Page 127 of A Devious Secret

The coach door opened, and Nathaniel exited first. After he had assisted them out of the coach, he offered his arm to Dinah.

Gemma tugged on the ends of her long, white gloves. For some odd reason, she was rather anxious about this evening. Which was absurd. What did she have to be nervous about? Furthermore, Stephen would be here, and his presence always set her at ease.

“Cousin?” Nathaniel said.

Gemma brought her gaze up and saw that Nathaniel and Dinah were both watching her with concerned looks on their faces.

“I’m afraid I was woolgathering… again,” Gemma said.

Nathaniel didn’t look convinced by her explanation. “Shall we go inside?”

“That is a wonderful idea,” Gemma replied.

They walked towards the main door and saw that Lady George was there to greet them in the entry hall. She was a tall woman with beady eyes that seemed to follow you wherever you went.

Lady George’s eyes lit up when she saw Gemma. “Lady Hawkinge,” she greeted cheerfully. “I am so glad that you could attend this evening.”

Gemma dropped into a curtsy. “I do thank you for inviting me.”

Lady George leaned closer but didn’t lower her voice. “Mr. Wycomb already arrived, and I can see why you have expressed interest in him. He is quite handsome, is he not?”

Not liking the direction of this conversation, Gemma forced a smile to her lips and attempted to change the subject. “You have a lovely home,” she said.

Unfortunately, Lady George did not take the bait. “I am pleased that you have overlooked his lowly status. Every man should be judged according to his works.”

“I agree,” Gemma said.

“You agree that you overlooked his lowly status or that he should be judged according to his works?” Lady George pressed.

“The latter.”

Lady George looked pleased by her words. “I, for one, would never marry a man so below my station, but I applaud you for following your heart. Although, it doesn’t hurt that Mr. Wycomb is quite wealthy and you will not lack for anything.”

Gemma did not like the fact that Lady George was prying into her personal life, knowing that she was quite the gossipmonger amongst theton. She had little doubt that anything she said would be repeated so she needed to choose her next words carefully.

“Mr. Wycomb and I do not have an understanding,” Gemma said. There. That was the truth.

“Yet,” Lady George said smugly, taking a step back.

Tired of this line of questioning, Gemma gestured towards Dinah and asked, “Are you acquainted with Lady Hawthorne?”

Lady George tipped her head. “I am.”

Gemma took the opportunity to slip away, and her eyes roamed over the room until they landed on Stephen. He was conversing with Hugh and Marielle near the rear of the room. He was dapperly dressed in a black jacket with a white cravat.His dark hair was brushed forward and his sideburns had recently been trimmed.

A smile came to her lips. Stephen was her future; she was sure of it. She had only loved two men in her life. One she had lost to illness, and she refused to lose the other by not being bold. He had offered for her once and she’d turned him down. Perhaps it was time for her to offer for him.

As she took a step towards Stephen, her stepmother broke through the crowd and approached her, wearing a gown that left little to the imagination.

“I am glad that you are here,” Kitty said. “Your father wishes to speak to you in the gardens.”

Gemma furrowed her brow. “May I ask why?”

Kitty stepped closer and lowered her voice. “He said it was of utmost importance,” she asserted.

Gemma had no real desire to speak to her father, but she thought it would be best to get it over with. Most likely, he intended to lecture her on who she associated with.

“Where is he?”