Quick, Amanda by Dangerous Page B

dear.” Sebastian guided the two beautifully matched black horses into the
    stream of traffic. “I believe we can give you most of the credit for last night’s proceedings.”
    Prudence retreated beneath the brim of her plain chip straw bon-net. She twitched her slate-colored
    bombazine skirts over her sturdy half boots and sought for a way to defend herself. “I was only trying to
    help.”
    “Were you, indeed?”
    Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    “If you had allowed me to make the explanations to Lord Thorn-bridge, everything would have been
    satisfactorily resolved.” Prudence gazed straight ahead, acutely aware of the stares she and Sebastian
    were receiving from passing carriages.
    It had been like this since last night when Thornbridge had accom-panied them back to the ballroom and
    announced the news of the Fallen Angel’s engagement.
    The Thornbridges’ guests had been first stunned and then titillated and finally deeply intrigued. This was
    far and away the most entertain-ing event of the Season. The notion of the Fallen Angel marrying the
    amusing Original was obviously more than most members of theton could bring themselves to believe.
    Society’s reaction was nothing compared to that of Hester and Trevor. They had been shocked
    speechless. Sebastian had warned Pru-dence not to attempt to explain the situation to either of them, as
    it ‘t
    would only make things more complicated. Prudence was forced to agree with him on that score.
    Surprisingly, it was Hester who had recovered first from the stun-ning announcement. Once she had
    digested the news, her eyes had turned oddly speculative.
    “Not quite what I expected,” Hester had mused. “But then, the Fallen Angel rarely does what one
    expects. And it follows that he would choose someone out of the ordinary for his future countess.”
    “He’s playing another one of his bloody games,” Trevor had snarled.
    “I’m not so certain of that,” Hester had said. “An engagement is an honorable commitment. Whatever
    else one can say about Angel-stone, he has never been known to break his word. In any event, there’s
    nothing to be done about it now. Prue is engaged to the Fallen Angel and that’s a simple fact. We shall
    have to go on as if everything were quite normal.”
    The engagement was definitely not a normal event as far as polite society was concerned. All ofLondon
    was agog. Sebastian had de-creed the drive in the park this afternoon, saying it was better to make a
    bold show than to try to hide from the unwanted attention. Pru-dence was not entirely certain that his
    reasoning was correct.
    “Pray, do not take offense, Prue,” he now said. “The truth is that your explanations to Thornbridge were
    doing more harm than good.”
    Prudence glared at him. “I do not see how they could have done any more harm than your ridiculous
    explanations, my lord. And I do not recall giving you leave to call me by my first name.”
    Sebastian’s mouth curved faintly. “I didn’t think you would mind. We are engaged, after all.”
    “Not by my doing.”
    “No?” Sebastian’s black brow arched mockingly. “What did you think was going to happen when you
    leaped out of that wardrobe?”
    Prudence clutched her large, practical reticule very tightly. “I was attempting to save your life, sir. In case
    you had not noticed, you were in a somewhat untenable position at the time.”
    Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    “Yes, I was, wasn’t I?” Sebastian looked unconcerned about the matter. “But you jumped to my rescue
    and I was saved.”
    “I am glad you appreciate that much, at least.” She was stung by his amused sarcasm. “Under the terms
    of the bargain we made, I was in your debt. I was merely attempting to discharge my obligation to you.”
    “Ah, yes, our bargain.”
    “I thought I could repay you by saving you from Lord Thorn-bridge.”
    “I