Read Online Frigid Waters (Ladies of Loomcroft) by J.E. Clymer - Free Book Online
Authors: J.E. Clymer
Ads: Link
because a pair of shoes had still not been found for her.
Voices echoed from the study just right of the stair case. George was angry, but it was a different type of angry. It was not the protective kind of angry he had projected towards her a few days ago. It was more of an anger born out of annoyance.
“Father, you are not to interfere. Brother, do what you do best. Go back to London and gamble or bed one of your mistresses.” George bellowed.
Belladonna hugged the outside wall, so none of them could see her. Her breaths were shallow as not to make any noise.
“George, be reasonable. You have no need of an heiress with so much. I see that now that I have been here. Your brother needs her as a wife. Help him, son.” His father chided gently, but there was an undercurrent of anger in his voice.
A nasal voice chimed in seconds later. “Yes, brother. If you wish to bed the chit so badly I would be more than happy to share. I have seen her at balls and have very little interest myself.”
“You do not speak of her, Carl.” He growled.
The Earl of Riverton took on a stern voice. “George, you do not speak to your brother in such a manner. He is in more need of a Loomcroft girl than you are; his offer to share her is overly generous. Do not make him regret it.”
Belladonna could hear George huffing. “You do not speak of Belladonna that way in my home.” His voice wasn't a growl, but it was full of menace. “In fact, you do not ever speak of a lady in such a manner. I recommend that you leave, gentlemen.”
His father sniffed. “Of course we are not leaving. This will be Carl's solitary chance to seduce the girl. Lord knows it will be the only chance any man of the ton gets to wed her.”
Carl chuckled. “Yes, but it will be worth the sacrifice. The Loomcroft fortune is substantial. Bedding such a rounded woman a few times to get an heir is worth the sacrifice in order to never have to worry about blunt again.”
Belladonna could hear George's chair scrape across the floor. “I have warned you, brother.”
“Sit down, George.” His father hissed. “Only fools get so worked up over a woman to look at his brother with so much ill will.”
Belladonna couldn't take much more herself. The two men spoke as if she was a brood mare to be bred and sent out to pasture. They spoke as if her dowry was all that mattered and she suspected that Carl would do everything in his power to get it.
A sour taste filled her mouth and her stomach dropped. She wasn't safe in this house; not alone. She would just tell them she was off the market and no matter what they did she wouldn't marry Carl. That's what she would do.
Squaring her shoulders she gracefully entered the study. She stood beside George and looked down her nose at the both his brother and father. Belladonna steeled herself to put the two appalling men in their place.
Carl muttered under his breath, “Perhaps not so much a sacrifice.”
Her eyes widened. Before she knew what left her mouth, she turned and spoke to George. “Who are our guests, husband?”
Husband? Where had that come from? She wondered. The smile on George's face almost broke her heart. She hadn't meant it. She didn't even know why she said it.
George pulled her close and kissed the side of her forehead. “Let me introduce my brother, Carl, and my father, the Earl of Riverton.”
She nodded at each man, but she refused to greet them as was expected. The Earl's eyes narrowed as he took in the pair. “I see.”
George nodded and smiled. That wrapped up the situation nicely. At least he had hoped so, but his brother kept looking at Belladonna with unmasked lust in his eyes. “I am glad you do, father. I hate to be rude, but I would appreciate it if you returned to London in the morning. My wife
Voices echoed from the study just right of the stair case. George was angry, but it was a different type of angry. It was not the protective kind of angry he had projected towards her a few days ago. It was more of an anger born out of annoyance.
“Father, you are not to interfere. Brother, do what you do best. Go back to London and gamble or bed one of your mistresses.” George bellowed.
Belladonna hugged the outside wall, so none of them could see her. Her breaths were shallow as not to make any noise.
“George, be reasonable. You have no need of an heiress with so much. I see that now that I have been here. Your brother needs her as a wife. Help him, son.” His father chided gently, but there was an undercurrent of anger in his voice.
A nasal voice chimed in seconds later. “Yes, brother. If you wish to bed the chit so badly I would be more than happy to share. I have seen her at balls and have very little interest myself.”
“You do not speak of her, Carl.” He growled.
The Earl of Riverton took on a stern voice. “George, you do not speak to your brother in such a manner. He is in more need of a Loomcroft girl than you are; his offer to share her is overly generous. Do not make him regret it.”
Belladonna could hear George huffing. “You do not speak of Belladonna that way in my home.” His voice wasn't a growl, but it was full of menace. “In fact, you do not ever speak of a lady in such a manner. I recommend that you leave, gentlemen.”
His father sniffed. “Of course we are not leaving. This will be Carl's solitary chance to seduce the girl. Lord knows it will be the only chance any man of the ton gets to wed her.”
Carl chuckled. “Yes, but it will be worth the sacrifice. The Loomcroft fortune is substantial. Bedding such a rounded woman a few times to get an heir is worth the sacrifice in order to never have to worry about blunt again.”
Belladonna could hear George's chair scrape across the floor. “I have warned you, brother.”
“Sit down, George.” His father hissed. “Only fools get so worked up over a woman to look at his brother with so much ill will.”
Belladonna couldn't take much more herself. The two men spoke as if she was a brood mare to be bred and sent out to pasture. They spoke as if her dowry was all that mattered and she suspected that Carl would do everything in his power to get it.
A sour taste filled her mouth and her stomach dropped. She wasn't safe in this house; not alone. She would just tell them she was off the market and no matter what they did she wouldn't marry Carl. That's what she would do.
Squaring her shoulders she gracefully entered the study. She stood beside George and looked down her nose at the both his brother and father. Belladonna steeled herself to put the two appalling men in their place.
Carl muttered under his breath, “Perhaps not so much a sacrifice.”
Her eyes widened. Before she knew what left her mouth, she turned and spoke to George. “Who are our guests, husband?”
Husband? Where had that come from? She wondered. The smile on George's face almost broke her heart. She hadn't meant it. She didn't even know why she said it.
George pulled her close and kissed the side of her forehead. “Let me introduce my brother, Carl, and my father, the Earl of Riverton.”
She nodded at each man, but she refused to greet them as was expected. The Earl's eyes narrowed as he took in the pair. “I see.”
George nodded and smiled. That wrapped up the situation nicely. At least he had hoped so, but his brother kept looking at Belladonna with unmasked lust in his eyes. “I am glad you do, father. I hate to be rude, but I would appreciate it if you returned to London in the morning. My wife
Similar Books
