Read Online A Notorious Love by Sabrina Jeffries - Free Book Online Page B

so hasty to dismiss Helena’s concerns about him. What if she’d been mistaken in her impression of his character? What if Helena had been right after all?
    No, how could she even think of agreeing with Helena on this matter? Helena’s heart of ice made her suspect every man of villainy. And besides, Helena had barely spoken to Will, so what did she know of his kind nature and amiable character?
    Indeed, there was only one thing that bothered Juliet about the way he was acting, and she couldn’t keep quiet about it any longer. “Will?”
    “What is it, sweeting?”
    “Why haven’t you kissed me?”
    His gaze shot to her in surprise. Slowly it swept her, the way Papa’s hounds eyed a joint of mutton cooking in the kitchen hearth. A little shiver snaked down her spine. He’d never looked at her with such hot, covetous hunger. It alarmed her.
    It thrilled her.
    “Do you want me to kiss you?” he finally rasped, as if the words were torn from him against his will.
    “Of course!” When she realized how shamefully wicked that made her sound, she hastened to add, “I-I mean…well, we’re to be married and yet you’ve done nothing more than kiss my hand. Even the boys in Stratford tried to—” Dear me, that sounded awful. “I didn’t let them,” she added hastily, “but they did try. One or two of them.”

    A smile tugged at his lips. “I imagine they did.”
    His gentlemanly façade was back in place, annoying her extremely. “You do find me pretty, don’t you?”
    He glanced away quickly. “You know perfectly well that I find you pretty.”
    “So why haven’t…why won’t—”
    “I’ve got other things on my mind,” he bit out. “There will be plenty of time for all of that once we’re married. Right now, try to save your strength for the voyage ahead. It’s sure to be tiring.”
    It won’t be tiring as long as you hold me during it, she thought, bitterly disappointed by his answer. What had she expected? That he’d leap across the carriage and give her a passionate kiss like the ones she’d seen Griff give Rosalind?
    Yes. That was what she’d expected, hoped for.
    As if sensing her disappointment, he added kindly, “I’m only trying to treat you with the respect you deserve. Until we’re married, I wouldn’t dream of sullying your honor. I know you understand.”
    She didn’t, though she dared not say it, for he’d think her the worst wanton imaginable. All the same, for once she wished he was not quite so much a gentleman.
     
    For the hundredth time, Helena wished Daniel Brennan were more of a gentleman. A gentleman would wait upon her leisure. A gentleman would phrase his requests politely instead of barking orders.
    A gentleman wouldn’t give her so little time to pack.
    Only an hour! How was any woman to pack in that time, especially when all her gowns were unacceptable? It had taken her half the time just to settle on two that might do, and she wore one of them now. Then there’dbeen decisions on what else to bring, what she could manage without, what Juliet might need once they found her.
    One bag, the great tyrant had ordered. Obviously, it was another way to discourage her from going. As if they couldn’t fit more than one bag in Griff’s carriage.
    Fine. She’d packed one bag. A very large bag.
    She bent to close it for the waiting footman, then caught sight of Mrs. N’s guide. Should she bring it?
    Oh, why not? It wouldn’t hurt to have a reminder of the rules of propriety—the ones she hadn’t yet broken, that is. Mr. Brennan was the sort of man who made a woman wish to throw propriety to the winds, which would be terribly unwise.
    Stuffing the book into her bag, she gestured for the footman to take it, then followed him out of her bedchamber on the second floor of Knighton House. She grew uneasy as they approached the grand staircase. It had been more than the allotted hour; she was sure of it. And Mr. Brennan was so un gentlemanly that he probably wouldn’t