Read Online Conduct Unbecoming of a Gentleman by Wareeze Woodson - Free Book Online Page B

table beside him and extracted a cigar. It was impossible to admit to his friend that his every waking thought was of Laurel. He longed to taste her passion, to have her complete surrender and much more, but he couldn’t admit that either. Adron shied away from the thought of exactly what that might mean. “Laurel, that damned woman has me so rattled I’m like to forget my own name.”
    George grinned. “Handed you a leveler has she?”
    “A curst folly bringing her into my household in the first place. She should have accepted the fact of my guardianship of her son with grace and gone about her business.”
    George lifted his brows. “Just like that? Abandon her child? You are insane.”
    “She drove my cousin to his death. Abandoning her son is not such a far stretch from that.”
    George scowled and fisted his hands. “How can you utter such rot? It puts me out of all charity with you when you talk such fustian.”
    “It’s fact not fustian.”
    George lifted his brows. “Stubborn to a fault. You refuse to be pried from the past, clinging to memories of by gone hurts as if you were a child with a favorite toy. Move on old chap.”
    “I don’t deny I cling to the past but I’m forced to be cautious for Jamie’s sake.” Adron raked his fingers through his hair.
    “Laurel is a marvelous mother. The children love her and all of the servants extol her virtues,” George said with exasperated force.
    Reluctant to admit she wasn’t the wicked person she’d been painted, Adron conceded he was stubborn. Surely he wasn’t so unfairly wrong-headed? “If she is so wonderful, offer for her. You’re a fine, up-standing fellow.” Adron gestured with his hand. “She’ll find no fault with you or your pocket book.”
    “Blimey, what a capital idea.” George’s voice rang with sarcasm. “I was afraid to put my proposal to the touch but if I have your blessing, nothing shall stand in my way.” His voice took on a different tone. “She and her son will make a delicious addition to my household.”
    Adron nailed George with a penetrating stare. No way in Hell would he stand by while George married Laurel. Even to himself Adron couldn’t determine exactly why the thought bothered him so much. “I wasn’t serious. But you marry her as soon as you please,” he snapped and added a leveler of his own. “The child stays here.”
    “You don’t mean that,” George erupted in anger, his eyes fairly blazing.
    “Every word.”
    George vaulted to his feet. “I ought to call you out for that piece of nonsense. Laurel will stay and raise her child no matter how unfair you become.”
    Adron slowly gained his feet as well. “I don’t believe for a moment that she’ll stay.”
    George frowned and his voice sharpened. “You want her to fail, to be proved right about your daft theory but you’ll regret it. Melissa will notice by and by if she hasn’t already. No doubt she’ll give you the hell you so richly deserve.”
    Adron winced. “Melissa has no rights where I’m concerned. She has received no offer.”
    “Hit a soft spot with that, did I?”
    “You’ve lost your mind. And you’re wrong about everything.”
    “If you say so.” George’s tone dropped and an earnest appeal rang in his voice. “But what of your grandmother’s wishes?”
    “She doesn’t run my life.”
    “You could have fooled me,” George scoffed. “Poor Melissa’s hopes dashed.”
    Anger pushed Adron. George had no right to lecture him about Laurel or Melissa and trying to sway him with guilt simply raised his ire. He had his fair share of guilt over Robert’s death and would accept no more. With that in mind, he formed a sharp answer he didn’t actually intend to carry through, simply to rile George. “That aside, by the time I’m finished with Laurel, she’ll be longing to escape my rule and to marry a nice, easy-going chap such as yourself.”
    “Short of killing you there is little I can do to stop you is