Read Online Belmary House Book One by Cassidy Cayman - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cassidy Cayman
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off his brow or something equally mortifying, knowing if she could ride it out, he’d say something awful and cure her of her wayward thoughts.
“Let me go with you,” she blurted. As soon as the words were out, she realized she wanted to go to a real life nineteenth century ball as much as she wanted to keep breathing. “I worked in law enforcement,” she added. “I can help you get the information you need.”
Ashford took his hand back from her and laughed. “Miss Jacobs, the man I’m meeting is a long time friend of mine. I won’t need any help.” He looked her over and laughed again, turning to leave.
Her wayward thoughts cured even more quickly than she thought possible, she pushed down her rancor and hurried in front of him, enjoying his blink of disbelief that she was going to press the issue. She was going to squeeze until she got to go to that ball.
“Please,” she said, batting her lashes like she imagined a woman of this time might. “I really want to go. I have to stay here for three months, I may as well get to see the sights, don’t you agree?” She turned to Duncan, whose mouth was open. “You agree, right, Duncan?”
“Duncan most certainly does not agree,” Ashford boomed, all his amusement gone. “I can’t imagine the trouble you’d cause at such a function. You’ll stay in the house until you get back to your proper time.”
“You really don’t know anything about women from my time if you think that’s going to happen,” she said.
He laughed again, bowed to her, definitely sarcastically, and left the library without another word. Duncan looked apologetic, told her he’d send some food to her room, and took off after Ashford.
She stood there alone, stunned, not knowing what to do. He hadn’t even deigned to argue with her. Remember his sister, she told herself. His sister was missing, and he was sick with worry and fear. Well, she was missing too, in her own time! Even if Emma was able to explain to Dex what happened, they had no way of knowing if she’d ever be back. She was only supposed to visit London for a month, how would Dex explain to her mother when that passed and she still hadn’t returned? For all they knew she was never getting back.
But she kept seeing the look on Ashford’s face when he’d said he needed to find out what happened to his sister. He had no parents anymore. Perhaps that was his only living relative. As much as she wanted to throw something, she decided to take the high road and go back to her room. She’d have it out with Ashford tomorrow, when hopefully he’d got the information he needed.
As she opened the heavy library door, she nearly collided with Ashford, who took her shoulders to keep her from stumbling. Duncan stood behind him looking as if he’d just eaten something incredibly unsavory.
“I’ve had a little chat with Duncan, just now,” Ashford said, an almost maniacal gleam in his silvery eyes. “I’ve sent someone out for a better gown. Hurry and eat, because you won’t want to later.”
That sounded ominous, but her spirits perked up at the mention of a better gown. “Am I going to the ball with you?” she asked.
He nodded. “Yes. You’re going to the ball.”
Duncan, who still stood in the hallway, groaned.
Chapter 7
She could almost put her hands completely around her waist, and she could barely take a breath. But she looked fantastic in her flowing gown. Her hair was artistically piled on top of her head with a garden of crystal flowers and gemstone pins. They’d powdered her until she looked like a ghost, and wrangled her cleavage into a fine display, pasting some tiny gems along the deeply scooped neckline of her dress. If she could take a full breath, her breasts would have popped completely out, so she stood stock still, gasping delicately through her ruby red lips as she waited for Ashford’s approval.
“Oh, that’s perfect. Good show, you two.” He all but high fived the maids and stood
“Let me go with you,” she blurted. As soon as the words were out, she realized she wanted to go to a real life nineteenth century ball as much as she wanted to keep breathing. “I worked in law enforcement,” she added. “I can help you get the information you need.”
Ashford took his hand back from her and laughed. “Miss Jacobs, the man I’m meeting is a long time friend of mine. I won’t need any help.” He looked her over and laughed again, turning to leave.
Her wayward thoughts cured even more quickly than she thought possible, she pushed down her rancor and hurried in front of him, enjoying his blink of disbelief that she was going to press the issue. She was going to squeeze until she got to go to that ball.
“Please,” she said, batting her lashes like she imagined a woman of this time might. “I really want to go. I have to stay here for three months, I may as well get to see the sights, don’t you agree?” She turned to Duncan, whose mouth was open. “You agree, right, Duncan?”
“Duncan most certainly does not agree,” Ashford boomed, all his amusement gone. “I can’t imagine the trouble you’d cause at such a function. You’ll stay in the house until you get back to your proper time.”
“You really don’t know anything about women from my time if you think that’s going to happen,” she said.
He laughed again, bowed to her, definitely sarcastically, and left the library without another word. Duncan looked apologetic, told her he’d send some food to her room, and took off after Ashford.
She stood there alone, stunned, not knowing what to do. He hadn’t even deigned to argue with her. Remember his sister, she told herself. His sister was missing, and he was sick with worry and fear. Well, she was missing too, in her own time! Even if Emma was able to explain to Dex what happened, they had no way of knowing if she’d ever be back. She was only supposed to visit London for a month, how would Dex explain to her mother when that passed and she still hadn’t returned? For all they knew she was never getting back.
But she kept seeing the look on Ashford’s face when he’d said he needed to find out what happened to his sister. He had no parents anymore. Perhaps that was his only living relative. As much as she wanted to throw something, she decided to take the high road and go back to her room. She’d have it out with Ashford tomorrow, when hopefully he’d got the information he needed.
As she opened the heavy library door, she nearly collided with Ashford, who took her shoulders to keep her from stumbling. Duncan stood behind him looking as if he’d just eaten something incredibly unsavory.
“I’ve had a little chat with Duncan, just now,” Ashford said, an almost maniacal gleam in his silvery eyes. “I’ve sent someone out for a better gown. Hurry and eat, because you won’t want to later.”
That sounded ominous, but her spirits perked up at the mention of a better gown. “Am I going to the ball with you?” she asked.
He nodded. “Yes. You’re going to the ball.”
Duncan, who still stood in the hallway, groaned.
Chapter 7
She could almost put her hands completely around her waist, and she could barely take a breath. But she looked fantastic in her flowing gown. Her hair was artistically piled on top of her head with a garden of crystal flowers and gemstone pins. They’d powdered her until she looked like a ghost, and wrangled her cleavage into a fine display, pasting some tiny gems along the deeply scooped neckline of her dress. If she could take a full breath, her breasts would have popped completely out, so she stood stock still, gasping delicately through her ruby red lips as she waited for Ashford’s approval.
“Oh, that’s perfect. Good show, you two.” He all but high fived the maids and stood
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