Read Online Forbidden Love by Karen Robards - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Karen Robards
Ads: Link
carved footboard.
“Shall I go away again?” she asked with a small smile. Justin’s scowl deepened. His dark hair was wildly mussed; his tawny-gold eyes snapped irritably. He looked very big and powerful propped up against the mound of fluffy white pillows.
“You got me in this shape, so you can damn wellentertain me,” he growled. Megan had to laugh; she couldn’t help it.
“Mrs. Donovan said you were as sore-headed as a hedgehog with its quills pulled. I see what she meant.”
“I wouldn’t get too saucy, miss. I won’t be tied to this bed forever, you know.” Despite his threatening words, Justin could not control the responsive quiver of his lips. Minx, he thought appreciatively. Then, unwilling to abandon his ill-humor, he added accusingly, “You’re loving every minute of this, aren’t you? As long as I’m laid up here, you don’t have to go back to school.”
The smile faded from Megan’s lips. “I admit it. I am glad not to be going back to school,” she told him, her eyes grave. “But I am truly sorry that you were injured. I would gladly undo it, if I could.”
She sounded so conscience-stricken that Justin immediately relented. He had not meant to remind her of the fact that she had caused his accident, and he was heartily ashamed of himself for having done so.
“Well, you can make it up to me by singing to me, or some such thing: I am as bored as be-damned.”
This made her smile again. “My lord, I am afraid that you took very little notice of my reports from school: As far as singing is concerned, I fear that I wouldn’t give the hoarsest frog any competition!”
Justin looked at her doubtfully, and saw, to his surprise, that she was serious. He had always assumed that well brought-up young ladies could sing at least passably.
“As bad as that, eh?” he asked, grinning. “Well, then, pray don’t deafen me as well as lame me! Look in that drawer over there, and bring me a pack of cards: If you don’t object, I’ll teach you to play baccarat.”
“I don’t object at all, my lord,” Megan answered calmly, and did as he told her.
At the end of two hours’ play, both were chuckling companionably, and Megan had lost the equivalent of two years’ pocket money to her ruthless guardian.
“Just think of it,” he said wickedly, his eyes laughing as they surveyed the untidy mound of Megan’s scribbled I.O.U.’s that were piled high before him. “No more ices or trinkets, or packets of ribbons or lace, or whatever else you females do with your money. In fact, you will probably have to hire out as a chambermaid or something to pay these off. After all,” he added virtuously, “you can’t expect me to permit you to use your allowance to redeem them: People might say that I was encouraging your unfortunate predilection for gaming!”
“Then I will just have to sell the ear-bobs you gave me for my birthday to pay them off!”
Justin grinned at her. “Oh, will you? In that case, I suppose I shall have to forgive the debt. The gossip would be never-ending if it should get out that you had to sell your jewelry to pay your gaming debts! And all the dragon-mothers would warn their sons against you. It would never do to ally themselves with a hardened gamester!”
Megan wrinkled her nose impishly.
“Then you would be stuck with me forever, so I wouldn’t laugh so hard, if I were you!”
“That aspect of the situation didn’t occur to me. I can see that I really have no choice but to forgive the debt. To be forever fated to bear-lead a naughty, impertinent chit would be a penance too heavy to be borne!”
He was grinning crookedly at her, so Megan had no trouble accepting this sally in the spirit in which it had clearly been meant.
“You’re funny!” she said, smiling warmly at him. His eyes twinkled at her.
“What makes you think I’m not serious?”
For a moment she looked uncertain. “You’re not, are you?” she asked, sounding worried.
He looked at her,
“Shall I go away again?” she asked with a small smile. Justin’s scowl deepened. His dark hair was wildly mussed; his tawny-gold eyes snapped irritably. He looked very big and powerful propped up against the mound of fluffy white pillows.
“You got me in this shape, so you can damn wellentertain me,” he growled. Megan had to laugh; she couldn’t help it.
“Mrs. Donovan said you were as sore-headed as a hedgehog with its quills pulled. I see what she meant.”
“I wouldn’t get too saucy, miss. I won’t be tied to this bed forever, you know.” Despite his threatening words, Justin could not control the responsive quiver of his lips. Minx, he thought appreciatively. Then, unwilling to abandon his ill-humor, he added accusingly, “You’re loving every minute of this, aren’t you? As long as I’m laid up here, you don’t have to go back to school.”
The smile faded from Megan’s lips. “I admit it. I am glad not to be going back to school,” she told him, her eyes grave. “But I am truly sorry that you were injured. I would gladly undo it, if I could.”
She sounded so conscience-stricken that Justin immediately relented. He had not meant to remind her of the fact that she had caused his accident, and he was heartily ashamed of himself for having done so.
“Well, you can make it up to me by singing to me, or some such thing: I am as bored as be-damned.”
This made her smile again. “My lord, I am afraid that you took very little notice of my reports from school: As far as singing is concerned, I fear that I wouldn’t give the hoarsest frog any competition!”
Justin looked at her doubtfully, and saw, to his surprise, that she was serious. He had always assumed that well brought-up young ladies could sing at least passably.
“As bad as that, eh?” he asked, grinning. “Well, then, pray don’t deafen me as well as lame me! Look in that drawer over there, and bring me a pack of cards: If you don’t object, I’ll teach you to play baccarat.”
“I don’t object at all, my lord,” Megan answered calmly, and did as he told her.
At the end of two hours’ play, both were chuckling companionably, and Megan had lost the equivalent of two years’ pocket money to her ruthless guardian.
“Just think of it,” he said wickedly, his eyes laughing as they surveyed the untidy mound of Megan’s scribbled I.O.U.’s that were piled high before him. “No more ices or trinkets, or packets of ribbons or lace, or whatever else you females do with your money. In fact, you will probably have to hire out as a chambermaid or something to pay these off. After all,” he added virtuously, “you can’t expect me to permit you to use your allowance to redeem them: People might say that I was encouraging your unfortunate predilection for gaming!”
“Then I will just have to sell the ear-bobs you gave me for my birthday to pay them off!”
Justin grinned at her. “Oh, will you? In that case, I suppose I shall have to forgive the debt. The gossip would be never-ending if it should get out that you had to sell your jewelry to pay your gaming debts! And all the dragon-mothers would warn their sons against you. It would never do to ally themselves with a hardened gamester!”
Megan wrinkled her nose impishly.
“Then you would be stuck with me forever, so I wouldn’t laugh so hard, if I were you!”
“That aspect of the situation didn’t occur to me. I can see that I really have no choice but to forgive the debt. To be forever fated to bear-lead a naughty, impertinent chit would be a penance too heavy to be borne!”
He was grinning crookedly at her, so Megan had no trouble accepting this sally in the spirit in which it had clearly been meant.
“You’re funny!” she said, smiling warmly at him. His eyes twinkled at her.
“What makes you think I’m not serious?”
For a moment she looked uncertain. “You’re not, are you?” she asked, sounding worried.
He looked at her,
Similar Books
