The Angel and the Aristocrat by Merry Farmer
Epilogue
When Angeline knocked on the open door to Olive’s L’arbre’s room, Olive barely heard it. She was far too engrossed—and excited—in the scientific journal in her hands.
“Yoohoo, this is reality calling Olive! Are you ready?”
“Hmm?” Olive jerked her attention away from the contents page and glanced at her friend. “Oh, yes. I’m dressed.”
Angeline’s knowing gaze swept Olive, who tried not to feel self-conscious. “Yes, you always look lovely in blue, Olive dear. But are you ready? You’re clutching at that journal as if you would much rather spend the evening reading than dancing.”
With a slight huff, Olive rolled her eyes and planted one fist on her hip. “Of course I’d rather spend the evening reading than dancing. Anyone with half a brain would rather spend the evening reading than dancing.”
Angeline was already halfway across the room, reaching for Olive’s hand, when she giggled. “Not me. And if you had a certain gentleman waiting to dance with you downstairs, you wouldn’t either.”
“Wouldn’t what?”
“Wouldn’t want to read instead of dance.” Angeline gave her hand a tug. “Come on! We’re all meeting in Melanie’s room before heading downstairs.”
Olive hesitated. It wasn’t that she didn’t love her friends dearly, and want to spend time with them…it was that a new issue of the Journal of the Society of Archaeology was only released once a quarter, and this one was sure to contain the thrilling climax to the latest of Aberdeen Jones’s thrilling Adventures.
“What’s going on in here? Are we no’ meeting in Melanie’s room?” Their friend Raina Prince stuck her head around the doorframe. “Or are we meeting here?”
“No, no, we’re on our way there.” Angeline flapped her hand in Raina’s direction. “As soon as I can convince Olive here that we’re more important than her journal.”
Olive gasped and clutched the bundle of papers to her chest. “I know that. You think I don’t know what’s important?”
The sparkle in Angeline’s eyes betrayed her teasing, as Raina huffed in impatience. “Then bring the journal, ye wee scholar. My brother was always reading at the dinner table too, ye ken.”
Brother?
The mere word weakened Olive’s resolve, and the next thing she knew, Angeline was tugging her out the door. Olive stumbled along, the journal clutched to her chest, as her cheerful friend asked the question she longed to ask.
“You have three brothers, Raina dear. Which one do you mean?”
Raina shot a teasing glance over her shoulder. “Why, Phineas, of course. He’s the intellectual one in the family. I always thought he and Olive would get along swimmingly.”
Phineas Prince.
Olive prided herself on her sharp wit and brain. So how come, when his name was mentioned, her mind seemed to turn into a big pink ball of mush, and her body seemed to take over? All these inconvenient urges and flutters…
“Get along swimmingly?” Angeline repeated, tugging Olive down the corridor. “What, like wearing uncomfortable clothes and holding your breath and getting salt water up your nose?”
As they reached Melanie’s door, Raina winked. “Only if you’re doing it wrong.”
“Is this an analogy?” Angeline hissed at Olive as their friend slipped in to join the rest. “You know I’ve never been good at analogies.”
Olive, her mind on the idea of Phineas in a swimming costume, managed to murmur, “A metaphor, perhaps.”
Angeline clucked her tongue good-naturedly and pulled them both into the room. “Well, school is over, and we’re able to enjoy one another without having to study for silly grammar tests. Sit down and read your journal until the rest of us are ready.”
Olive hurried toward a chair and sank down gratefully, holding the journal in front of her like a shield as she glanced around at their friends, who were all primping and taking care of last-minute touches to their toilette before this evening’s entertainment.
She loved them, really she did, and she was beyond grateful to be here with them.
But sometimes, a girl needed her archaeological fix…
Exhaling, Olive opened the journal to the beginning of Aberdeen Jones’s Adventure and tried to concentrate.
But the thought of a certain Scotsman, his long legs encased in a dashing kilt, kept intruding…
* * *
Thankyou so much for reading Angeline and Rafe’s story! Are you ready to read more? The Scholar and the Scot, by Caroline Lee is the next book up in the series! I bet you just can’t wait to read Olive and Phineas’s story! You can find The Scholar and the Scot here!
And doyou want to know more about Angeline and Avery’s family? You can read all about That Wicked O’Shea Family, starting with I Kissed an Earl (and I Liked It)….
Lady Marie O’Shealives life by her own rules…
But her daysof running free end when her brother, Lord Fergus O’Shea, returns from England, intent on marrying his sisters off to keep them from being the scourge of the county. And when Marie lands herself in a scandalous amount of trouble, she ends up as the first sister doomed to whatever marriage of convenience her brother can arrange.
Bad boy Christian Darrowis having too much fun to be tied down…
And as theyounger son of an earl, he isn’t expected to amount to much. Which is why playing pranks and getting into trouble with Marie the moment they meet is his idea of a good time. Sparks fly between him and Marie and the scandal is totally worth the risk…
…until oneprank goes too far.
CanMarie save Christian from the consequences of what was supposed to be a bit of fun? Or will a twist of fate prove that life is more serious than either Marie or Christian ever expected?
A friendsto lovers romance that will make you laugh and cry.
PLEASE BE ADVISED:Steam level – very spicy!
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