The Woman Of My Dreams ✔

Chapter 16

Joan caught her breath just one inch away from gasping.
Because the look in Hugh's eyes was one of something important, really important.
And she didn't want to miss that.
Joan leaned in "Yes?"
Hugh blinked then cleared his throat. Once. Twice. Thrice-
"Good God! Lord Hugh! Will you please proceed?" Joan asked irritably.
Hugh smiled, until the smile turned smug "you're interested. Aren't you?"
Joan was just one step away from kicking his leg underneath the table "loathed to admit but yes."
Joan grit her teeth, thinking just how fast the moment changed, it was weird.
"Lady Winset, I don't want to deprive you of all the happy moments in your life-"
"As if they exist" Joan interrupted, with the roll of her eyes.
Hugh clenched and squared his jaw, God above the woman was diabolical, probably a savage.
Joan didn't miss the angry look in his eye "sorry."
Hugh nodded and proceeded "we have to do something."
Joan blinked then blinked again. What? Regarding to? This man was making her head blow. And not in the right sense, of course.
"About what?" Joan asked trying hard not to flinch.
Lord Hugh looked about, then gulped and said "regarding to William Billfield."
Joan was caught off guard "I-I-I beg your pardon?"
Hugh sat up straight "we need to make sure, he is not trying to harm you. As simple as that."
"Simple?" Joan asked lost in her own thoughts
Hugh practically felt the need to shake her shoulders and shake some sense into her brain.
"Yes" Hugh said "we need to."
Joan bit her lower lip "I already told you, we should not bring up the idea in the first place-"
"I'm enough of a gentleman to shake such an Idea off" Hugh answered.
"Oh you are. Aren't you?"
Hugh nodded.
"Well then, what to do?" Joan questioned.
Hugh opened his mouth, then closed it ,then said in a monotone "we have to bring him to his right senses. We have to prove it to him, that you weren't the one to destroy Belle's reputation."
Joan shook her head "he won't listen to us."
"We don't need to try" Hugh answered and smiled.
Joan squirmed underneath his gaze. Good heavens, his gaze was deadly male.
"I beg your pardon?" Joan asked.
"We don't need to talk to him. We will just try to gather clues as to who was the culprit, weave it in a fact, and then present it to him. Then he won't have any option save for releasing you from his clutches" Hugh replied.
"But from where will we gather those clues!" Joan exclaimed in a whispered tone.
"Don't you think, London is predominantly known for gossips?"
"Yes."
"Exactly, we will try to ask people, try to use some paper to formulate our ideas on, and then shall we get to some secretive action."
"And I can't believe we are doing this all just for a mere miss like me."
"You are not a mere miss. Mind me."
"Um?"
"I have the main idea ready Lady Joan! Will you listen to me now?"
"Yes, tell it quickly. I'm excited!"
"So the main plan is....."