Read Online How to Capture a Countess (Duchess Diaries 1) by Karen Hawkins - Free Book Online
Authors: Karen Hawkins
Ads: Link
opened the small book. Ah, her favorite Shakespeare play, As You Like It ! Smiling, Rose lifted the book and took a deep sniff of the wonderful scent of leather and old paper. Truly, there was nothing like it.
The book begged for immediate reading and she decided to settle into one of the plump blue velvet chairs in front of the fireplace and enjoy her find. MacDougal had said it would take a half hour before her bath was ready, and it would be wondrous to get lost in a book while she was waiting. She would just slip the small book into her pocket before climbing down so she’d have a free hand to help keep her skirts out of the w—
“There you are.”
The low, masculine voice froze Rose in place. She knew that voice. She swallowed hard, hoping her wildly beating heart wasn’t visible from across the room as she slowly turned her head to look at the one man she’d never thought to see again.
Lord Alton Sinclair was known to the ton as Lord Sin for a number of reasons, none of which should be discussed by a lady. He was still just as tall and broad shouldered, his hair still a dark golden-blond. His thick, dark brown lashes gave his eyes a sleepy, seductivelook, but what truly drew the eye were the strong, square line of his jaw and the Roman-emperor cast to his aquiline nose.
He stood in the library doorway, glaring at her as if he wished her to perdition.
Rose’s face and neck warmed. His hair was longer now, and his face more marred by dissipation. Only his sherry-brown eyes looked exactly as they had when she’d last seen him: blazing with anger.
Rose forced her stiff lips into a smile. “Lord Sinclair, how pleasant to see you. I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Of course I’m here. This is my great-aunt’s house. In fact”—his smile was that of a cat who had cornered a mouse—“she invited you at my behest.”
Rose stiffened. “Her grace is your great-aunt ? And my godmother?”
“Apparently so.”
Does that explain the unexpected invitation? A flicker of disappointment settled over her. Until hearing that, she’d rather liked the duchess. Had soft-spoken Lady Charlotte been in on the plot, too?
Sin walked forward with an ominous smile. “So, Miss Balfour, we meet again. Aren’t we fortunate?”
Politeness bade her to come down from the ladder, but it seemed safer up there, away from the simmering storm of a man crossing the room toward her. She tried for a casual tone. “I hope you’re well. It’s been a very long time since we last met.”
“Six years. Six very trying years.”
His smoldering anger jangled along her nerves and she had to fight the urge to climb farther up the ladder. “I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had a trying time.”
His brows snapped together. “Don’t pretend you thought it would be otherwise.”
She blinked. “Why would I know anything about your life after we parted? I haven’t seen you since.”
His mouth firmed into a straight line, his eyes blazing hotter now. “Don’t play the innocent with me. I know you.”
Good heavens, what is this all about? It was true that she’d caused herself and her family a good deal of embarrassment, but he, like all rakehells, was immune to scandal. Unless a man stepped firmly over the boundaries of society, like Lord Byron in sleeping with his half sister, very little could sully their names. A woman, meanwhile, could be ruined by something as innocent as a kiss.
The whole thing was grossly unfair, and Rose didn’t appreciate Lord Sin’s obliviousness to that fact. But it wouldn’t help to confront him; he was obviously in no mood for calm, reasonable discourse.
Perhaps she should just offer him the apology she’d wished to offer all those years ago. At the least it would make her feel better, for she owed him one.
She cleared her throat. “Lord Sinclair, I’m glad you’re here.” She began to climb down. “I’ve beenwanting to apologize to you since our last meeting and—”
“Stay.” He
The book begged for immediate reading and she decided to settle into one of the plump blue velvet chairs in front of the fireplace and enjoy her find. MacDougal had said it would take a half hour before her bath was ready, and it would be wondrous to get lost in a book while she was waiting. She would just slip the small book into her pocket before climbing down so she’d have a free hand to help keep her skirts out of the w—
“There you are.”
The low, masculine voice froze Rose in place. She knew that voice. She swallowed hard, hoping her wildly beating heart wasn’t visible from across the room as she slowly turned her head to look at the one man she’d never thought to see again.
Lord Alton Sinclair was known to the ton as Lord Sin for a number of reasons, none of which should be discussed by a lady. He was still just as tall and broad shouldered, his hair still a dark golden-blond. His thick, dark brown lashes gave his eyes a sleepy, seductivelook, but what truly drew the eye were the strong, square line of his jaw and the Roman-emperor cast to his aquiline nose.
He stood in the library doorway, glaring at her as if he wished her to perdition.
Rose’s face and neck warmed. His hair was longer now, and his face more marred by dissipation. Only his sherry-brown eyes looked exactly as they had when she’d last seen him: blazing with anger.
Rose forced her stiff lips into a smile. “Lord Sinclair, how pleasant to see you. I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Of course I’m here. This is my great-aunt’s house. In fact”—his smile was that of a cat who had cornered a mouse—“she invited you at my behest.”
Rose stiffened. “Her grace is your great-aunt ? And my godmother?”
“Apparently so.”
Does that explain the unexpected invitation? A flicker of disappointment settled over her. Until hearing that, she’d rather liked the duchess. Had soft-spoken Lady Charlotte been in on the plot, too?
Sin walked forward with an ominous smile. “So, Miss Balfour, we meet again. Aren’t we fortunate?”
Politeness bade her to come down from the ladder, but it seemed safer up there, away from the simmering storm of a man crossing the room toward her. She tried for a casual tone. “I hope you’re well. It’s been a very long time since we last met.”
“Six years. Six very trying years.”
His smoldering anger jangled along her nerves and she had to fight the urge to climb farther up the ladder. “I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had a trying time.”
His brows snapped together. “Don’t pretend you thought it would be otherwise.”
She blinked. “Why would I know anything about your life after we parted? I haven’t seen you since.”
His mouth firmed into a straight line, his eyes blazing hotter now. “Don’t play the innocent with me. I know you.”
Good heavens, what is this all about? It was true that she’d caused herself and her family a good deal of embarrassment, but he, like all rakehells, was immune to scandal. Unless a man stepped firmly over the boundaries of society, like Lord Byron in sleeping with his half sister, very little could sully their names. A woman, meanwhile, could be ruined by something as innocent as a kiss.
The whole thing was grossly unfair, and Rose didn’t appreciate Lord Sin’s obliviousness to that fact. But it wouldn’t help to confront him; he was obviously in no mood for calm, reasonable discourse.
Perhaps she should just offer him the apology she’d wished to offer all those years ago. At the least it would make her feel better, for she owed him one.
She cleared her throat. “Lord Sinclair, I’m glad you’re here.” She began to climb down. “I’ve beenwanting to apologize to you since our last meeting and—”
“Stay.” He
Similar Books
