Read Online Ghosts of Winters Past by Christy Graham Parker - Free Book Online
Authors: Christy Graham Parker
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kissed her tears away. “There’s always a choice.”
****
The next day, Henry left the Blakemore townhouse in a worse mood than when he arrived. That, in and of itself, spoke a lot.
Blakemore was insistent in his demand that Henry marry Elizabeth. No matter how many different ways Henry told him the girl had made advances to him and likely set the whole thing up, the old earl refused to give in.
Henry felt his future, his happiness, and his life slipping away. Unlike before, this time there would be no returning.
He stayed inside his townhouse for two days. He didn’t trust himself to go to White’s , and he refused to go to another ball where he would be expected to play nice with Elizabeth. The only place he wanted to go was to Emma’s, but he refrained, uncertain how a visit would look to others.
For two days he plotted, and thought, and plotted again. Finally, on the third day, he sent a summons. Since he didn’t expect a reply for a day or so, he left to travel once more to the Blakemore’s townhouse.
Lady Elizabeth was all fluttery eyelashes and sweet smiles when she heard he’d come to call.
“Your g race. How unexpected.”
“Don’t think for one moment I’ve changed my opinion on this matter.”
There were too many people crowded in the drawing room to talk. He took her elbow and led her to a secluded corner, too far away to be heard, but close enough for anyone to see them the entire time.
With a none-too-gentle push , he sat her down in a chair. “When will you cease this foolishness?”
“Which foolishness would that be?”
“You know very well which foolishness. This ridiculous plot of yours to get me to marry you.”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about. After you compromised me in the salon, we have no other recourse.”
He mumbled assorted curses under his breath and was pleased she had the decency to blush.
“The truth, Lady Elizabeth. That is the surest course there is.”
Perhaps she had told herself so many lies, she now believed them to be true. It occurred to him that maybe she didn’t have all of her mental capacities. She wasn’t budging. Instead, she sat with her lips in a firm line.
“I don’t love you,” he said.
“I’m not worried. You’ll grow to love me.”
“Is that so? You think I could ever love you after you tricked me into marriage? I love another. Will always love another. Will that be enough for you? Can you live the rest of your life knowing when I look at you, I picture someone else? Will my leftover affections keep you warm at night?”
She threw her hands over her ears. “Stop. It won’t be that way.”
With little care about the scene they were probably making, he took her hands in his and forced them away from her ears. “There is no other way for it to be. You may force my body, but you’ll never have my soul.”
She shot up from her chair. “You may leave now, y our g race. I have a headache.”
“For shame, and right when I was starting to enjoy myself.” He bowed to her, turned to the ladies in the room who weren’t even pretending not to listen, and bowed again. “Ladies.”
“Your g race,” they all replied.
Before he left the room, he looked back to Elizabeth. “Think on what I said, my lady. I vow there is nothing you can do to make this work.”
****
Lord Gallent arrived right on time the next day. In a manner echoing his reception days prior, Henry dismissed his butler and opened the door himself.
“Lord Gallent. I do appreciate a punctual man.”
The earl didn’t say anything. Henry led him down the hall into the study and motioned to him to have a seat.
“I’ll stand.”
It reminded Henry of a game of chess. Each man scoping out the other. Looking for the next move, trying to plan ahead. Measuring weakness. Assessing strength. Henry was almost positive the earl thought himself winning. He couldn’t be more wrong.
“Suit yourself.” Henry sat in his chair, pulled out the bundle
****
The next day, Henry left the Blakemore townhouse in a worse mood than when he arrived. That, in and of itself, spoke a lot.
Blakemore was insistent in his demand that Henry marry Elizabeth. No matter how many different ways Henry told him the girl had made advances to him and likely set the whole thing up, the old earl refused to give in.
Henry felt his future, his happiness, and his life slipping away. Unlike before, this time there would be no returning.
He stayed inside his townhouse for two days. He didn’t trust himself to go to White’s , and he refused to go to another ball where he would be expected to play nice with Elizabeth. The only place he wanted to go was to Emma’s, but he refrained, uncertain how a visit would look to others.
For two days he plotted, and thought, and plotted again. Finally, on the third day, he sent a summons. Since he didn’t expect a reply for a day or so, he left to travel once more to the Blakemore’s townhouse.
Lady Elizabeth was all fluttery eyelashes and sweet smiles when she heard he’d come to call.
“Your g race. How unexpected.”
“Don’t think for one moment I’ve changed my opinion on this matter.”
There were too many people crowded in the drawing room to talk. He took her elbow and led her to a secluded corner, too far away to be heard, but close enough for anyone to see them the entire time.
With a none-too-gentle push , he sat her down in a chair. “When will you cease this foolishness?”
“Which foolishness would that be?”
“You know very well which foolishness. This ridiculous plot of yours to get me to marry you.”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about. After you compromised me in the salon, we have no other recourse.”
He mumbled assorted curses under his breath and was pleased she had the decency to blush.
“The truth, Lady Elizabeth. That is the surest course there is.”
Perhaps she had told herself so many lies, she now believed them to be true. It occurred to him that maybe she didn’t have all of her mental capacities. She wasn’t budging. Instead, she sat with her lips in a firm line.
“I don’t love you,” he said.
“I’m not worried. You’ll grow to love me.”
“Is that so? You think I could ever love you after you tricked me into marriage? I love another. Will always love another. Will that be enough for you? Can you live the rest of your life knowing when I look at you, I picture someone else? Will my leftover affections keep you warm at night?”
She threw her hands over her ears. “Stop. It won’t be that way.”
With little care about the scene they were probably making, he took her hands in his and forced them away from her ears. “There is no other way for it to be. You may force my body, but you’ll never have my soul.”
She shot up from her chair. “You may leave now, y our g race. I have a headache.”
“For shame, and right when I was starting to enjoy myself.” He bowed to her, turned to the ladies in the room who weren’t even pretending not to listen, and bowed again. “Ladies.”
“Your g race,” they all replied.
Before he left the room, he looked back to Elizabeth. “Think on what I said, my lady. I vow there is nothing you can do to make this work.”
****
Lord Gallent arrived right on time the next day. In a manner echoing his reception days prior, Henry dismissed his butler and opened the door himself.
“Lord Gallent. I do appreciate a punctual man.”
The earl didn’t say anything. Henry led him down the hall into the study and motioned to him to have a seat.
“I’ll stand.”
It reminded Henry of a game of chess. Each man scoping out the other. Looking for the next move, trying to plan ahead. Measuring weakness. Assessing strength. Henry was almost positive the earl thought himself winning. He couldn’t be more wrong.
“Suit yourself.” Henry sat in his chair, pulled out the bundle
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