had readily accepted the opportunity for a new experience. Isobel herself had been quite excited by the prospect. Her family was not very musical themselves, and so Isobel and Cat both relished every opportunity to experience from others what they could not produce for themselves. And Isobel had heard good tidings of this new, young soprano who was supposed to be the current pride of England.
    But as the time drew closer to their leaving, Isobel's nerves began to take over, as they always did when she anticipated these public events. Ten years had not been time enough to forget the embarrassing spectacle she had made at her first musicale. It had not been enough to trip and fall down a staircase at her come out ball. No, then she had gone and solidified her reputation and her nickname by somehow falling out of her chair at her first musical evening. Since then, anxiety had overwhelmed her each time she thought of going out. And so Lord Revere found her alone, pacing the front parlor when he arrived to retrieve them for the concert.
    “Good evening, Miss Masters,” he greeted Isobel.
    “Good evening, Lord Revere.” She could not still her nervous movement around the room. She felt out of breath and anxious. “My sister will be down soon. She was just finishing her toilette when I came down a few moments ago.”
    “There is plenty of time,” he stated and when she did not say anything continued on. “I do regret to say that Jack will not be joining us this evening. He found himself under another obligation.” She nodded absently and continued to move around the room.
    Silence fell between them, a silence as uncomfortable as any they had suffered through before. But Isobel was too preoccupied to worry much about it. So it was finally Lord Revere who broke the silence.
    “Pardon me, Miss Masters, but you seem very nervous this evening.” Isobel was too anxious to think of a way to avoid explaining, so she answered plainly.
    “I am quite nervous, Lord Revere,” Isobel admitted but did not expand. She had stopped moving just in front of her guest, but now stood chewing her nails.
    After another silence, Lord Revere asked, “Might I do anything to help?”
    “Not unless you can erase the past.” With a nervous chuckle, the thought was out before she could consider it. A blush rose to her cheeks.
    “No, I have no such magic,” he chuckled, “though it would come in useful.”
    His laugh startled her into stillness.
    “If I may be so bold, Miss Masters. What is it that makes you so nervous this evening?”
    Here is an opportunity to be civil to the man for Cat’s sake. She took a deep breath and