Read Online I Kissed a Rogue (Covent Garden Cubs) by Shana Galen - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Shana Galen
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father Lila did not share. “He’ll make sure Derring protects you.”
“I don’t want Derring forced to protect me. He already hates me.”
“Why?”
Lila looked away. She wouldn’t reveal that sordid bit of history to her brother. “He just…does.”
“He doesn’t hate you. He doesn’t hate anyone. Doesn’t love them either. He’s not a man of passions. Trust me, you’ll be perfectly safe with Derring.”
But Lila was not so sure.
Five
Brook would murder Lady Lila himself. How dare she trap him in this fashion?
The king had gone on and on about annulments and contracts and special licenses. Brook hadn’t heard a word. He’d fastened his gaze on the Duke of Lennox, who stood at the king’s right arm. Lennox, that bastard. It was as though he’d made it his life’s work to humiliate Brook.
Brook hadn’t tried to argue with George. There was no point. Once the king made up his mind, he would not change it. Not if money was involved at any rate, and Brook was willing to believe quite a bit of blunt had been deposited in the king’s coffers to seal Brook’s fate.
He might have asked his mother to come to his aid. The Dowager Countess of Dane still had some influence, but his mother would likely side with the king. She wanted Brook to marry.
His brother, the earl, might come to London to intervene, but he might also laugh his arse off.
Brook had other friends—Viscount Chesham and the Marquess of Lyndon—but the time it took to rally them would give Beezle the time he needed to dispose of Lila. Brook might not want to marry the chit, but he didn’t want her dead.
If she managed to survive the time it took for Brook and his friends to argue with the king, the result would still be the same. Lennox would make another donation to King George’s treasury, and Brook would be ordered to obey his sovereign.
And so he sat in the coach outside Derring House and stared at the special license in his hands. He’d put off telling his mother as long as he could. He’d put off having Hunt polish his shoes and starch his cravat. If there was one thing Brook knew, it was when to admit defeat. That did not mean he gave up.
It simply meant he needed a new strategy.
* * *
The church was all but empty. Brook’s mother and her husband sat with his sister and Dorrington on one side, while the Duke of Lennox and the Earl of Granbury sat on the other. Behind them, one of the king’s attendants took a seat. Brook supposed he was there to ensure the king’s wishes were followed precisely.
There hadn’t been time for Dane and his wife to come in from the country. If his older brother had been present, Brook would have asked him to stand beside him. As it was, Lila had no attendants, so perhaps it was for the best Brook stood before the bishop alone as well.
The bishop, a jowly man with white hair and a ruddy face, cleared his throat and began. For the first time since her father had brought her in, Lila looked up at him. Her warm brown eyes appeared too big against her pale skin, which was as white as the silk gown she wore. The gown had a leaf design in silver netting, and she wore a small, silver leaf to ornament her hair. Pearls circled her throat and danced at her ears, and with her hair piled high in a coil of ebony, she looked every inch the duke’s daughter.
The bishop had droned on—something about God’s will and not entering into marriage unadvisedly; clearly the bishop did not know about the king’s will and advice—but now the officiate paused and cleared his throat again.
“Into this holy union Sir Brook Erasmus Derring and Lady Lillian-Anne Pevensy now come to be joined. If any of you can show just cause why they may not lawfully be married, speak now.” The bishop paused at this, looking first at Lila then Brook. “Or else forever hold your peace.”
Brook ground his teeth together and glared at Lila. She lowered her gaze again.
“I require and charge you both—” the bishop
“I don’t want Derring forced to protect me. He already hates me.”
“Why?”
Lila looked away. She wouldn’t reveal that sordid bit of history to her brother. “He just…does.”
“He doesn’t hate you. He doesn’t hate anyone. Doesn’t love them either. He’s not a man of passions. Trust me, you’ll be perfectly safe with Derring.”
But Lila was not so sure.
Five
Brook would murder Lady Lila himself. How dare she trap him in this fashion?
The king had gone on and on about annulments and contracts and special licenses. Brook hadn’t heard a word. He’d fastened his gaze on the Duke of Lennox, who stood at the king’s right arm. Lennox, that bastard. It was as though he’d made it his life’s work to humiliate Brook.
Brook hadn’t tried to argue with George. There was no point. Once the king made up his mind, he would not change it. Not if money was involved at any rate, and Brook was willing to believe quite a bit of blunt had been deposited in the king’s coffers to seal Brook’s fate.
He might have asked his mother to come to his aid. The Dowager Countess of Dane still had some influence, but his mother would likely side with the king. She wanted Brook to marry.
His brother, the earl, might come to London to intervene, but he might also laugh his arse off.
Brook had other friends—Viscount Chesham and the Marquess of Lyndon—but the time it took to rally them would give Beezle the time he needed to dispose of Lila. Brook might not want to marry the chit, but he didn’t want her dead.
If she managed to survive the time it took for Brook and his friends to argue with the king, the result would still be the same. Lennox would make another donation to King George’s treasury, and Brook would be ordered to obey his sovereign.
And so he sat in the coach outside Derring House and stared at the special license in his hands. He’d put off telling his mother as long as he could. He’d put off having Hunt polish his shoes and starch his cravat. If there was one thing Brook knew, it was when to admit defeat. That did not mean he gave up.
It simply meant he needed a new strategy.
* * *
The church was all but empty. Brook’s mother and her husband sat with his sister and Dorrington on one side, while the Duke of Lennox and the Earl of Granbury sat on the other. Behind them, one of the king’s attendants took a seat. Brook supposed he was there to ensure the king’s wishes were followed precisely.
There hadn’t been time for Dane and his wife to come in from the country. If his older brother had been present, Brook would have asked him to stand beside him. As it was, Lila had no attendants, so perhaps it was for the best Brook stood before the bishop alone as well.
The bishop, a jowly man with white hair and a ruddy face, cleared his throat and began. For the first time since her father had brought her in, Lila looked up at him. Her warm brown eyes appeared too big against her pale skin, which was as white as the silk gown she wore. The gown had a leaf design in silver netting, and she wore a small, silver leaf to ornament her hair. Pearls circled her throat and danced at her ears, and with her hair piled high in a coil of ebony, she looked every inch the duke’s daughter.
The bishop had droned on—something about God’s will and not entering into marriage unadvisedly; clearly the bishop did not know about the king’s will and advice—but now the officiate paused and cleared his throat again.
“Into this holy union Sir Brook Erasmus Derring and Lady Lillian-Anne Pevensy now come to be joined. If any of you can show just cause why they may not lawfully be married, speak now.” The bishop paused at this, looking first at Lila then Brook. “Or else forever hold your peace.”
Brook ground his teeth together and glared at Lila. She lowered her gaze again.
“I require and charge you both—” the bishop
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