Read Online A Christmas Wedding Wager by Michelle Styles - Free Book Online
Authors: Michelle Styles
Tags: Romance
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stand up. He could easily see what had happened. Emma had acquired a taste of power when her father was ill, and now she wished to extend it over his business. She had become a harridan. 'As an unmarried man, I have little expertise in such matters.'
'A pity.' Harrison made a temple with his fingers and peered out over it. 'I regret that until this matter is solved it will fully occupy my mind. I would like to think about your kind offer, but...'
'Tell me about your troubles, and perhaps we can come up with a solution.' Jack settled back in the chair. He would hear Edward Harrison out and then politely decline. Emma was somebody else's problem. Not his.
'She refuses to allow me to go to the Assembly Rooms for the St Nicholas Ball. I may no longer cut quite the figure at the quadrille that I once did, but it does my heart good to see the pretty young things in their dresses.' Edward Harrison gave a discreet wink. 'There is a widow...'
'I wish you good hunting, but I fail to see what this matter has to do with me. Inform your daughter that you are going and have done with it.' Jack held up his hands. Harrison should take a stronger line. If he truly wanted to go to this dance he should go, and suffer the consequences. He allowed Emma far too much freedom.
'It is not that easy. Emma...well, I have no wish to quarrel with her. She has taken to avoiding such things.'
'Your daughter has sound reasons. I find such things a bit of a bore myself.' Jack permitted a tiny smile to cross his face.
'Yes, but before my wife became ill Emma loved such pursuits. All gone now. I am not sure she even remembers how to dance.' Harrison shook his head and gave a heartfelt sigh.
'Sometimes she takes her duty far too seriously. And I fear she does not entirely approve of the widow.'
Jack tightened his hold on his cane. No doubt the widow in question did not come from the appropriate background and therefore was deemed unworthy. Emma had been well indoctrinated by her mother.
She needed to learn a lesson. Fast. She could not simply go on organising people's lives to suit her whims. Mudge had complained about her meddling this morning. Now it was her father's turn. The woman had to be stopped.
'You want my help so that you may attend this ball and speak to your widow without your daughter knowing? Aiding your suit,' Jack said, carefully watching Edward's features.
'You understand my meaning, Jack.' Harrison took on the expression of a sly fox.
Jack nodded. He understood the code. If he did as Harrison asked and persuaded Emma to attend the dance so that Harrison could pursue his widow, Harrison would seriously consider his offer for the company. The situation might be turned to his advantage. He would enjoy administering a lesson that Emma Harrison badly needed to learn.
'I will do what I can, but it must be Miss Harrison who decides.'
'And, Jack, I never forget a favour.'
'I am counting on that.'
Chapter Four
Emma chewed on the end of her fountain pen and counted for the third time the number of geese they would need for the Goose Club's raffle at the end of the feast. It was always a difficult moment, and she had no wish to get it wrong. The memory of Mrs Mudge's outrage last Christmas, when they'd been one goose short, still rankled.
The problem was that her mind seemed to be wandering today. The lines of figures swam in front of her, twisting and merging into Jack Stanton's saturnine features. Was it her imagination, or did his dark hair curl slightly at his collar? And what would it be like to be held in those long-fingered hands as they waltzed? If they waltzed. She cursed the gossip from Lucy's at home for unsettling her. She had no interest in him, refused to, and there was not the slightest possibility of her going to the dance.
'Miss Harrison, when you have a moment?'
Jack strode purposefully into the morning room without a courtesy knock. His dark eyes flashed as he surveyed the room with all the arrogance of a lion
'A pity.' Harrison made a temple with his fingers and peered out over it. 'I regret that until this matter is solved it will fully occupy my mind. I would like to think about your kind offer, but...'
'Tell me about your troubles, and perhaps we can come up with a solution.' Jack settled back in the chair. He would hear Edward Harrison out and then politely decline. Emma was somebody else's problem. Not his.
'She refuses to allow me to go to the Assembly Rooms for the St Nicholas Ball. I may no longer cut quite the figure at the quadrille that I once did, but it does my heart good to see the pretty young things in their dresses.' Edward Harrison gave a discreet wink. 'There is a widow...'
'I wish you good hunting, but I fail to see what this matter has to do with me. Inform your daughter that you are going and have done with it.' Jack held up his hands. Harrison should take a stronger line. If he truly wanted to go to this dance he should go, and suffer the consequences. He allowed Emma far too much freedom.
'It is not that easy. Emma...well, I have no wish to quarrel with her. She has taken to avoiding such things.'
'Your daughter has sound reasons. I find such things a bit of a bore myself.' Jack permitted a tiny smile to cross his face.
'Yes, but before my wife became ill Emma loved such pursuits. All gone now. I am not sure she even remembers how to dance.' Harrison shook his head and gave a heartfelt sigh.
'Sometimes she takes her duty far too seriously. And I fear she does not entirely approve of the widow.'
Jack tightened his hold on his cane. No doubt the widow in question did not come from the appropriate background and therefore was deemed unworthy. Emma had been well indoctrinated by her mother.
She needed to learn a lesson. Fast. She could not simply go on organising people's lives to suit her whims. Mudge had complained about her meddling this morning. Now it was her father's turn. The woman had to be stopped.
'You want my help so that you may attend this ball and speak to your widow without your daughter knowing? Aiding your suit,' Jack said, carefully watching Edward's features.
'You understand my meaning, Jack.' Harrison took on the expression of a sly fox.
Jack nodded. He understood the code. If he did as Harrison asked and persuaded Emma to attend the dance so that Harrison could pursue his widow, Harrison would seriously consider his offer for the company. The situation might be turned to his advantage. He would enjoy administering a lesson that Emma Harrison badly needed to learn.
'I will do what I can, but it must be Miss Harrison who decides.'
'And, Jack, I never forget a favour.'
'I am counting on that.'
Chapter Four
Emma chewed on the end of her fountain pen and counted for the third time the number of geese they would need for the Goose Club's raffle at the end of the feast. It was always a difficult moment, and she had no wish to get it wrong. The memory of Mrs Mudge's outrage last Christmas, when they'd been one goose short, still rankled.
The problem was that her mind seemed to be wandering today. The lines of figures swam in front of her, twisting and merging into Jack Stanton's saturnine features. Was it her imagination, or did his dark hair curl slightly at his collar? And what would it be like to be held in those long-fingered hands as they waltzed? If they waltzed. She cursed the gossip from Lucy's at home for unsettling her. She had no interest in him, refused to, and there was not the slightest possibility of her going to the dance.
'Miss Harrison, when you have a moment?'
Jack strode purposefully into the morning room without a courtesy knock. His dark eyes flashed as he surveyed the room with all the arrogance of a lion
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