Read Online Her Lord and Protector (formerly titled On Silent Wings) by Pam Roller - Free Book Online Page A

boots as if
expecting their worn leather toes to answer. “I would rather not say in case he
refuses her,” he said.
    “Oh,” said
Elizabeth meekly.
    Katherine
finished, straightened, and jerked an aching finger toward her words, which
were barely legible and dotted with black splatters.
    Lord Drayton
walked to the table, picked up the paper, and read, “I meet him. I decide.” A
deep rumble in his chest suggested a chuckle, although his lips revealed his
scorn and his eyes became icy. “No, you will not decide. You will marry
whomever I choose for you.”
    Katherine shook
her head and glared at him while the quill slipped from her hand to the floor.
    He tossed the
paper onto the table, and his derisive laugh sent chills through her body.
“Yes, I know. You want only to marry for love. But as I told you, there is no
such thing.” He walked to the door, then turned to face her. “Tolerance, yes.
Perhaps dislike, or in my case, pure hatred. But never love.”
    Such bitterness!
What on earth had happened to the man? Katherine followed him out the door, but
his long legs had carried him quickly down the corridor.
    And he was gone.

Chapter Eight
     
    Riding east,
Alex detoured to Robert’s house to leave his copy of Paradise Lost for Edward
to borrow. A man near Robert’s barn pointed to Edward’s herbarium.
    Alex dismounted
and ambled down the pebbled path to the small, squat building, and stopped with
his hand on the door latch. Edward wasn’t alone. Heated words carried through
the glassless window to his right.
    “I cannot
believe it. Are you sure he wants to court you?”
    “He would like
to. Why do you doubt his intentions? Am I not good enough for him?”
    The voices
belonged to Agnes and Edward. Disinclined to interrupt their private conversation,
Alex released the latch and turned to leave the book with Sarah, but the next
words rooted him.
    “His year of
mourning for Madcap Mary has ended,” Agnes said. “At last.”
    “Has he
expressed interest? Spoken to Father?”
    “Not yet. Likely
Alexander is as slow as you in your courtship. He doesn’t wish to offend me by
moving forward too quickly.” A slight hesitation, and then Agnes added, “You
know, Ed, I think you should court Katherine instead of Elizabeth.”
    “What? No, I do
not think—”
    “She is pretty,
you know,” Agnes said. “Almost as pretty as I am. Father said so. Her clothes
sit on her like a saddle on a sow’s back, and she cannot talk, and she is
stupid no matter what anyone says, but you’d have plenty of time to dry your
herbs and write love poems.”
    Alex
instinctively stiffened at the insult to Katherine.
    “Bear in mind
that I mean to continue courting Elizabeth.”
    Agnes laughed.
“Tell me. Have you kissed her yet?”
    “No. We are in
no hurry.”
    “So you say.”
    A clatter echoed
from inside. Edward must have dropped something. “What? Has Elizabeth said something
to you?”
    “Only that it is
your decision whether you wish to turn your attentions to Katherine,” Agnes
replied. “Apparently, Lizzy cares not what you do.”
    Edward’s voice
grew stronger. “Do not touch that, Agnes. It is mandrake root. Makes one sleep
like the dead.” A moment later he said, “What does Elizabeth want? Does she not
care for me?”
    Alex leaned
against the wall and shook his head. What was that vixen doing to her brother?
    “Oh, I suppose
she does,” Agnes said. “She doesn’t speak openly about her feelings. Katherine
speaks not at all, yet her face and body reveal much. It is how I know of her
desire for Alexander. This is why you must turn your attentions to her before
he does.”
    Almost bellowing
his surprise, Alex jolted from the wall. Katherine desired him?
    Agnes continued
in a plea. “I want to be Lady Drayton. It is always what I have wanted. Will you court Lady Katherine?”
    “No. Alex isn’t
going to marry her, Ag. Or anyone. You heard what he said at his dinner table.
He doesn’t want another