Read Online Lord Sinister (Secrets & Scandals Book 3) by Tiffany Green - Free Book Online
Authors: Tiffany Green
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you going?” Megan called as he marched across the room.
“To find out just what in the hell is going on,” he spat over his shoulder.
“See that ash just there, Alex?” Amelia pointed to one of the trees along the dusty road as their carriage lumbered past. “When I was your age, my nanny told me that if you take a twig from an ash tree and draw a circle on the ground around a snake, it will soon starve to death.”
Surprised when she didn’t receive a response, Amelia turned to her passive son staring out the opposite window and heaved a sigh. She could feel his sadness. Alexander missed the man he could never know was his father, the man who had become his friend.
However, she was certain Alex’s attention would soon revert back to the stars and planets. In time his good humor would return.
She just wished the cursed man hadn’t given her son an invitation to visit him at his estate. Thankfully though, Lord Julian would remain in London for an entire month first, which would give her time to think of a reason Alex couldn’t go for a visit.
She hoped.
“I wish we could have stayed with the commander—I mean, Lord Julian. I must remember to call him that now that we’re no longer on the ship.”
Amelia glanced out her window and kept her eyes fixed on the hazel hedgerow they were now rattling past. She had wanted Alex to say something, but she hadn’t meant about him .
“Isn’t it amazing he is a marquess, Mama?”
“Hmmm,” she replied, watching several wrens take flight into the grey sky above. Charcoal clouds were gathering overhead and she hoped to arrive at their destination ahead of the rain likely to fall.
“I wish you were going to be the comm—Lord Julian’s governess instead of Mr. Giles’s,” Alex grumbled.
Amelia’s breath caught. The possibility that Lord Julian had married and produced children never once occurred to her. Now why did that thought bring a sharp stitch to her chest? What did it matter to her if he had a family of his own?
Oh, why did she have to see him again? She pressed a hand to her pounding heart. Why did she have to be reminded of how she had once yearned for his affection so much it hurt?
Thankfully, she was older and much, much wiser. Never again would she be so foolish as to give her love so easily to a man. Especially to a rake like Lord Julian. Yes, her heart would be forever safe, encased in a thick shell forged out of rejection and heartbreak.
“But you can’t be Lord Julian’s governess. He told me he’s not married.”
Amelia rested her throbbing forehead against the side of the coach and released her breath. She would not feel relief at Alex’s statement. No, she would not!
“How much longer, Mama?”
Amelia blinked, realizing she hadn’t even prepared for her new position. She should be using this time to consider what to teach the children instead of wasting her thoughts on that man. She turned to her son and gave him a wide smile. “Not much longer, Alex. Mr. Giles said it was just about an hour’s carriage ride north of London dock.” She leaned forward. “Are you excited to meet some children near your own age?”
He lifted a shoulder. “I suppose. How many children does Mr. Giles have?”
Amelia would not allow her smile to slip. Truly, she should have asked more questions, but once Mr. Giles had told her the position paid out forty-five guineas per year, she could hardly think of anything else and agreed to take the job without further discussion. “I’m not certain, but we shall soon find out. Did you hear what I said earlier about the tree?”
Interest sparked in Alex’s light gray eyes. “Does drawing a circle around a snake with an ash twig really kill it?”
“Perhaps that should be our very first scientific experiment with the other children. What do you think?”
The corners of Alex’s mouth tipped up, then his smile bloomed full. “I
“To find out just what in the hell is going on,” he spat over his shoulder.
“See that ash just there, Alex?” Amelia pointed to one of the trees along the dusty road as their carriage lumbered past. “When I was your age, my nanny told me that if you take a twig from an ash tree and draw a circle on the ground around a snake, it will soon starve to death.”
Surprised when she didn’t receive a response, Amelia turned to her passive son staring out the opposite window and heaved a sigh. She could feel his sadness. Alexander missed the man he could never know was his father, the man who had become his friend.
However, she was certain Alex’s attention would soon revert back to the stars and planets. In time his good humor would return.
She just wished the cursed man hadn’t given her son an invitation to visit him at his estate. Thankfully though, Lord Julian would remain in London for an entire month first, which would give her time to think of a reason Alex couldn’t go for a visit.
She hoped.
“I wish we could have stayed with the commander—I mean, Lord Julian. I must remember to call him that now that we’re no longer on the ship.”
Amelia glanced out her window and kept her eyes fixed on the hazel hedgerow they were now rattling past. She had wanted Alex to say something, but she hadn’t meant about him .
“Isn’t it amazing he is a marquess, Mama?”
“Hmmm,” she replied, watching several wrens take flight into the grey sky above. Charcoal clouds were gathering overhead and she hoped to arrive at their destination ahead of the rain likely to fall.
“I wish you were going to be the comm—Lord Julian’s governess instead of Mr. Giles’s,” Alex grumbled.
Amelia’s breath caught. The possibility that Lord Julian had married and produced children never once occurred to her. Now why did that thought bring a sharp stitch to her chest? What did it matter to her if he had a family of his own?
Oh, why did she have to see him again? She pressed a hand to her pounding heart. Why did she have to be reminded of how she had once yearned for his affection so much it hurt?
Thankfully, she was older and much, much wiser. Never again would she be so foolish as to give her love so easily to a man. Especially to a rake like Lord Julian. Yes, her heart would be forever safe, encased in a thick shell forged out of rejection and heartbreak.
“But you can’t be Lord Julian’s governess. He told me he’s not married.”
Amelia rested her throbbing forehead against the side of the coach and released her breath. She would not feel relief at Alex’s statement. No, she would not!
“How much longer, Mama?”
Amelia blinked, realizing she hadn’t even prepared for her new position. She should be using this time to consider what to teach the children instead of wasting her thoughts on that man. She turned to her son and gave him a wide smile. “Not much longer, Alex. Mr. Giles said it was just about an hour’s carriage ride north of London dock.” She leaned forward. “Are you excited to meet some children near your own age?”
He lifted a shoulder. “I suppose. How many children does Mr. Giles have?”
Amelia would not allow her smile to slip. Truly, she should have asked more questions, but once Mr. Giles had told her the position paid out forty-five guineas per year, she could hardly think of anything else and agreed to take the job without further discussion. “I’m not certain, but we shall soon find out. Did you hear what I said earlier about the tree?”
Interest sparked in Alex’s light gray eyes. “Does drawing a circle around a snake with an ash twig really kill it?”
“Perhaps that should be our very first scientific experiment with the other children. What do you think?”
The corners of Alex’s mouth tipped up, then his smile bloomed full. “I
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