Read Online Annabelle's Courtship by Lucy Monroe - Free Book Online Page A

voice. Her knees went weak at the potent masculinity in his smile. “Good morning, Belle. Although it’s near enough to afternoon.”
    “I suppose that is your excuse for calling so early?” His brows raised in question. “You are not yet ready to receive callers?” She wanted to throttle him. Of course she wasn’t ready yet. She hadn’t even had her breakfast. Her aunt was still abed and it must be obvious she was not dressed to receive visitors. She decided to fall back on the excuse of her aunt. She had to stifle a sigh of disappointment, however, at the thought of sending Ian on his way.
    “My aunt is still indisposed so I cannot receive callers.” He inclined his head in understanding. “I had hoped to be granted your company for a trip to the museum today.”
    “I adore the museum,” she replied.
    In truth, it was one of her favorite places. She could wander for hours room to room getting lost in the paintings, sculpture and even the Kings Library. Embarrassingly, her stomach chose that moment to make its empty state known.

    “You havena eaten yet this morning?” Ian frowned at her. “You have no call to be standing in this drafty hall conversing with me.” She bristled at his tone. One minute he was kissing her like a…a lover and the next he was scolding her as if she were a child. “I’m sure my eating habits are my own concern.”
    He did not react to the frosty tone of her voice. “They should be someone else’s as well if you are no going to take proper care of yourself.” He looked at her like an angry parent.
    She could not help laughing at the absurdity of being upbraided for not eating her breakfast. “My lord, I have not been chastised for like misbehavior since my old nurse was retired to a country cottage.” She smiled at his set features. “You don’t look a bit like her, but you do sound like her.”
    His face registered disbelief. “I canna believe that Lady Beauford would not take it into her head to scold you on occasion as well.” He had read her aunt very well. Aunt Griselda did like to scold. “True, but she reserves her reprimands for my clothing.”
    “What is the matter with the way you dress?”
    Laughter bubbled up yet again at the sincere confusion in his voice. “My lord, you may like the fact that I dress like a dowd, thus making me more suitable in your eyes, but I can assure you that it does quite the opposite for my aunt.”
    “Belle, there is nothing the matter with your choice of attire.” Her insides warmed at the approval she heard in his voice. “Really, my lord, you must stop addressing me as Belle.”
    He shook his head as if her complaint were a pesky fly trying to land on him. “Dinna try to change the subject.”
    “Fine.” She lifted the unfashionable wool skirt of her gown slightly. “Take for instance my dress today. Aunt Griselda would have heart palpitations if she realized that you had caught me wearing this.”
    He stared at her as if he could not believe what he was hearing. “What is the matter with that dress? It looks warm enough for the day. Your aunt’s house is no warm, I have noticed.”

    Annabelle smiled at Ian’s understatement. When the fog moved in, her aunt’s townhouse became downright chilly. “My aunt can sometimes be parsimonious. She prefers to save money rather than have fires lit in all the grates.”
    “Your aunt would do well with my housekeeper. The woman is cheeseparing, no doubt about it.”
    Annabelle warmed under their shared smile.
    The front door knocker sounded. “Are you expecting other callers this morning, Belle?”
    The suspicion she heard in Ian’s voice was laughable. Of course she wasn’t expecting callers. Hadn’t she made that clear enough? There was a flurry of activity at the door. She found herself enveloped in masculine arms and quickly released.
    “Annabelle, I have missed you.”
    She looked into her brother’s eyes and hers became misty. They had always been close. She