Miss Sally's Unsuitable Soldier by Maggie Dallen (read e books online free TXT) 📕

If she was disappointed, she recovered quickly with a smile and a shrug. “It truly did not upset me.”

“Really?” He ought to believe her, he supposed. She was unlike every other woman he’d met in every other way, it made sense she’d be pragmatic in the face of open mockery as well. And still… “It could not have been pleasant.”

“Pleasant? No.” A glint of mischief in her eyes nearly took him down at the knees. Goodness but she was alarmingly striking when she got that look in her eye. “But don’t feel too sorry for me. It’s not as though Rebecca and I don’t whisper about them as well.”

He burst out in a laugh. “Is that so? And what is it you say?”

She gave an uncharacteristically coy smile. “Everyone is allowed their opinions and their secrets, Sebastian. Surely you understand that.”

He rocked back on his heels as he pretended to consider. Meanwhile she started for the door again. He stopped her with another question. “Do you and your sister ever talk about me?”

The question was juvenile and her expression said so quite clearly when she glanced back his way. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

He choked on a laugh as she disappeared, off to seek her sister or his father. And he was left wondering.

What did she say about him?

And why did he care so very much?

Chapter 7

Rebecca’s dark brown curls tickled Sally’s nose as her sister wrapped herself around one of Sally’s arms with a squeak of excitement. “Oh, I am so happy you agreed to accompany me into town today, Sally. It’s so much more fun to explore with you.”

“By explore, do you by chance mean shopping?” Sally teased.

Rebecca laughed. “Perhaps. But…” She cast Sally a sidelong glance. “Don’t tell me you were not just as excited to sneak away from that stuffy manor with all its insufferable ladies and gentlemen.”

The way Rebecca lifted her nose in the air and the ridiculous tone of voice she used had Sally laughing outright. “I will not deny it. An excursion was well needed.” She squeezed Rebecca’s arm. “Even if I do have to watch you squander your allowance on silly trifles.”

Their maid had been trailing along behind them but Sally and Rebecca had told her to feel free and do her own errands and take some time for herself. The two girls had both required some time to talk amongst themselves. Shopping had never been high on Sally’s list of priorities, but she could absolutely admit that having some time alone and outdoors with one of her sisters felt like the best form of comfort right now.

Not that she needed comforting.

But she did need a respite from the cacophony of thoughts and feelings that had been brewing and swelling with each passing minute that she spent in Sebastian’s company.

Rebecca squeezed her arm again. “Oh, I wish Hattie and Abigail could be here with us. And Minerva, too, of course. But something tells me she’s having more fun than any of us with that pirate of hers.”

“Undoubtedly.” Sally frowned at the thought of her other two sisters. “I do hope Abigail is getting on all right with Mr. Calhoun.”

Rebecca giggled. “I believe our dear, sweet sister is more than pleased to be spending so much time alone with the scowling giant.”

“Rebecca!” she said with a shocked gasp.

Rebecca shrugged, unrepentant. “What? It’s true! Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed the way she blushes and ducks her head whenever his name is mentioned.”

Sally made a noncommittal sound. She had noticed. More than that, she’d noticed the way Abigail had insisted on coming along each and every day while Sally had been tasked with changing his bandages and making sure his wound did not fester. Still, it was hard to imagine their sweetest, most maternal sister falling in love with an oversized growling beast like Mr. Calhoun.

But then again, she’d been shocked to discover that prim and proper Minerva had fallen in love with a mysterious pirate. So perhaps Sally was not the sharpest sister when it came to matters of the heart.

Not wishing to speculate any longer about Abigail, she turned her attention to the youngest. “At least we can be confident that Hattie is all right—”

“Oh yes!” Rebecca interjected. “She’s likely relishing the silence in the house. All the better for her to read her novels.”

Sally laughed, trying her best not to think about Sebastian, or how he’d offered up his library for the youngest Jones sister.

In fact, not thinking about Sebastian was precisely why she’d been so keen on joining Rebecca when she’d insisted on going into town. Rebecca was hoping to find some new ribbons to match the gown she would wear at the upcoming ball. Word had recently arrived that the elder brother would be back in time for the event and every lady at the manor had fallen into some sort of frantic frenzy to outdo one another and impress the heir to the earldom.

Sally watched the excitement with some amusement. More than a little amusement, in fact, when Sebastian was at her side, whispering silly and inappropriate comments about the overall ridiculousness afoot.

She scowled at the path before her, the sidewalk crowded on this sunny afternoon.

There she’d gone again. Thinking about Sebastian.

“Isn’t it nice to be outside?” Rebecca said with a sigh.

Sally nodded. It was nice to be outdoors, though she’d spent more than her fair share outside with Sebastian over the past few days. Riding lessons had become a part of their daily routine, and those lessons often ended with a race on foot or a long walk to explore his family’s property.

He hadn’t suggested a dance lesson again, and for that she was grateful.

Her belly twisted as if to call her a liar.

Well, she was grateful and...perhaps just a little disappointed. She shook her head. Which was just plain foolishness. How many times had she warned Rebecca not to let her head be turned by a