Read Online Innocence Lost by Tiffany Green - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tiffany Green
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investigators shall keep searching,” he vowed softly. Then he left.
Once they were alone, Julian turned her to face him with a hard stare. “Start from the very beginning, dear sister, and don't you dare omit a thing,” he said, leading her to the Queen Anne sofa.
She omitted quite a lot, except that Nicholas had been her guardian. He'd learn of it from any one of the servants, anyway.
The explosion occurred just as the words tumbled from her lips. “I bloody well don't believe it!"
She clamped her hands onto his rock-solid arm and repeated what the dowager duchess had explained about her guardianship. She added that the dowager had promised to arrive as soon as her brother, Lord Stenwick, was well enough to travel. She summarized what had been gleaned of their parents’ disappearance, hoping his thoughts would center on them and not on Nicholas.
He shot to his feet. “I must leave for a short time,” he said.
"Where are you going?"
"To begin the search for Mother and Father,” he answered as he pulled the door open and walked through.
Nicholas paced his study. Be damned, why couldn't he have seen that Megan wasn't some commoner at the stream? She had refined speech and aristocratic features.
A jolt of awareness shot through him, and he came to an abrupt stop. The beautiful little nymph would be his wife. The way she reacted to him earlier left little doubt that he just needed a bit more time to convince her of it.
He chuckled. For many years, he'd fought hard against being ensnared into marriage, much to his mother's consternation. And now he wished for nothing above marriage to Megan. After pouring himself a whisky and settling into the comfortable leather chair behind his desk, he raised the glass into the air to celebrate his good fortune. But just as he brought the drink to his lips, a disquieting thought nettled its way into his mind, something—rather someone who would ruin his chances with Megan. He lowered the crystal tumbler onto the polished wood with a bang, sloshing a goodly portion of the amber liquid over his hand. Megan's brother. According to the guardianship papers he had found within his father's repository in the study, Julian was named above the Duke of Claremont as Megan's custodian in the event that both of her parents were unable to care for her. As long as Julian remained her guardian, Nicholas knew that he would never be allowed to marry her.
Damn him. He would not permit the man to take another love from him.
Then he realized that Julian was but Megan's temporary guardian. Her father would certainly return. Joseph Westland's strength and cunning were as vast as his wealth. And upon hearing the truth, he was bound to agree to the marriage.
That was, Nicholas thought, if Megan's father didn't kill him first.
Megan watched Julian take a deep sigh. His guarded expression sent chills through her.
"Moppet, I feel that I must inform you of something."
She gripped his hands. Tears glazed her eyes and stung her nose. “Oh, Julian, Mother and Father..."
He shook his head. “No, no, I have hired many investigators to locate them. Our parents will soon be found."
She slumped with relief.
"I wish to speak to you regarding Claremont,” Julian continued. “Take heed, Megan. I know why he seems enamored of you and has proposed marriage."
Heat bloomed in her cheeks. “Julian, please.” She made a careful study of the row of pearl buttons at the end of her gown's long sleeves.
"I am a man, dear heart, and understand the workings of men rather well."
She sighed and raised her head. She might as well have this done with. “Very well, why does the duke seem enamored of me?"
His eyes went as dark as thunder clouds. “Revenge."
"What?"
"He still holds me responsible for a transgression I never committed,” Julian explained calmly.
"Are you referring to that incident with Emily Wakefield?"
"How did you—” He halted and shook his head. “Yes. And now Claremont is using you
Once they were alone, Julian turned her to face him with a hard stare. “Start from the very beginning, dear sister, and don't you dare omit a thing,” he said, leading her to the Queen Anne sofa.
She omitted quite a lot, except that Nicholas had been her guardian. He'd learn of it from any one of the servants, anyway.
The explosion occurred just as the words tumbled from her lips. “I bloody well don't believe it!"
She clamped her hands onto his rock-solid arm and repeated what the dowager duchess had explained about her guardianship. She added that the dowager had promised to arrive as soon as her brother, Lord Stenwick, was well enough to travel. She summarized what had been gleaned of their parents’ disappearance, hoping his thoughts would center on them and not on Nicholas.
He shot to his feet. “I must leave for a short time,” he said.
"Where are you going?"
"To begin the search for Mother and Father,” he answered as he pulled the door open and walked through.
Nicholas paced his study. Be damned, why couldn't he have seen that Megan wasn't some commoner at the stream? She had refined speech and aristocratic features.
A jolt of awareness shot through him, and he came to an abrupt stop. The beautiful little nymph would be his wife. The way she reacted to him earlier left little doubt that he just needed a bit more time to convince her of it.
He chuckled. For many years, he'd fought hard against being ensnared into marriage, much to his mother's consternation. And now he wished for nothing above marriage to Megan. After pouring himself a whisky and settling into the comfortable leather chair behind his desk, he raised the glass into the air to celebrate his good fortune. But just as he brought the drink to his lips, a disquieting thought nettled its way into his mind, something—rather someone who would ruin his chances with Megan. He lowered the crystal tumbler onto the polished wood with a bang, sloshing a goodly portion of the amber liquid over his hand. Megan's brother. According to the guardianship papers he had found within his father's repository in the study, Julian was named above the Duke of Claremont as Megan's custodian in the event that both of her parents were unable to care for her. As long as Julian remained her guardian, Nicholas knew that he would never be allowed to marry her.
Damn him. He would not permit the man to take another love from him.
Then he realized that Julian was but Megan's temporary guardian. Her father would certainly return. Joseph Westland's strength and cunning were as vast as his wealth. And upon hearing the truth, he was bound to agree to the marriage.
That was, Nicholas thought, if Megan's father didn't kill him first.
Megan watched Julian take a deep sigh. His guarded expression sent chills through her.
"Moppet, I feel that I must inform you of something."
She gripped his hands. Tears glazed her eyes and stung her nose. “Oh, Julian, Mother and Father..."
He shook his head. “No, no, I have hired many investigators to locate them. Our parents will soon be found."
She slumped with relief.
"I wish to speak to you regarding Claremont,” Julian continued. “Take heed, Megan. I know why he seems enamored of you and has proposed marriage."
Heat bloomed in her cheeks. “Julian, please.” She made a careful study of the row of pearl buttons at the end of her gown's long sleeves.
"I am a man, dear heart, and understand the workings of men rather well."
She sighed and raised her head. She might as well have this done with. “Very well, why does the duke seem enamored of me?"
His eyes went as dark as thunder clouds. “Revenge."
"What?"
"He still holds me responsible for a transgression I never committed,” Julian explained calmly.
"Are you referring to that incident with Emily Wakefield?"
"How did you—” He halted and shook his head. “Yes. And now Claremont is using you
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