Gentlemen Prefer Spinsters (Spinsters Club #1)(46)

“Blast.” She swung her gaze about the room then darted behind one of the long, velvet curtains that had recently been cleaned and rehung.

Arabella peeled back one edge of the curtain. “What are you doing, Merry?”

“Hiding. Shh.” She pressed a finger to her lip. “Tell Harry I am not here. I’ve gone into the village or something.” Merry snatched back the curtain and tucked it around herself, holding her breath when those heavy footsteps entered the room.

She closed her eyes and willed herself to remain still. She could not face him, not after everything that had occurred between them recently—not to mention all the gossip surrounding them. It was all too much. If she saw him...well, she feared she might crumble. And where would that leave her? With a broken heart and no friends probably.

“Good afternoon, ladies,” she heard him say.

“Good afternoon, my lord,” replied Arabella. “What brings you here?”

“I was hoping to see Merry,” he said.

“Oh. Um.” Arabella tripped over a response and Merry grimaced.

“She isn’t here!” Bella cut in. “She has gone...”

“To the village,” finished Sophia. “To get some...”

“Bonnets!” put in Bella.

Merry grimaced and pressed fingers between her brows.

“Bonnets?” queried Harcourt.

“Yes,” Arabella said, a breathless quality to her voice. “I, um, ruined mine while we were tidying, so Merry just felt so guilty she had to replace it straight away.”

“I see.” Footsteps creaked around the perimeter of the room. Merry sucked in a breath once more and held it until they receded.

“Is she alone?” Harry asked.

Silence hung in the room. Merry’s heartbeat was so loud, she could swear he had to be able to hear it.

“After the other day, she should not be going anywhere alone.” There was annoyance in his tone.

“I am sure she shall be fine. She has only gone to the village after all,” said Bella brightly.

“She did not even take Orion,” he mused.

“Well, Mrs. Bryce would never let him in her shop. She detests animals of all kinds,” Sophia put in.

Merry smiled at this. It wasn’t a lie but thank goodness Sophia had recalled that snippet of information.

“I am glad I found you all anyway. With the exception of Merry.” Suspicion edged his voice. “My mother has decreed there shall be a ball in two days’ time. I hope you shall all attend.”

“Will there be food and sherry?” Bella asked.

“Naturally,” Harry replied.

“Excellent. So long as you do not expect me to dance, I will happily attend,” Bella said.

“Would you not even spare me a dance?” Harry asked.

Merry curled her fist. Something strange fisted in her gut at the idea of Harry dancing with other ladies. Even Bella. Which was ridiculous. Bella would never fall for Harry’s charm, even if she thought him handsome. Of course, she would not be able to attend the ball, considering she was still in mourning so she would not even have to witness Harry taking other women in his arms.

Even if she did, it would not matter, she reminded herself. Because she simply did not care who Harry took in his arms. The sooner he moved his attentions onto someone else, the better, was that not right?

She missed the rest of the conversation, only realizing Harry had left when Arabella whipped the curtain open, making Merry clap hands across her chest and suck in a breath. She scanned the room and realized he had truly gone before letting herself sag a little.

“What on earth was that about, Merry?” Arabella asked. “We seemed awfully silly, and I do not like lying.”

“I am an excellent liar.” Bella grinned. “But you two made it all worse.”

Sophia gave Bella a stern look. “Being good at lying is not something to be proud of. But you did no better than the rest of us.”

Merry sunk down onto a chair, aware of the looks her friends were giving her. She should tell them. They were her friends after all. She should admit that Harry made her heart race and her body feel as though it had somehow been separated from her and she was entirely out of control when it came to Harry.

But how could she? She had started the Spinsters Club after all. It had all been her idea. And had they not just been discussing Sophia’s awful late-husband? How would she feel if she knew Merry had been...

Had been falling for Harry.

There, she could not avoid the admission. She had been falling for him since he put his lips to hers. Maybe for longer. It was hard to tell now. She’d always admired him and thought him handsome and charming. Perhaps even when she’d been younger, she’d fallen for him just a little.

And he was all too aware of that. If she even admitted as much, he would swoop in and claim his victory before leaving her heartbroken. She simply could not confess as much, not even to her closest friends.

“We just had a little falling out,” said Merry hastily. “Just a little falling out.”

She could tell none of them were convinced but she did not have the energy to try to convince them. How could she when she could not even convince herself that falling for Harry was the worst conceivable idea ever?





Chapter Twenty