Read Online A Baron for Becky by Jude Knight - Free Book Online Page A

“If you are tired,” he said, “we can
wait till we reach London.”
    She lowered her
lashes. “Give me one hour, my lord. I will be in bed when you
return,” she murmured, and just like that he was hard as nails
again. Not long now.
    He found a
table in a corner and worked his way through the day’s satchel of
mail. It included a letter from his friend Overton—one that had
clearly followed him for several weeks, from London to the various
houses he’d visited and back to London before ending in the satchel
of duchy business. It was just a brief black-bordered note saying
Baroness Overton and her baby had died.
    Poor Overton.
He had been full of dreams when they parted—for the promised heir,
for mending his marriage which was, Aldridge gathered, not a happy
one. All dust now. Aldridge started a letter in return, but he
could not find the words to express his sadness for his friend.
    His mind
drifted to the woman upstairs. He would write to Overton
tomorrow.
    At one hour to
the minute, he returned up the stairs. The suite was silent and
dark. He lit a candle from one in the hall sconce, and let himself
into the bedchamber he’d reserved for them. “Becky, I am here,” he
said.
    No reply. She
must be tired, after spending the day keeping little Sarah amused.
He put the candle down on the bedside table and stripped naked,
muttering to himself as his fingers fumbled over buttons and
laces.
    He’d wake her
with kisses, then... his mind full of images of what came next, he
had one knee on the bed and one hand already reaching for the
blanket when a tousled dark head emerged, confused cornflower blue
eyes blinking at him. “What are you doing in my Mama’s bed?” asked
little Sarah.
     

     

Chapter Six
    The Marquis of Aldridge
assured Becky he hadn’t minded spending the night in Sarah’s bed
rather than his own, that the maid barely disturbed him at all when
she woke vomiting again in the early hours of the morning, and of
course, the girl should travel no further. He would pay for her
accommodation until she recovered, and her transport home to
Longford, and Becky was to take Sarah in the carriage with her and
think no more about it.
    He rode.
    Several times
in the course of the morning, he passed the carriage, not looking,
his face set and distant, though when he caught her watching, he
smiled, a wicked gleam that lifted her spirits. Perhaps he was not
angry. Perhaps he was just thinking.
    When they
stopped for something to eat, he was his usual affable, charming
self, flirting with the maid who brought their meal, teasing Becky
about insisting Sarah eat her meat before her pudding, telling
stories about journeys he’d made when he was a boy.
    As they
finished, one of the grooms presented himself in the private
parlour. “If you please, Mrs Darling, if Miss Sarah comes with me,
I can show her the kittens they have in the kitchen.”
    Becky gave her
permission, and then, as the door closed behind Sarah and the
groom, looked suspiciously at Aldridge.
    “Yes,” he said.
“I arranged it.”
    “You knew they
had kittens?”
    “Or puppies, or
foals, or some other small, furry distraction. We have little time,
Becky. I just wanted to give you something to think about between
now and London.”
    She stepped
towards him, expecting an embrace, but he held up his hand. “No.
Stay there, or I will have you right on this table, and you do not
want your daughter walking in on that. But I do want to tell you
precisely what I have been planning for tonight as I rode.”
    He reached out
and skimmed her shape from neck to waist, without touching.
    “First, we will
settle Miss Sarah in nursery, and she may have a dozen maids to
keep her company and do her bidding, but prepare her, Becky, for
the fact that you will be otherwise occupied.”
    Becky
nodded.
    “Then,” his
lips curved in that same wicked smile. He took a step backwards and
breathed in deeply, letting his eyes follow the same curves he’d
shaped as he