Page 37 of Saving a Scoundrel
“He’s actually quite charming. We had a supper box, and Lucius organized champagne for us to drink. It’s number three on my list, drink too much champagne.”
“Eleanor Spencer, I didn’t know you had scandalous things on that list. I thought it was things like go to the London Museum of Art or eat ice cream at Gunther’s.”
Ellie crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Am I so proper and good that I can’t have fun?”
“Of course you have fun, dear. Just you know, wholesome fun.”
Humpf! “I have plenty of wicked thoughts.”
Susanna raised an eyebrow. “Really? Tell me one.”
Ellie had laid in bed this morning thinking about Lucius’s wicked mouth and his lean hard body. She had always admired how handsome he was but being in his arms with his tongue tangling with hers had lit something inside her, low in her belly. This new feeling made her hot and tingly. After some consideration, she had decided it could only be lust. For even though they had been fully dressed and in public, last night, she had wished they were alone so she could undo his cravat and the buttons on his shirt and delve her hands beneath to feel the hot skin across his broad chest.
Ellie’s temper grew. She could have wicked thoughts. She was a vicar’s daughter, not a nun. And before she could stop it, she’d blurted the truth to her friend. “I’ve kissed Lucius Grisham. Twice.”
Susanna’s mouth fell open. “You have? When?”
It felt good to confess it to Susanna. She had held her secret tendre close too long. “The first time was at Henry’s funeral, in the graveyard. And the second time was last night.”
“Lucius kissed you at Henry’s funeral?!”
“No, I kissed him. He was quite taken by surprise. It was selfish of me, but I was feeling so despondent that I had never done anything, never taken any chances. And thinking how short life can be, snatched away in a moment of bad luck or bad weather. Then Lucius was there, wondering what I was doing out in the cold. And I just seized the moment and kissed him.” She shrugged.
Susanna grinned. “Bravo!”
Ellie stared at her friend. This was not the response she had expected.
“Ellie, you have loved him forever. Good for you for doing something about it. Men are so thickheaded.”
“You knew?”
Susanna nodded. “Everyone knows.”
Ellie buried her face in her hands. Everyone had guessed. Had Lucius?
“And last night?”
She raised her head. It was no use being embarrassed now that she had made her decision. Perhaps Susanna could be of help. “Last night, we were watching the fireworks. We locked eyes, and then he leaned in and kissed me. Almost as though he couldn’t help himself.”
“Interesting,” Susanna hummed.
“Susanna, I’ve decided that I don’t want to settle for Mr. Evans or anyone else for that matter. Lucius has always been the one for me. He absolutely cannot marry Miss Macdougal. Will you help me?”
“Of course.” Susanna clapped her hands together. “What we need is a plan.”
Ellie rolled her eyes.Oh dear.
*
By midday, Ellieand Susanna had moved down to their favorite room, the library. The housekeeper had ordered the fire stoked high in the fireplace so that Susanna would be warm enough since she’d insisted that she would not return to bed. Both of them read quietly from their books.
The door opened, and Mr. Lewin, the butler, came in. “A Mr. Grisham is here to see Miss Spencer. Shall I show him in?”
“Yes. Thank you, Mr. Lewin,” Susanna replied. Then she shot Ellie a wide-eyed glance.
Ellie stood from her seat by the window and smoothed down her skirts. Lucius strode into the room moments later. “Good afternoon, ladies.”
“What a pleasant surprise, Lucius,” Susanna said.
