Read Catch a Falling Heiress: An American Heiress in London for Free Online Page B

glass on a nearby table, and turned to her mother. “I fear I must withdraw for a few minutes.”
    Those words and the meaningful glance she gave her parent were met with immediate understanding. “I’ll accompany you, dear.”
    “That’s not necessary.” She heard the sharpness in her voice, and she took care to temper her next words. “I’m twenty-one, Mother,” she said, forcing a laugh. “I think I can manage a trip to the necessary by myself. Besides,” she added before her mother could argue, “if this Lord Featherstone is interested in making my acquaintance, you should remain here and obtain an introduction through Mrs. Dewey so that you can present me to him when I return, don’t you think?”
    Helen beamed at her so happily that Linnet almost felt a twinge of guilt at her deception, but as her parent trundled off to find Mrs. Dewey, Lord Featherstone’s dark face caught her attention and banished any guilt about what she was doing.
    The man was still watching her, and she turned her back, hoping soon the news of her engagement would stop this embarrassing scrutiny and wipe that cocksure smile off his face.
    To meet Frederick, she would have to take a circuitous route, for The Tides, Mr. and Mrs. Prescott Dewey’s Newport house, was an enormous, sprawling structure. A pity she couldn’t exit through one of the French doors that opened onto the terrace, for that would have provided a direct route to the Chinese pagoda, but people were milling about on the terrace, and someone might see her slipping down to the gardens. Besides, she was supposed to be headed for the necessary.
    She exited through the main doors, crossed the ballroom’s antechamber, and turned down the corridor that led to the ladies’ withdrawing room and adjoining bath. The corridor was empty, and with a quick glance over her shoulder to be sure no one was following, she sped past the withdrawing room, ducked down another hallway, traversed several more, and was at last able to exit the house by a little-used side door.
    The electric lights that shone through the windows enabled Linnet to see as she made her way around the north wing, and as she started along the winding path that led down to the sea, the moon was bright enough to guide her to a little plateau tucked beneath the cliffs. There, just above the high-water mark, stood the pagoda, a dainty structure of lacquer red with a green tile roof. It was Mrs. Dewey’s favorite place to entertain in the afternoon, for the cliffs shielded her guests from the sun, and a wall of windows looked out over the boats the men of Newport loved to sail along the coast. It was the perfect place for a midnight rendezvous, for no one ever came here at night.
    She turned the bronze dragon-head handle of the door, and as it swung noiselessly open, she saw Frederick standing at the other end of the long Oriental table, illuminated by the light of an oil lamp he must have brought from the house. He turned as she closed the door, and in the soft light, his boyish face took on an expression of pleasure and relief at the sight of her.
    “Linnet.” He held out his hands, and she crossed the room to take them. Through the fabric of their gloves, his fingers felt warm and reassuring as they clasped hers. “You came.”
    “Did you think I wouldn’t?”
    He gave her a disarming smile. “I wasn’t sure. It’s not as if you wear your heart on your sleeve, my dear.”
    “Neither do you. At least . . .” She paused, feeling shy all of a sudden. “You never have before.”
    “I know. Even I don’t understand what’s come over me. All I know is that when I saw you come in tonight, I couldn’t wait another hour to tell you how much I love and adore you. I want to spend my life caring for you and making you happy. Linnet . . .”
    He paused, and though she’d known proposing marriage was his intent, she still felt a thrill as he sank to one knee.
    “Linnet, dearest Linnet, will you . . .” He