Read Online Annabelle's Courtship by Lucy Monroe - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lucy Monroe
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impulsively leaned forward and gave him another hug. “Nothing like I have missed you, Robert.”
She looked around him for Diana and came face to face with a fire-breathing Ian.
“Belle, I dinna know this gentleman. Won’t you introduce me to your caller?” The question came out as a command.
She took her brother’s arm and beamed up at him before acknowledging Ian’s demand. “Robert, this is the Earl of Graenfrae, Mister Ian MacKay. My lord, my brother, Robert Courtney, Earl of Hamilton.”
It was her brother’s turn to stiffen. “Lord Graenfrae.” His words came out in the pompous tone he sometimes used, a tone Annabelle had come to despise. She could not deny that where she had shared in her parent’s cavalier attitude toward society’s rules, her brother kowtowed to them. Sickeningly so.
Ian’s shoulders relaxed and his hand that had been fisted at his side unclenched. He inclined his head to her brother, more arrogant than even Robert in his acknowledgement.
“Lord Hamilton, it is a pleasure.”
A delicately cleared throat and Annabelle knew her brother was in deep trouble. He had been so busy matching Ian arrogant look for arrogant look that he had neglected to introduce his wife. Spinning away from Robert, Annabelle threw her arms around her beautiful sister-in-law.
“Diana, I was about to ask Robert where he had hidden you.”
Momentarily ignoring her husband and the laird, Diana returned Annabelle’s embrace. “Darling Annabelle, how I’ve missed you. Your letters have been all that has kept me sane these months with just your brother for company.” Leaning closer to Annabelle, she whispered, “So who is this gorgeous man and do tell me the roses are for you?”
Annabelle laughed at her incorrigible friend. “Surely you heard me introduce him to Robert.”
Diana gave her a disgusted frown. “Of course, how could I miss it and my husband’s subsequent posturing? But who is he ?” Robert interrupted. “Annabelle, if you are finished greeting Lady Hamilton, perhaps you will allow me to introduce her to his lordship.”
“Of course, Robert. By all means. I wouldn’t want Lady Hamilton to think you had forgotten her,” Annabelle mocked.
Diana winked at Annabelle before turning a perfectly composed face to her husband.
When the introductions were finished, Ian offered the roses to Annabelle. “I’ll return another time for our excursion. No doubt you want to visit with your family and eat something.”
Diana and Robert turned startled eyes to her at Ian’s injunction that she eat.
“Ian is under the delusion that I still need a nursemaid.” She took the basket of flowers from him and couldn’t resist leaning forward to inhale their fragrance. “They are lovely. Thank you, my lord.”
“’Tis my pleasure, Belle.” Bowing to her brother and Diana, he took his leave.
Annabelle stared after him until Robert’s words interrupted her thoughts. “Where is Aunt Griselda and why were you entertaining a gentleman unchaperoned in the hall?”
“Aunt is still abed.” The butler came forward and relieved her of her flowers. “Please put them in my room, Cresswell.”
He nodded before leaving.
Ignoring Robert’s censure about entertaining Ian without a chaperone, Annabelle took Diana’s arm and headed toward the breakfast room. She was hungry. “So, he calls our aunt by her given name, but calls his wife Lady Hamilton. Have my brother’s brains gone to let?”
Diana looked over her shoulder and smiled indulgently at her husband. “He calls me Diana in private, but believes it lends me countenance for him to address me more formally before those that are not our intimates.”
“How interesting.”
“Yes, isn’t it?” Diana caught Annabelle’s eyes and they went off into peals of laughter.
Annabelle hugged her friend’s arm. “I’m glad you’re here.” Remembering her first two seasons, Annabelle grimaced. She had not wanted to come out of mourning for
She looked around him for Diana and came face to face with a fire-breathing Ian.
“Belle, I dinna know this gentleman. Won’t you introduce me to your caller?” The question came out as a command.
She took her brother’s arm and beamed up at him before acknowledging Ian’s demand. “Robert, this is the Earl of Graenfrae, Mister Ian MacKay. My lord, my brother, Robert Courtney, Earl of Hamilton.”
It was her brother’s turn to stiffen. “Lord Graenfrae.” His words came out in the pompous tone he sometimes used, a tone Annabelle had come to despise. She could not deny that where she had shared in her parent’s cavalier attitude toward society’s rules, her brother kowtowed to them. Sickeningly so.
Ian’s shoulders relaxed and his hand that had been fisted at his side unclenched. He inclined his head to her brother, more arrogant than even Robert in his acknowledgement.
“Lord Hamilton, it is a pleasure.”
A delicately cleared throat and Annabelle knew her brother was in deep trouble. He had been so busy matching Ian arrogant look for arrogant look that he had neglected to introduce his wife. Spinning away from Robert, Annabelle threw her arms around her beautiful sister-in-law.
“Diana, I was about to ask Robert where he had hidden you.”
Momentarily ignoring her husband and the laird, Diana returned Annabelle’s embrace. “Darling Annabelle, how I’ve missed you. Your letters have been all that has kept me sane these months with just your brother for company.” Leaning closer to Annabelle, she whispered, “So who is this gorgeous man and do tell me the roses are for you?”
Annabelle laughed at her incorrigible friend. “Surely you heard me introduce him to Robert.”
Diana gave her a disgusted frown. “Of course, how could I miss it and my husband’s subsequent posturing? But who is he ?” Robert interrupted. “Annabelle, if you are finished greeting Lady Hamilton, perhaps you will allow me to introduce her to his lordship.”
“Of course, Robert. By all means. I wouldn’t want Lady Hamilton to think you had forgotten her,” Annabelle mocked.
Diana winked at Annabelle before turning a perfectly composed face to her husband.
When the introductions were finished, Ian offered the roses to Annabelle. “I’ll return another time for our excursion. No doubt you want to visit with your family and eat something.”
Diana and Robert turned startled eyes to her at Ian’s injunction that she eat.
“Ian is under the delusion that I still need a nursemaid.” She took the basket of flowers from him and couldn’t resist leaning forward to inhale their fragrance. “They are lovely. Thank you, my lord.”
“’Tis my pleasure, Belle.” Bowing to her brother and Diana, he took his leave.
Annabelle stared after him until Robert’s words interrupted her thoughts. “Where is Aunt Griselda and why were you entertaining a gentleman unchaperoned in the hall?”
“Aunt is still abed.” The butler came forward and relieved her of her flowers. “Please put them in my room, Cresswell.”
He nodded before leaving.
Ignoring Robert’s censure about entertaining Ian without a chaperone, Annabelle took Diana’s arm and headed toward the breakfast room. She was hungry. “So, he calls our aunt by her given name, but calls his wife Lady Hamilton. Have my brother’s brains gone to let?”
Diana looked over her shoulder and smiled indulgently at her husband. “He calls me Diana in private, but believes it lends me countenance for him to address me more formally before those that are not our intimates.”
“How interesting.”
“Yes, isn’t it?” Diana caught Annabelle’s eyes and they went off into peals of laughter.
Annabelle hugged her friend’s arm. “I’m glad you’re here.” Remembering her first two seasons, Annabelle grimaced. She had not wanted to come out of mourning for
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