Miss Frazer's Adventure by Alexandra Ivy Page A

born a tedious male, I fear I do not possess the secrets of mysterious maidenly dreams. What do they entail?”
    â€œThe typical desire for being beautiful and slaying gentlemen with a single glance. For taking London by storm and being the Toast of the Season.” She grimaced. “For having a charming, handsome gentleman sweep one off to his castle to live in enchanted happiness.”
    â€œThat is not such a bad dream, is it, Kate?” he murmured.
    Her lips thinned as she considered her childish fantasies. “It is a dream that utterly depends upon another to offer happiness. I have come to realize that such a fate is never possible. I must seek my own fulfillment. My own dreams that can be accomplished by my own efforts.”
    She could feel him stiffen at her side. “And you hope to find fulfillment in defying your father, and in dreams while fluttering about London?”
    Kate abruptly turned to face him with flashing eyes. She might have known. How could he possibly understand? He had not been constrained his whole life with impossible standards. He had not been smothered and imprisoned until he did not even recognize himself.
    He had been free. Free to seek his dreams. Free to follow whatever path he desired.
    Free to leave her to standing like a pathetic fool at the altar.
    â€œIt grows late,” she retorted in chilled tones. “I must return to the hotel so that I may change for my drive with Lord Thorpe.”
    Not surprisingly, his features tightened at her firm command. But rather than offering the scathing lecture that was no doubt trembling upon the tip of his tongue, he instead forced a smile to his lips. At the same moment, his fingers tenderly caressed her cheek.
    â€œDo you know, my sweet Kate, dreams are rather odd,” he murmured in husky tones. “They are not a matter of choice but rather of destiny. You may hide and flee all you wish. In the end, it will be fate that determines your future. And not even you, my stubborn minx, can evade fate. Our fate. Together.”
    A shiver raced down her spine at the soft, relentless certainty in his voice.
    He sounded as if he had actually seen the future.
    Their future.
    No. That was ridiculous. No gentleman could see the future. Certainly not her future.
    She was thinking mad thoughts.
    * * *
    He was mad.
    Returning to the hotel, Kate had thankfully retreated to her chambers to change into a brilliant yellow riding gown and tailored black pelisse. Unfortunately, her thoughts refused to remain focused upon her upcoming meeting with Lord Thorpe. Or even upon her efforts to arrange her curls into a charming cluster atop her head.
    Instead, she discovered herself brooding over and over upon Luce’s parting shot.
    Our fate. Together.
    Blast it all. She had never claimed to comprehend the muddled workings of the male mind. In fact, she had known for years that men in general were a mystery that appeared to defy logic.
    Luce was simply a prime example of his bizarre species.
    At least Lord Thorpe made a vague stab at normality, she told herself later, moving down the stairs and into the lobby to join the handsome nobleman as he awaited her beside a large potted plant.
    She might not comprehend his mysterious interest in her, but at least he did not tangle her thoughts and twist her stomach into knots.
    With a smile, Kate allowed the gentleman to politely lead her from the hotel toward the awaiting carriage. With that same delicate care, he lifted her onto the high-perch phaeton and she covertly studied his masculine body attired in a dove gray coat and pale ivory breeches with glossed Hessians.
    Definitely a sight to make any maiden’s heart flutter, she thought with a sigh of pleasure. And the perfect means of soothing her raw nerves.
    Taking his own place upon the padded seat, Lord Thorpe gave a nod to his groom, who set the perfectly matched grays into motion. Only as they were rumbling away from the hotel did he turn