Read Online Barbara Metzger by Christmas Wishes - Free Book Online Page B

is looking for her by name, you may inform him or her that Miss Beaumont’s fiancé was escorting her to his family home for the holidays when there was a carriage accident.”
    Juneclaire’s contentment shattered into rubble. Her knight’s armor must have been made of cheesecloth instead of chain mail, that he received such a grievous blow to the head to addle his wits.
    Ned knew there had been no female in the curricle that morning, but he also knew he was lucky to get out of the barn with his skin on. This devil could best Charlie, who was bigger and a dirtier fighter, and he had a look that could freeze a fellow’s blood right in his veins. If the swell wanted him to swear, Ned would say his lordship was marrying the pig!
    The earl helped the boy take the body out and tie it to one of the horses. Juneclaire tried not to look. She draped her cloak across one of the partitions in hopes it would be dry by morning. Then she started shivering.
    When St. Cloud came back, Juneclaire found it the most natural thing in the world that he should hold his arms open and she should walk into them. He wrapped his greatcoat around her, rubbed her back, and feathered kisses on the top of her head until the trembling stopped.
    “I’ll never be a disbeliever again, Junco,” he murmured into her hair, sending shivers through her again, but not from the cold this time. “And you must have been very, very good to compensate for my wickedness, to get our wishes answered so quickly.”
    “I don’t understand.” She didn’t understand any of the feelings she was feeling either.
    “Your wish, Miss Beaumont, for a place of your own. It’s cold and dreary, but I’m sure you can change that in jig time with one of your smiles. They work for me, you know.”
    Juneclaire looked up at him in such muddled confusion, he had to kiss the tip of her nose, which was cold, so he held her closer still. “My house, goose. Your house when we marry.”
    She pulled back as far as his arms would let her, perhaps a quarter of an inch. “Oh, pooh, you don’t have to marry me. I know you were being honorable and all that for Ned’s benefit, but he’ll never talk. You put the fear of God into him.”
    “God would be more forgiving if he doesn’t get back. And I was not being honorable just for Ned. I am a gentleman, as I keep reminding you. The boy won’t talk soon, but someone might see us in the morning, and sooner or later he’d mention your name. You have to be a respectable married lady by then.”
    “But you cannot want to marry me.”
    “To be honest, I haven’t wanted to marry anyone, but why not you? You are kind and brave and loyal, and handy with a bucket. You’re beautiful and you make me smile. What more could I ask? You’ll be getting the worst of the bargain, but I need you to make my wish come true.”
    “All those responsibilities and people dragging at you?”
    “Exactly. One of my responsibilities is to produce an heir, and now you’ll keep me safe from all the match-making mamas and predatory females.”
    “Silly.”
    No one had ever called the Earl of St. Cloud silly before. No female had ever fit so perfectly next to his heart before. No matter what he told Juneclaire, he’d known their fates were sealed from the moment she stepped into his carriage and proved to be a lady. The matrimonial noose had been tightening around his neck with every mile until he could barely draw in his last gasps of freedom. Now the idea did not seem so bad, as he whispered reassurances in her ear until she fell asleep in his arms, his greatcoat spread over both of them. The pig whiffled in the corncrib.

Chapter Seven
    T he earl awoke to the sound of church bells. The sun was well up, but St. Cloud did not want to disturb Juneclaire by searching out his fob watch. She still slept next to him under the greatcoat, not even the top of her head showing. St. Cloud shut his eyes again to savor the feeling. He almost never woke with a woman in