Wicked Temptations by Patricia Watters Read Free Book Online Page A

about that when the time came. A lime silk parasol trimmed in olive green topped off her outfit. Opening it and twirling it against her shoulder, she turned around slowly in front of the full-length mirror. For the first time in her life, she felt pretty.
    Maybe someone would bid on her basket. She'd packed it with pastry sandwiches and small pigeon pies, and custard tarts, and plum pudding with lemon sponge, and cucumbers and tomatoes and an array of cheeses. Lastly, she included a small loaf of freshly-baked bread, sweet cream butter, and a baked tongue for slicing. She tucked in a bottle of wine and two wine goblets. She was sorry she had to purchase everything already prepared from stores, but the kitchen in her building was not yet serviceable. She hoped to rectify that soon, but getting the first issue of The Town Tattler out took priority.
    Picnic baskets loaded into the back of the buckboard, Priscilla and the women set out for St. Marks Episcopal church and the picnic social that would follow the service. Priscilla couldn't help wondering what Lord Adam Whittington's reaction would be on seeing her fixed up as she was. If he noticed her at all, that is.
    ***
    Adam stood in a circle of men, scanning his surroundings. He doubted if Priscilla Phipps would be there with a basket, not because she had no way of preparing an assortment of delicacies that would capture a man 's heart, as well as his stomach, but because he suspected she wouldn't want to arrive with such a basket, only to find no one bidding on it. Someone would of course--she was not as unattractive as she believed herself to be—but that was the way it was, and she was not likely to change in such short order. Still, he found himself watching for the homely spinster he'd been unable to shake from his mind.
    And then he caught sight of Mary Kate Burns, and the other women who Miss Phipps had taken under her wing. But there was another woman with them. An older woman, quite shapely in a gown of varying shades of green.
    Brows gathered, he took a closer look. Then stared, dumbfounded. Not only did the dress accentuate Priscilla's very shapely figure, but her red hair gleamed like spun copper, the heat of day brought high color to her cheeks, and her eyes seem to dominate her face. Even at a distance he could see that they looked green, obviously taking on the hues of her dress.
    Several other women joined the circle, and as they did, Priscilla began talking to them and moving her hands with great enthusiasm. The circle of ladies grew wider, and as he watched, he noted that she had also captured the attention of the wives of his opponents in Cheyenne 's upcoming mayoral race, as well as the wife of Wyoming 's territorial governor. Whatever she was telling the women, they were listening with rapt attention.
    He suspected there was far more to Miss Priscilla Phipps than he'd initially thought. She appeared to be elucidating to the growing circle of women something of great interest to them, and he was curious to know what it was. He also had a business offer to propose to her. He'd been mulling it over for days, and it seemed the answer to at least one of his problems. The other problem would take a woman in his bed to solve, and Miss Phipps was not yet ready to fill that role. But she would be eventually, he vowed.
    Picking up the blanket roll he'd brought as a ground cover, he tucked it under his arm and joined the throng of men sauntering over to where the picnic baskets were set for viewing, and prepared to make his bid. He'd have Miss Phipps' company for the afternoon, along with her assortment of delicacies, whatever it cost. But when he at last found her basket, there were already several men gathered around it, and knew the bid was rising.
    Thirty minutes later, he went to collect Priscilla and her picnic basket. He had not expected to bid against two other men. And the price of the basket turned out to be considerably higher than he'd anticipated. But